29 January 2025
Human Resources is a multi-faceted discipline, and serves different functions in an organisation. Sometimes, people confuse HR with other specialised industries like recruitment, payroll, and legal firms. It’s a common misconception that sometimes leads to unrealistic expectations about what HR on its own can do.
While we do have experience in working with different industries, we also know that we can’t be a jack-of-all-trades (and masters of none) to our clients. We know the ins and outs of our profession as HR Partners, and we can also recognise when a client needs more than HR guidance.
This is why we have a network of trusted partners that we refer clients to when they need assistance that goes beyond our expertise. In this blog, we’ll explore the three most common types of partners we work with to ensure our clients receive comprehensive support.
Our partnership with accounting and bookkeeping firms is invaluable.
We’ve had clients referred to us by accounting and bookkeeping firms, and vice versa. Many businesses come to us needing HR services, and during the course of our work with them, we’ve come to identify that they also need an accountant or bookkeeper to ensure their compliance with tax laws and regulations.
Payroll management is a prime example. While HR handles the people side of management, the complexities of payroll are often beyond our specialty. Referring clients to specialised accounting firms that focus on payroll services ensure that their financial needs are managed by experts in the field.
A great example of how we partner with accounting firms is Orr Martin and Waters Chartered Accountants.
As accountants, the company’s primary focus has always been on providing exceptional financial and tax services to their clients. However, they realised they were not HR experts, and this posed a challenge when it came to understanding and addressing their clients’ broader workforce-related needs.
Our solution to this was to host a Lunch and Learn with Orr Martin and Waters, where our Managing Director provided the company with valuable insights and practical knowledge, covering essential HR topics such as employee engagement, talent management, and compliance. Armed with a newfound understanding of HR principles, they’re now more confident and capable of addressing their clients’ HR challenges.
As HR professionals, our work is focused on mitigating risks related to compliance with employment law. However, there are instances when legal expertise is necessary. Employment law can be complex and varies by jurisdiction—which is why it’s vital for our HR Partners to recognise when a client needs specialised legal services.
By referring clients to our partner law firms, we provide them with access to trusted partners who we know from experience can guide them through employment issues.
One of our partners in the legal industry is Legalite. In their work, they identified clients who were seeking employment law advice and HR support, which they don’t provide. They wanted to partner with other professional service providers that can support their clients’ requirements. As well, they wanted to ensure that their HR provider would treat their clients in the same manner that they would.
Our collaborative relationship means that both Legalite and Now Actually provide a solution to the clients’ needs in the HR space.
HR isn’t all about compliance. We are, after all, our clients’ partner in people. We deal with the people in a business, and we’ve often encountered businesses that have specific needs regarding team management and employee wellbeing.
This is where our partners specialising in OH & S solutions come into play. We collaborate with companies that offer employee wellness programs focused on mental and emotional well-being as well. Recognising that safety encompasses both physical and mental health is key in promoting a good workplace environment. For more insights on this topic, check out our blog on why HR alone can’t be the only solution to workplace mental health.
As an organisation, we pride ourselves on being good at what we do and being experts in our field. Having said that, we also recognise our limitations when it comes to clients’ needs that HR alone can’t support. By working hand in hand with trusted partners in different industries, we’re able to give our clients the comprehensive support that they need.
If you’re interested in joining our network of trusted referral partners, or want to learn more about how we can collaborate, drop us a line here for more information!
