Human Resource Associations for Small Business
A Home Business Article Contributed by Sharon Hill
Hiring Help Associations for Your Small Business
Your small business, once it grows to the point of needing to recruit others to work for you, will benefit greatly from the assistance of human resource associations. The most notable is the Society for Human Resources, SHRM. Local SHRM chapters exist all over - there will almost certainly be one in your neighborhood. The way the organization works you can join the local chapter, join the national chapter, or do both. Let's take a look at this terrific resource.
While national membership in this human resource association is $160 annually, you can join as a student even though a small business owner if you are taking even one human resource class. This qualifies you for a student membership rate of only $35. But you can also opt to join only your local chapter. These costs vary by area.
The central Massachusetts chapter in Worcester, for instance, charges $135 for membership, whereas the Buffalo NY chapter only asks for $50, $40 if you join early. www.shrm.org has a chapters link that will direct you to the nearest local SHRM association for your small business.
Benefits for Your Small Business of Association with Shrm
The first association benefit may be the opportunity to commiserate and network with other folks who are dealing with the same recruitment issues as you. You will also be talking with and listening to human resource professionals. Typically each local chapter's meeting will offer a speaker who can talk about human resource related topics that can help your small business.
The Society for Human Resource Management web site offers chats, bulletin boards and webcasts, on such topics as nonprofit executive recruitment, benefits, conflict resolution and employees as caregivers. The SHRM book store includes such helpful publications as "Games That Boost Performance, " "The HR Answer Book, " and the "Managers Question and Answer Book." By the way, you don't have to be a member to order these books. Just go to the web site and order online.)
SHRM offers an information center hotline for instant help with human resource problems by e-mail, phone or instant messenger. Its HR Tools benefits gives help to members through toolkits, and sample forms and policies.
A Fun Free Small Business Association
Log onto ideacafe.com and fill out the quick registration form for free membership. You'll then be taken to Business Owners Idea Cafe where you can access tons of helpful info. Not only does the site offer information on government and corporate grants for your firm, but also gives you tips on free trade publications, marketing and ecommerce. The Idea Cafe CyberSchmooz let's you talk online with other small business owners.
You can choose topics such as Biz Names (where you can get help choosing a catchy business name), Tech Talk (where you can hope to find someone a little more technically savvy than you), Start Up Stew (where you ask for any kind of start-up help of those who have been there, done that) and Working at Home (where you talk about the problems unique to your work-at-home business.) There are even contests on the site. A very laid back, fun site.
Here you can take a break from the daily grind, while still learning.
