For most small and mid-sized businesses, the idea of having a dedicated Human Resources department, let alone a full-time HR specialist, feels like a luxury. Budgets are tight, margins are slim, and every hire must contribute directly to growth or business operations. That’s certainly not ideal, but it is a reality that forces many business owners to assign HR-related tasks—like payroll, benefits administration, and compliance—to someone who’s already an employee, perhaps the CFO, a trusted financial manager, or even the office administrator. It makes sense: If someone’s already managing the likes of accounts payable, taxes, and budgets, why not have them process payroll and administer benefits as well? But there’s a rub: Such arrangements can burden those involved with responsibilities that are outside their training, […]
