In a very small organisation, with a limited number of employees, there isn’t always the need for a dedicated people professional. HR responsibilities can often be managed alongside another role. However, as the number of employees increases, a more structured people approach is usually needed, including formal policies and processes. This can be a single individual or a small team – depending on the complexity of the business. 

Being an HR professional in a small to medium sized business (SME) can be a very different experience from working in a large organisation. Typically, you would be an HR generalist and responsible for almost all the duties needed day-to-day. For particularly complex or specific projects, you can usually expect to draw on specialist external support.

Typical responsibilities for people professionals in small organisations

People professionals in small organisations tend to be HR generalists (sometimes referred to as human resources or personnel) and draw on their knowledge of many different aspects of the profession. The specific responsibilities they take on are shaped by organisation need but can cover many of the following: 

  • Recruitment 
  • Basic staff policies 
  • Workforce planning 
  • Holiday management 
  • Performance management 
  • Pay 
  • Staff issues 
  • People analytics 
  • Reward  
  • Training and development 

Making maximum impact as a a people professional in an SME

We asked HR professionals in small to medium sized business what was keeping them awake at night and what they would find most useful from the CIPD. 

Their answers gave us five core issues, all relating to how to make maximum impact as a people professional in an SME. They are: 

  1. How do I go about understanding and setting clear expectations of my role?
  2. How do I establish my priorities, balancing what the business says it wants with what I know it needs?
  3. How do I make a convincing business case for change or a new people approach?
  4. How can I best demonstrate my credibility and impact?
  5. What personal development is going to benefit me the most? 

In this report we’ve pulled together reflections from the HR professionals, business leaders and SME consultants we talked to, to bring together their ideas and practical guidance on how to go about tackling these core issues. 

 

Read the report Find more evidence and insights on our knowledge hub

Research report

Building HR capability in small UK firms

In a very small organisation, with a limited number of employees, it can be difficult to justify investment in a dedicated in-house people professional. However, that doesn’t mean that support isn’t needed. 

This report presents the outcomes of the People Skills pilot programme which provided small UK firms with free HR support and advice on demand. The programme was intended to assess whether there is demand for HR support amongst SMEs.

Read more Find more evidence and insights on our knowledge hub

A day in the life of an HR generalist

Read these real-life career stories

Case study

A day in the life of an HR adviser

A day in the life of Gina Keohane, HR Adviser at Ubisoft Leamington

Case study

A day in the life of an HR officer

A day in the life of Jonathan Le Brocq, HR Officer at Garenne Group

CIPD Trust

Tackling barriers to work today whilst creating inclusive workplaces of tomorrow.

Find out more

Connect
and learn

We offer a range of ways to stay connected, from events to networking, workshops and webinars.

Get involved

What’s different about working in other kinds of organisation?

The role of a people professional can look different in a larger organisation, or if you chose to work for yourself as an independent consultant.

Working as a people professional in a large organisation

Explore the range of HR, L&D and OD roles you could take on in a large organisation.

Working as an independent people consultant

Find out what it's like to work for yourself or be an independent people consultant supporting other organisations with HR, L&D and OD projects.

Find out what a career in the people profession could offer you

Career options in the
people profession

Explore the twelve career areas within the people profession, and the typical activities you may find yourself doing

Read more
Callout Image

Career guidance

Information and guidance to help you excel in your role, transition into the profession, and manage a career break

Read more
Callout Image