HR Consultants - Cost reality.

 HR Consultants Are  Cost-Effective 

When it comes to managing human resources, many businesses—especially small and medium-sized enterprises—are challenged by the need to balance operational efficiency with cost control. One solution gaining popularity is using a HR consultants. Here’s why engaging an HR consultant can actually save you money and add real value to your organization.

1. Access to Expertise Without the Full-Time Cost

HR consultants are specialists with a wealth of experience across multiple industries and scenarios. Usually when you are looking to hire HR the business requires the ability to look at the function from a strategic level not just the day to day.  I have been in many businesses where they have a very limited budget and end up HR processes and solutions which can not be scaled. HR Consultants also worked across a number of businesses and bring with them a wide range of experience.

2. Reduce Risk and Avoid Costly Mistakes

Employment law, awards, and compliance requirements are constantly changing. HR consultants stay up to date with these changes and help ensure your business is compliant, significantly reducing your risks and potential legal costs. 

3. Flexibility and Scalability

Your business needs change over time. HR consultants provide flexible support that can scale up or down based on your requirements—helping with recruitment this quarter, designing training next quarter, or supporting a restructure when needed. You only pay for what you need, when you need it.

4. Focus on Core Business Activities

By outsourcing HR tasks, your leadership team can focus on what they do best.  Small to medium business tend to focus on the spreading resources across functions, and sometimes those people do not have the necessary experience in the subject matter.  For example you don't ask a HR person to develop the company's cash flow for the year to undertake the company budgeting process.

5. Improved Employee Productivity and Retention

Well-managed HR leads to  more engaged employees. HR consultants can implement best-practice recruitment, onboarding, and performance management. This reduces costly turnover and helps create a positive workplace culture—boosting your bottom line.

6. No Overhead or Hidden Employee Costs — True Financial Impact

At first glance, an HR consultant’s hourly or project rate might seem higher than the wage of a permanent employee. However, this figure does not reflect the true cost of employing someone directly. When you hire a permanent employee, the business also pays for:

• Annual Leave
• Personal/Carer’s Leave
• Compassionate Leave
• Long Service Leave
• Public Holidays
• Superannuation (12%)
• Payroll Tax
• Workers Compensation Insurance
• Recruitment/Onboarding Costs
• Workstation, IT, and Facilities

With a consultant or contractor, you only pay for actual work done—nothing more. You don’t pay for downtime, sick days, public holidays, or ongoing liabilities for leave and entitlements.  Finance experts tend to focus on the the hourly rate instead of the additional costs.  

Contractor vs Direct Employee: Real Cost Comparison

Let’s illustrate with a simple scenario:

• Direct Employee:

  • Salary: $100,000 per year
  • Add 12% superannuation: $12,000
  • Paid leave and holidays (approx. 40 days): about 16% of annual salary, or $16,000 in paid non-working days
  • Payroll tax, workers’ comp and other liabilities: 
  • Total True Cost: ~$130,000+ per year (not including equipment, overhead, or recruitment costs)

• Consultant/Contractor:

  • Hourly/project rate (let’s say $120/hour for 500 hours a year): $60,000
  • Covers only actual hours worked on real HR needs—no leave, no payroll on-costs, no insurance or additional liabilities.
  • Total True Cost: is approx. $60,000 with no on costs

Even if the consultant’s rate looks higher on paper, you save money by avoiding the invisible “on costs” that come with permanent employees. This makes HR consultants a cost-effective, scalable, and low-risk solution, especially for businesses with fluctuating HR needs.

Conclusion

HR consultants provide a cost-effective way for SMB to meet their HR needs, they combine expert guidance, compliance assurance, flexibility, and no extra overheads. 

Ready to see how you can save on HR costs? Contact us today for a tailored quote or consultation.