Having a human resource manager in a Canadian small business: what difference does it make?

This study examined the influence of having a human resource (HR) manager in a small organization (less than 500 employees) in terms of the types of HR practices that are employed. Results indicated those organizations with no HR manager were less likely to utilize effective interviewing techniques, link pay to performance, or have formal training in place, when compared to those that did have an HR manager. There were no differences between the groups in terms of use of paper and pencil or behavioural testing for selection. Implications of these findings for small organizations and future research in this area are discussed.