HR Companies & HR Consultants in Norwich, CT

Boss Consulting HR, LLC is a human resources consultancy based in Norwich, Connecticut, that works only with small businesses. Its clients are typically owners who handle many roles themselves and have neither an in-house HR department nor the time to follow changing employment rules. The firm acts as an outside HR team for these companies. It helps them with compliance, employee relations and workplace policies, with the aim of heading off problems before they become disputes.

Services and support options

The firm offers several levels of help, from do-it-yourself tools to ongoing access to a named consultant. Engagements can be handled remotely, and consultants can also visit clients on site in Connecticut and the wider Tri-State region. Its main offerings include:

• Day to Day HR: the firm's flagship membership. Each client is paired with one consultant who answers routine questions by phone, text or email on weekdays. Members also receive compliance training and discounted rates on other services.
• Employee handbooks: three options, which are writing a new handbook, refreshing an outdated one, or reviewing an existing document.
• HR audits: an on-site review of benefits, personnel files, training, performance management, hiring and separations. The audit ends with a written report and recommendations.
• HR retainers: ongoing outsourced support in monthly blocks of hours, for companies that want to hand off the whole HR function or need larger projects.
• Training: virtual and in-person sessions, including programs on core supervisory skills and on preventing sexual harassment.

Resources for hands-on owners

Owners who are not yet ready to hire a consultant can buy downloadable HR documents from the firm and adapt them to their own business. The company says these templates follow accepted HR practice. They give very small employers an affordable way to put basic documentation in place.

How the firm works with clients

The firm's approach centers on prevention and easy access. Clients can contact a consultant who already knows their business, so they don't have to search online for answers that may be unreliable. Members get help with common issues such as terminations, attendance problems, wage-and-hour rules and workplace conflict. The firm also recommends audits at key points in a company's growth, for example after reaching a hiring milestone, after a leadership change or merger, or after a government agency investigation.

Background and leadership

Dana Dowdell, who holds the SHRM-CP credential, founded the company and still leads it. Material on the firm's site describes her as having more than a decade of experience in human resources. She also works as an HR coach and college instructor and hosts two podcasts, Quirky HR and It's Just Business.

She writes regular compliance updates on the company blog, which also covers Connecticut-specific topics. Client testimonials on the site name several members of the consulting team. For buyers comparing providers, Boss Consulting HR stands out for its focus on small employers, its named-consultant membership model, and its choice of remote or in-person service in southern New England.