Mercer launches ‘HR on demand’ service for small business

Global consulting firm Mercer is launching an HR-on-demand service for small to midsize businesses, the firm announced this week.

The site, MercerPeoplePro, enables benefit managers and other HR staff to ask questions and get connected through the site with the appropriate Mercer consultants. The hourly rate is $250 and new users get their first hour for free. And while it’s launching as a mobile-enabled site, there is an app in the works, says Jo-Anne Bloch, partner and team leader at Mercer Innovation Hub.

The service fills a gap for small businesses, many of which do not have dedicated benefits staff or in-house HR expertise, she says.

“The employee benefit space can be complex. It's regulated and it’s not always easy to find the right answer quickly,” she says. “We are able to tap into this really experienced pool of talent who advised some of our largest organizations over the years who can share that experience in bite-sized pieces, if you like, or companies who just need quick advice and quick turn-around.”

MercerPeoplePro will handle questions and projects related to compensation, rewards, benefits (including healthcare and retirement), communication and talent management.

"Ultimately, we'll get to a stage where if we have clients asking for perhaps advice on financial modeling or on issues beyond human resources, we will be able to source the pros that can ultimately come onto the platform," says Bloch.