HR Outsourcing in a Down Economy

HR Outsourcing: Can it help your business in a down economy?

The mid-way point of 2009 has come and gone and the economic forecasting remains positive, however the statistics still remain grim. Unemployment remains at a 20 year high, consumer spending is at the lowest levels since the early 1980s, and disposable income has sunk to levels not seen since 1947. To add to this, health care reform has the country in a tailspin, especially the large populations of employees who make their living in the healthcare industry. Concerned employers wonder how it may impact their businesses in the short and long term. As the economic downturn continues, employers across all market sizes report their top business concerns or threats to their business:

Threats to the Business

1. Diminished productivity due to deflated employee morale and leaner staff
2. Dropping revenues and unpredictable cash flow
3. Increasing layoffs and the potential for rising lawsuits
4. Increasing insurance for healthcare premiums and operating expenses

Employers, both large and small, are not prepared to watch and wait from the sidelines. They have taken matters into their own hands to offset rising operational costs and dropping profits through the use of outsourcing. “Outsourcing” is defined as, “the procuring of services or products from an outside supplier or manufacturer in order to cut costs.” Almost every employer engages in at least one form of outsourcing. In recent years, and continuing through the recession, Human Resources and Accounting top the list as key areas where businesses can immediately realize cost savings and operational efficiency. Because both of these processes are not core functions of the business itself, a return on investment or business case for outsourcing to a third party is easily made. To learn more about the key drivers behind Outsourced Accounting click here

HR Outsourcing Industry Continues to Soar

Human Resource Outsourcing is a business strategy that allows an employer the means to reduce overhead expenses, reduce employer liability, and improve employee productivity. While some employers may select to outsource only specific HR functions like payroll or recruiting, others have opted for a comprehensive, single source solution. To learn more about the differences among HR solutions and providers available to the market, click here.

HR Outsourcing continues to gain momentum as a viable solution for challenged businesses. According to IDC, a global research firm, outsourcing Human Resources functions has become the fastest growing segment of the broader business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. It grew close to 70 percent over the past 6 years, with companies worldwide spending more than $103.3 billion.

Additionally, Centripetal Consulting Group obtained information from Everest Research Institute, an independent research and analysis organization which states that North American HR outsourcing transactions reached $25.4 billion by the end of 2007, an increase of 19 percent over the previous year. In 2008, despite the slowing economy, HRO transactions grew an additional $2.9 billion, an increase of over eleven percent over the previous year. Everest Group, the parent company of Everest Research Institute contributes to this growing number of business utilizing an outsourced HR strategy. Centripetal Consulting Group is currently working with this 70 employee firm to select the right HR outsourcing technology partner which will enable the company to streamline and automate employee related transactions and internal processes.

Why Outsource?

While large corporations feel the impact of a recession, these factors are magnified for small businesses and their recovery time is significantly longer. Public corporations may report diminished returns for their shareholders and are subject to public scrutiny. A small employer can easily go out of business overnight. This is frightening for everyone because small businesses or the SMB market are the lifeblood of the economy. These businesses are run by innovative and motivated entrepreneurs who invest their personal savings, time, and livelihood. They need protection more than a large company, yet many times either cannot afford the internal HR resources or aren’t really aware of their true exposure as an employer.

One of the reasons for the continued growth in HR outsourcing may be attributed to employers who had not considered outsourcing in the past, are now seeing the benefits of HR outsourcing as a means to reduce overhead and cut operational expenses. They’ve been forced to slash headcount. This creates a “do more with less” environment which can compromise productivity. But from a legal and compliance standpoint, employers feel vulnerable to increased regulation associated with employee terminations. The changes to COBRA are one example. This fear has motivated employers to consider the outsourcing to alleviate the burden of dealing with employment related compliance and administration.

The key for small employers to successfully navigate through a recession is to stabilize revenues and improve employee productivity. The cost associated with labor and employee benefits are reportedly the two top line items on the balance sheet, thus making HR accountable and responsible for maximizing employee productivity while minimizing costs and risk. Employers look to HR outsourcing as a means to achieve these objectives:

1. Stabilizing operating expenses increases company value and calms corporate anxiety.
2. Streamlining operations reduces unnecessary overhead and cuts wasteful spending.
3. Lowering insurance premiums reduces overhead and expenses.
4. Minimizing employment risks reduces the potential of lawsuits and complaints to the federal and state agencies, and the resultant legal fees and judgments.
5. Training and motivating staff increases employee morale and improves productivity.

Despite the recognition by many small employers as critical priorities to their success, most simply cannot afford to institute the necessary changes. Even the most efficient employers will be unable to devote the time required to make meaningful changes to corporate policies and procedures. Partnering with an HR Outsourcer helps an employer achieve relief. According to Hewitt Associations, a world-wide provider of HR consulting services and research data, the most common reason for engaging an HR Outsourcing firm is to reduce overhead. Companies clearly recognize the value of utilizing an outside resource to conduct various business-related activities, as compared to maintaining these functions internally. Other reasons to outsource include:

1. Access to outside expertise
2. Improving service quality
3. High cost of remaining up-to-date with rapidly changing environment
4 Eliminate high volume of low-value transactional activities
5. Reduce management distractions away from core business
6. Leverage existing staff to focus on key competencies

Although there are several “flavors of outsourcing”, the providers are not all created equal. However, there are two main types of HR Outsourcing providers: Traditional HR Vendors and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). Some employers may select to outsource specific functions, others have opted for a comprehensive solution. To learn more about the variety of the HR solution offering, click here.

Traditional Human Resource Vendors

Traditional HR vendors are firms that specialize in one particular service area, such as payroll, benefits brokerage and administration, recruiting, or training. In a traditional outsourced model, the employer selects a mix of HR vendors to perform specific function that encompass all of their outsourcing needs. To learn more about both the benefits and downside to this approach click here.

Professional Employer Organizations

The second main type of outsourcer is a PEO or co-employment vendor. In this relationship, the PEOshares many of the responsibilities of being an employer on behalf of their client. Through co-employment, small organizations access the economies of scale enjoyed by large corporations. In contrast to traditional HR vendors, the PEO provides a wide array of HR services, effectively consolidating multiple vendors under one roof.

The four key service areas include:

• Human Resources compliance and administration
• Employee Benefits and administration
• Workers’ Compensation insurance and safety consulting
• Payroll and tax filing services

This type of employment arrangement can offer several benefits to an employer, especially in a down economy. Many times a PEO can be a savior to a business owner who cannot afford expensive health premiums, is overwhelmed with paperwork, or is concerned with maintaining HR compliance. Click here to explore if a PEO is a good fit for your business.

On the flip side, an employer may only benefit from a co-employment arrangement for a short period of time as it no longer seems financially compelling to fully outsource the HR function. This trend may occur once the economy strengthens or changes in healthcare occur. Because the PEO performs all HR transactions, it is sometimes confusing or difficult for a company to determine their true costs for each of the services delivered by the PEO. Even if you do determine that it makes sense financially to leave thePEO, it can become even harder to piece the right vendors together to unbundle from the PEO. For help in this area click here.

Workers Compensation vs. Non-Subscriber Coverage for Texas Employers

As the economy continues in a downward spiral trend, employers continue to look for ways to cut costs in non-revenue generating areas of their business. One of these key areas is insurance.  As a private Texas employer, there is an option to “opt out” or non-subscribe from the workers compensation system.  Instead, an employer can choose to assume the risks associated with a potential lawsuit should an employee be injured at work or purchase alternative insurance that provides a lesser benefit. Although, this may be a less expensive alternative, it is important to know the key differences between workers compensation (WC) and occupational accident (OA) in determining if this is the best area to cut costs.

Workers Compensation

Texas employers who choose to maintain workers’ compensation insurance can elect to purchase an insurance policy from a private insurance company, or self-insure. To self-insure, an employer must meet the requirements of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act and become certified by the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission. Self-insured employers have the same rights and responsibilities as employers who buy policies from private insurance companies, they are simply utilizing an alternative funding mechanism that includes more out-of-pocket risk vs. lower premium.

In return for an employer paying premiums toward workers’ compensation insurance, workers are guaranteed to be compensated for their injuries and lost wages in the event they suffer a work-related injury or illness, regardless of fault. WC premiums can fluctuate based upon claims experience which are measured by a regulated experience modifier. However, regardless of claim volume or risk tendency, the employer holds no personal liability for losses because WC is governed under tort law.

Benefits for Workers Compensation

Occupational Accident

Texas employers can also choose to “opt out” from subscribing to workers’ compensation. Perceived by many as a worthy alternative to WC, Occupational Accident insurance is an insurance option that provides employers and their employees a degree of protection should a work injury or accident occur.

OA insurance provides coverage for medical costs associated with the injury, disability payments for the injured worker as they are recovering from their injury, and a scheduled benefit for accidental death and dismemberment. The employer chooses a benefit period, usually two or three years, as well as a deductible that is applied to each accident.

The inherent employer risks are unlimited liability, including possible punitive damages. If they lose lawsuits arising from workplace accidents, and in the event of a lawsuit, they forfeit their right to claim one of the three common law defenses:  a) The employee knew of the inherent dangers and assumed the risk;  b) the employee contributed to their own injury or illness (any negligence on the employee’s part, however small, prevents the employee from collecting for injuries); or c) a fellow employee’s negligence caused the injury.

Benefits of Occupational Accident Coverage

Bundled HR Service Solutions vs. Best of Breed Providers

The HR BPO market is forecasted to grow from $20.8 billion in 2004 to $31.3 billion in 2009, reflecting an 8.3% compound annual growth rate. The estimated revenue is $28.69 billion in 2009. (Robert H. Brown, “Gartner Research – Sourcing options Grow as the HR BPO Market Matures,” July 26, 2006)

One of the primary reasons for this sustainable growth is the value that both employers and HR service providers recognize in outsourcing non-core business functions to third parties. This trend may even see more growth from 2009 to 2010 because of the down economy. Employers are increasingly looking at HR outsourcing as an opportunity to streamline processes, reduce direct and indirect costs, get access to the latest technology and tools, consistently achieve better quality, and align HR with the overall business in the most cost-effective, efficient time possible. Many employers feel that the benefit of outsourcing is even more effective when it is done with a single source provider who offers multiple HR services in a bundled, integrated offering.

Many HR service providers have increased their serving offerings beyond their core business to adapt to demands of the market. For example, a 401(k) provider might now offer payroll services, or a recruiting company is now offering benefits brokerage services. Even further, a PEO starts marketing non-co-employment solutions via an ASO arrangement. In several instances, strategic alliances are formed as non-competing HR service providers align in order to accommodate the multiple or changing needs of their client via a bundled “menu of services” type offering. Other HR service providers have chosen to acquire additional companies instead of partnering to strengthen their offerings. Still other firms choose to build additional offerings through their own internal resources and HR industry expertise.

My question then becomes: Do the benefits of a consolidated offering truly outweigh those of “best of breed” providers?

Perceived Benefits of Consolidated HR Outsourcing Offerings:

1. Integration and streamlined processes. With HR technology being at the core of many HR service offerings, several transactional processes can be automated. This is especially true if all HR processes are managed within a single system or by a common vendor. An example of this would be when an employee terminates, a COBRA notification is automatically sent because the payroll provider and COBRA vendor are one in the same. Another example may be that when the HRIS system is told that an offer is being made to a candidate, the process for completing a drug/background check is initiated. In many instances, employers are able to eliminate headcount or reallocate duties as manual processes become automated and less error prone.

2. Multiple service offerings. These allow for the most competitive pricing structure because a bundled offering produces economies of scale. The more business that is given to a single vendor, the more leverage for negotiation. This also holds true for guaranteeing higher service related agreements.

3. Simplified employee experience. One point of contact or one system to access for multiple requests, creates an efficient employee experience. This heightens employee productivity and increases employee satisfaction. A new hire can enroll for benefits, request time off, and view a paystub in a centralized location.

4. Ease of vendor management. Coordinating with multiple vendors is time-consuming and creates risk when dealing with time sensitive and sometimes compliance driven processes. A single vendor approach creates efficiencies and reduces errors. A consolidated invoice for services is an example of this.

Perceived Benefits of “Best of Breed” Multi-HR Vendor Approach

1. Quality of service delivery. A specialized vendor that offers one core service tends to offer a higher quality experience because they are not focused on any other area. Many times this allows for custom solutions designed with the client in mind rather than a “boxed” approach. An example would be a HRIS vendor that delivers a function-rich system that is configured to the needs of each customer vs. an out of the box software application.

2. Access to expertise. Specialty vendors seek a competitive advantage by deploying the best possible industry experts to meet the unique needs of their clients. An example of this would be a health and welfare consulting firm that specializes in servicing employers with self-funded benefit plans.

3. Ease of transition to begin or end vendor relationship. Implementing of a multi-faceted service offering can be a very time consuming project which may create compromised success due to deadlines. Focusing on just one functional area creates a higher success probability because a project isn’t dependent on competing projects. Additionally, if a consolidated vendor is performing well in one area and poorly in another, the entire relationship may be compromised. An example would be an employer terminating a benefits consultant relationship due to poor service and being forced to change HRIS systems because it is core to the bundled offering.

If you are challenged with making a clear distinction as to the best approach for your company, I would suggest asking a few key questions.

The first being what does your company value more: quality or simplicity. Furthermore, are you to simply save hard dollars costs or do you see a greater opportunity for indirect savings by increased quality relationships?

If you are leaning towards a consolidated approach, I suggest asking detailed questions around the service integration. Qualify which resources are actually internal or if some are outsourced partnerships. With this, clarify defined responsibilities of the service provider vs. the employer and more importantly who holds the liability.

If a specialist approach seems more fitting, ask for specific examples of success stories from their clients who were able to achieve measurable benefits that could not otherwise be realized in a consolidated approach.

10 Steps to Control Your Workers Comp Premium

An employer’s experience modification factor is an important component that is used in calculating a company’s workers compensation premium. Controlling your mod will help you to control your costs. Here are a few tips to live by if you are trying to control this cost and your bottom line.

1. Investigate accidents immediately and thoroughly. Take corrective action to eliminate hazards. Be aware of fraud.
2. Report all claims to carrier immediately. Alert carrier to any serious, potentially serious, or suspect claims. Frequently monitor the status of the claim and communicate with the adjuster to resolve as quickly as possible.
3. Take an aggressive approach to providing light duty to all injured employees upon their release from treatment. Supervise light duty employees to assure their conformance with restrictions.
4. In serious cases that involve lost time, communicate with the claims adjuster so that they recognize your interest in returning the injured employee back to gainful employment.
5. Set safety performance goals for persons with supervisory responsibility. Success in achieving safety goals should be used as one measure during performance appraisals.
6. Develop a written safety program and train employees in their responsibilities for safety. Incorporate a disciplinary policy into the program, one that holds employees accountable for breaking the rules or rewards them for correctly following safety procedures.
7. Frequently communicate with employees, on a formal and informal basis, regarding the importance of safety.
8. Make safety a priority. Senior management must be visible in the safety effort and must support improvement.
9. Evaluate accident history and near-misses at least monthly. Look for trends in experience and take corrective action on worst problems first, as soon as the problems manifest themselves
10. If you don’t have the resources available internally to implement these suggestions, hire a third party who specializes in minimizing the risks.

The 10 Benefits of Conducting a Personal Health Assessment

If your organization decides that you will put a Wellness plan in place, the first thing you should do is
conduct an inventory of the current health of your employees. This can be done by having your
employees complete personal health assessments. There are benefits to both you and the employee
for having this done.
BENEFIT #1 Personal Health Assessments provide employees with a snapshot of their current health

BENEFIT #2 Personal Health Assessments bring with them the potential to monitor individual health
status over time.

BENEFIT #3 Personal Health Assessments provide employees with concrete information thus
preparing them for lifestyle change.

BENEFIT #4 Personal Health Assessments help individuals get involved with health coaching.

BENEFIT #5 Personal Health Assessments provide important information concerning employees’
readiness to change.

BENEFIT #6 Personal Health Assessments help employers measure and monitor population health

BENEFIT #7 Personal Health Assessments provide employers with important information that can help
them build results-oriented health promotion programs.

BENEFIT #8 Personal Health Assessments can provide employers with important information on

BENEFIT #9 Personal Health Assessments allow employers to evaluate changes in health behavior
and health risks over time.

BENEFIT #10 Personal Health Assessments engage both employers and employees in the health
management process.

Wellness: Should our company be doing something about it?

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Currently, 62% of employers offer some type of wellness plan, whether that is as simple as discounts on gym memberships or as comprehensive as a multi-faceted points-based program. Regardless, an employer must view a wellness program as investment in the employees, not in the health insurance plan itself.

1.  How does an employer decide whether it makes financial sense to implement a wellness program?

Factors such as demographic makeup, company culture, and the overall wellness implementation strategy including structure and design, will determine the ultimate “return on investment.” Employers should expect to pay between $4-$15 per employee per month on a wellness plan

Companies with high turnover or lower paid workforces tend to directly benefit the employer the least; however, as more and more companies adopt wellness initiatives, the less that this will hold true.

First, the employer must be willing to adopt a top-down approach to implementing the wellness program and be willing to make a push to change to the company culture with an emphasis on healthy living.  Leaders determine culture.  If caring for yourself and others is part of what the employer values personally, it only makes sense to include wellness as part of company culture as well.

Secondly, an employer must understand the goal of the wellness plan before you can expect to see any results. “Bad” behavior drives risk; risk drives illness and disease; diseases drive healthcare costs. The only way to change the course of this cycle is to change behavior. An employer should not expect to see a dramatic change in the first couple of years. The only real way to measure success is in risk factor reduction.

2.  How does an employer maximize participation in a wellness program?

An employer must begin in the data collection phase of a wellness plan to experience long-term success. It is here where an employer identifies the current risk within the company by examining a multitude of data sets including clinical data obtained through claims or self-reported lifestyle data, health risk assessments (HRA), and biometric data. From here, an employer can determine the most critical areas to impact as the plan is designed.

Employers must then effectively market and communicate the wellness plan to employees AND families when integrating wellness plans. Often, the dependents are the more costly members of the employer’s health plan. Make the communication material as positive and personal as possible. It is vital that support from the executive team is evident in this communication and marketing. Employees follow what is done, not said.

Offering incentives will maximize participation.

Some employers feel that mandating certain requirements to maintain health care eligibility is the most effective way to force the hand in wellness participation. Others feel that offering voluntary incentive based plans is the safer path if you are trying to avoid discrimination liability and hope to boost employee morale as well.

The most effective plans include a variety and combination of incentives that will appeal to a broad employee base.
The most effective incentives are those that are tied to the health plan, such as premium discounts and contribution to flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts associated with high-deductible plans. It is also important that the employee be able to measure their wellness success and milestones. This can be achieved through point based systems as well as effective web tools to evaluate progress.

It is important, however, not to discriminate when implementing certain incentives. To date, the only real measure is placed upon insurance premium reduction. An employer cannot incent  in excess of a 20% cost reduction for participation in the wellness program.

3.  What does the future hold for Wellness programs?

If you understand the fundamentals of what is behind the rising cost of healthcare, one can only speculate that government will begin to highly incent employers via hefty tax credits to enforce employer sponsored wellness plans.

In fact, 16% of gross domestic product is spent within the healthcare sector. This number is rapidly rising and in part is due to the declining health in the US. The only way for this number to stabilize is to change the behavior of the American people at large.

The largest portion, over 60%, of Americans are insured under employer health plans. Similar to other benefits, such as retirement plans, it seems logical that the government will intervene and place the wellness burden in the laps of employers of America to enforce these much needed programs.

Do We Need An HRIS?

Success in the human resources profession requires fast and easy access to information — and that requires an automated HR information management system. Too many times companies think they are too small of an organization to justify an HRIS.

To this, I must say that a company is never too small to automate processes. If a company develops sound processes early on, they are poised for growth and may potentially be able to avoid or prolong hiring additional resources in the future.

Selecting an HRIS is a major decision. Getting approval for such a system is often difficult as well.

To start, HR managers should assess and outline how activities are currently being performed within the organization, and, in particular, within the HR department.

An HRIS generally should provide the capability to more effectively plan, control, and manage HR costs; achieve improved efficiency and quality in HR decision making; and improve employee and managerial productivity and effectiveness.

When conducting an analysis, I suggest looking at looking at the business challenges that you are trying to solve FIRST as opposed to the features and functions of a particular software application.

The following questions are designed to assist HR professionals in putting together the facts, the figures, and the business case to convince senior management that the expenditure for an HRIS makes sense.

• What information are people requesting?
• How do you, line managers, the chief executive officer, and the chief financial officer obtain needed personnel information?
• How long does it take you to respond to a new request for information?
• What HR management needs are not being addressed and handled properly?
• How effective is your support to the budgeting and planning processes?
• Where do you stand in complying with COBRA, ERISA, FLSA, OSHA, and other statutes and regulations?
• What tasks are you being asked to do today? How well are you performing these tasks?
• What programs, services, and management support must you provide to help your organization meet its goals?
• What are the major tasks that you intend to accomplish and the results you plan to achieve in order to have a successful HR operation?

Answering these questions will provide you a solid foundation for evaluation of various HRIS products on the market. Because there are so many HRIS providers including in-house, outsourced, hosted, non-hosted, hybrids of these etc., it may make sense to look for an additional resource outside the company to help with your evaluation.

Health Care Cost – Savings

Although the cost of health care seems to be stabilizing a bit, it is still important to take advantage of as many cost saving mechanisms as possible. Many employers have looked to Consumer Driven Health Plans as a means to reduce health care costs by shifting some responsibility to the employee.

It is important to educate employees on the tax benefits of various health savings tools that can supplement these High Deductible Health Plans. It is also important for the employer to understand the tax benefits with offering these plans and the advantages of funding them.

We have provided a chart that compares the technical implications of Health Saving Accounts, Health Reimbursement Accounts, and Healthcare FSA Accounts. See chart below:

Getting Out of a PEO

The idea of a co-employment relationship can be quite appealing to a small to mid-size employer. The concept of a single source vendor to manage all aspects of employment, including a shift in liability, is something that many employers find to be money well-spent.

Unfortunately, there are times when the value becomes questionable: when is it no longer worth the expense, and furthermore, what steps must you take to regain control of your employees?

Often it is very difficult to determine your true costs and what the plan of action will be if you decide to leave the PEO.

Questions to Ask When Evaluating Leaving

1. 1. Am I being serviced from an HR perspective so well that without the PEO I would have to hire someone internally to replace them?
2. If the answer is yes, then you may want to explore non-PEO service providers that offer a variation of a PEO service offering, less the co-employment relationship. A few alternatives would be to hire an ASO or a Fractional HR company. Both provide the same type of on-site support and expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring an HR resource to your staff.
3. Can I obtain similar health coverage at a comparable rate outside of the PEO?
4. Can I obtain similar workers compensation and EPLI coverage outside of the PEO?
5. Will my SUTA rate be less or similar outside of the PEO?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, a cost analysis is definitely worth doing. In many cases, an employer in a co-employment arrangement is most likely overpaying in a least one area.

The other area is a fee that many PEO’s call Administrative Costs. This is where the bulk of the profit lies within these bundled service offerings. In order to get a full understanding of the financial impact of moving away, you must obtain pricing for each separate service.

Once you have this total number, you must compare this to the TOTAL SPEND with the PEO. It may seem that you are getting a great deal in one area; however, you may be overcharged in another. The only cost that will remain constant in or outside the PEO is employer-paid FICA taxes.

The Four Main Components to Shop

1. Health insurance and other related products including STD/LTD, Life Insurance, COBRA, FSA, HSA or any other services included in the PEO
2. Workers Compensation
3. EPLI (Employers Practices Liability Insurance)
4. Payroll/HRIS

If you find that each service priced separately is less than the total spend of the PEO, then it may be worth looking at further.

The timing of the transition also must be considered because of tax implications to both the employer and employees. Making a change later in the year will have a greater impact because more employees will have met their Social Security wage requirements and employers will have met their SUTA and FUTA limits. Employees will have to adjust this when they do their tax return because they will have an overpayment.

Also, an employer’s unemployment experience rating restarts as if the employer were a new business in each state that it has employees. This could have either a positive or negative impact on the employer and should be considered in the financial analysis as well.

Evaluating getting out of a PEO and actually making the transition can be very confusing and time consuming. Hiring a consultant may help you alleviate the guesswork involved with unbundling services.

Why My Clients Work With Me

I have an infectious passion for the HR Services industry. I believe this is so because I love to see small businesses thrive. HR is a challenge for most small business owners and they depend heavily on HR service providers to keep them focused on their core business. In fact, many of these business could not stay afloat due to the complexity of compliance requirements associated with being an employer without the aid of trusted HR service partners.

My clients look to me to find the best solutions and best providers available to them and many times these partners are hard to find in the small business sector. I am very diligent in selecting my partners and continuously educate myself on various industry related issues that affect or could affect my clients. I take a proactive approach in sharing the education that I have with my clients so they are aware of trends that are on the forefront. My clients trust that I have their best interest at heart and know that I want to see them succeed. It is extremely important to me to be connected in the business community and I pride myself with the network I have created. I trust that my clients come to me first when they have an HR related issue or concern because they know I can find an answer. For this, I am truly grateful. Not only do I look for ways for my clients to improve the HR function as a means to long term growth, but also in bringing new business opportunities to them. As I continue to grow my business, I look for new challenges every day. I constantly seek out new answers and solutions to the ever complex domain of HR. My clients know and believe this and that is why I will have customers for life!

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