Human Resources Overview

Strong communication and relationships are key to a harmonious and successful working environment. Our aim is to support and strengthen the interactions across all your staffing levels and establish positive and constructive relationships. Our adaptable approach allows us to address specific needs and focus on employee experience, compliance and managing performance within the context of your organization.

  • We believe decisions should be influenced by context, circumstance and the law
  • We believe the delivery is as important as the message
  • We believe HR expertise builds a strong foundation for organizational leadership
  • We believe proper administration and compliance ensure effective operation

 

HR Management Services

Develop, Update and Interpret HR Policies and Procedures – We work with you to create and update HR policies and procedures required for legal compliance and that are appropriate for your organizational setting. We develop or update employee handbooks and assist in consistently communicating all policies to employees.

Organizational Messaging

We help you deliver important information to employees in a way that minimizes disruption and gets across the tone of your message in the most effective way.

Crisis and Issue Mitigation

We help you navigate challenging employment matters and triage issues effectively and professionally.

Coordinate Benefit, Insurance and Legal Relationships

We can serve as your HR department, acting as a liaison to and streamlining communications with all benefit insurance, vendor and legal service providers.

Coaching and Training

Working in cooperation with senior management, we coach and train staff individually and through organized group sessions.

Benchmarking

We provide comparative HR data and insight based on the practices and benefits of other companies of similar size with comparable issues. We also partner with compensation experts for more complex study needs.

Performance Management

We work with you to design a system tailored to your setting and needs. We can assist in coaching or mediation with regard to support performance management.

Disciplinary Action

We work with you to design performance improvement goals and timelines, and to deliver difficult news to employees in a way that is direct, fair, and professional.

Assessments and Audits

Review and Document Existing Practices and Processes – We conduct interviews and documentation and system reviews to distill what is in place and what might be missing or inefficient from a best practices or compliance perspective.

Identify Compliance Issues

We flag areas that present compliance risks to our client and recommend and implement solutions.

Recommend Process Improvements

Recognizing that all improvements cannot be addressed at once we help you prioritize and stage them in a cost­effective and practical manner with timelines, next steps, and cost estimates.

Talent Acquisition

We can manage the full talent acquisition process for you including executive searches and staffing. Our consultants can assist in developing job descriptions and then source, interview and facilitate the hiring process for you on an hourly basis. This pricing structure allows you to work with us on the full hiring process or on aspects that may be helpful in supplementing your internal efforts on an outsourced basis. Our hourly pricing has historically been 50-75% more cost effective than using a contingency fee-based agency and we can work with you to come up with a budget and plan that works for you.

Hiring and Transitions

Onboarding

We provide an HR welcome and orientation for your new employees so their first day on the job is organized and well run. We meet every new hire and develop a rapport that makes future interactions with that employee easier, even if the topic isn’t always easy. We make sure your onboarding process is compliant and streamlined.

Terminations

We help you deliver news of a termination in a way that protects your company and is respectful to the departing employee. We provide all required documentation and can assist with involuntary termination processes or layoffs including release of claims documents.

Benefits Design and Administration

Health and Dental Insurance

We help you design these benefit packages for your employees, tailored to your priorities and budget, and work with outside vendors to get you information in as much or as little detail as you desire. We also promote your health and dental plan options to employees in a concise and helpful way based on the needs of that employee.

Life and Disability Insurance

We help you figure out what you need, what it costs and when to add it to your benefits package. We can assist in computing life insurance taxes and other administrative duties associated with administering life and disability benefits.

Retirement Plans

Working with financial advisors, retirement investment platforms and third-party administrators, we facilitate the process of setting up and administering 401(k) and 403(b) plans. We simplify the process by helping you understand the set­up requirements and outlining the design options in understandable terms.

Supplemental Benefits

We help you design an incentive program tailored to the interests and priorities of your organization; for example, pre­tax transportation passes, wellness benefits, recognition incentives, vision plans and others.

Pre­tax Plans

We explain pre­tax plans ­­including Section 125 plans, HRAs/HSAs/ FSAs – and help you determine which, if any, are best for your business and your employees. We work with vendors to implement plans and ensure employees understand the options and savings available to them during onboarding and open­ enrollment periods.

Compliance and Reporting

Personnel File Management

We set up and maintain personnel files in a legally compliant format so you can access the information you need and protect your organization in the event of an audit. We maintain protected electronic files.

Employee Census Data

We maintain all employee census data for internal reference and for benefits pricing to ensure it is continuously updated in real time.

System Development and Implementation

We create HR systems by working with you to develop a simple or more robust system based on your needs, and partnering when it is cost effective for you.

Performance and Other Documentation

We write, review and/or train you on performance documentation so that it gets you the results you want and protects you from legal vulnerability.

Incident Investigations

We investigate harassment or other claims and assist you in determining the facts and taking necessary actions.

Background Checks

We conduct CORI and more extensive background checks using the state system and national vendors when required. We routinely administer and review education, criminal, credit, and other checks, and assist in determining which checks are needed for your specific business.

Implementation of State and Federal Benefits and Mandates

We help you implement State and Federal Benefits and Mandates like MA Paid Medical and Family Leave based on the latest developments for your company size and employee mix. Our new hire and termination processes incorporate any required disclosures and actions required by State and Federal regulations.