Welcome to the Get Down to Business talk show. We are all about small business, jobs, and entrepreneurship. We talk a lot about business here. I’m your host, Shalom Klein. Remember, you can always download Get Down to Business podcasts on my website at www.shalomklein.com. While you are there, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @shalomklein. First up on the program, I’ve got Stella Terry, Director of Strategic Accounts at Tandem HR and heading up the new Milwaukee PEO office. You hear their commercials on the program and you hear me talk about them being a fantastic resource in the world of HR.

They are growing, which is fantastic! Stella, welcome to the program.

Stella Terry heading up brand new Tandem HR Milwaukee PEO office.

Stella Terry, PHR, SHRM-CP: Thank you for having me.

Shalom: Absolutely, so let’s talk about that growth. You have been with Tandem HR for quite a while, but now you are literally stretching the rubber bands. What is the latest and greatest in the world of Tandem HR?

Stella: I have been with Tandem HR in several different capacities throughout the years. I started there about ten years ago in their Benefits department. I’ve also worked with them in an HR Consulting role and have been back in a full-time account management role since January. Since then, I’ve been helping Tandem HR open their Milwaukee office to bring our custom HR solutions to the Milwaukee area.

Shalom: That’s great! Many business owners in the Chicago area have seen, heard or read about the growth of Tandem HR not just in quantity, but in quality and in growth of service offerings. Tell me more about why the Milwaukee market. What, specifically, do you have in mind in terms of industries and businesses?

Stella: When we really looked at our goals as a business and also the need of our clients already in the Milwaukee area and southeast Wisconsin, we decided we wanted to be able to service them as we do our Chicago clients. Really a high-touch, onsite service model. We really just want to be able to be a great resource for HR Milwaukee area.

Shalom: Let’s zoom out and talk about Tandem HR as a whole regarding the offerings. We throw around this acronym of PEO and I’m at fault for often saying PEO without demystifying it. If you don’t mind let’s talk about what a PEO is and Tandem HR’s custom HR solutions.

Stella: Business executives may know we exist – types of organizations like us – a one-stop-shop for HR solutions, but what does PEO really mean? PEO stands for Professional Employer Organization. We have several models sporting our custom HR solutions. The PEO model is often times the most cost-effective solution for their business.

The PEO model establishes a co-employment relationship between Tandem HR and the client company.

Through that co-employment relationship, small to midsize businesses are transferring a significant portion of their risk and liability, as it relates to employment, to Tandem HR. This allows them to really focus on growing their core business while we handle all of the administration of payroll, payroll taxes, employer liability, HR, benefits, administration, and risk management.

Shalom: How small is too small and how big is too big for a business to partner with a PEO?

Stella: That’s a great question! I think this can look a little bit different depending on the PEO. At Tandem HR, we don’t see any organization as being too small or too large. We have small clients with 10 employees and we have clients with over a thousand employees. We sit down with prospective clients and really look at them as a business. What are their goals? What is the history and company culture? How can Tandem HR help them keep their vision and grow while we handle the back-end administration?

Shalom: Fantastic and later in the program we are going to be talking about small businesses that are in growth mode. As you mentioned before, you are now heading up the Milwaukee office for Tandem HR. Thank you for the helpful definition and explanation of a PEO. For a small business looking at how a PEO can help them, can you explain what types of services a PEO provides? We talk a lot about health insurance being a major concern for business, but what are some of the other services that can be offered by a PEO? What are the other benefits that come with partnering with a PEO and joining a larger pool of companies?

Stella: Health insurance is probably talked about most often. With our large pool of worksite employees, Tandem HR can give you really good health insurance options. But you may think, okay, what do I do once I have these benefits? Who’s going to administer them? Who’s going to administer the plan? That’s something that Tandem HR takes care of through our benefits administration services. You’re really hands-off as a business owner with our services, but you know that your employees are taken care of. On top of the benefits administration, we provide full payroll administration and risk management. PEO clients can take advantage of our master plan rates. We manage your risk and your workers’ compensation plans. Through our sister companies, we also offer voluntary benefits and an in-house Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Shalom: That’s great! So, obviously, the goal of any company is to grow and with growth comes not only the advantages but also some of the challenges. We talk about HR tips and bits of advice each week. You’re saying that Tandem HR offers a full package with payroll administration, but what about the consultative discussion regarding hiring and potentially even firing?

Stella: A very big portion of our business is the consultative type of HR. And, this is a big part of my background. Most business owners that I meet are not doing what they do or keeping up with their vision because they’re thinking about those necessary, day-to-day HR issues. Especially employee relations. Tandem HR focuses heavily on that and works with executives and teams to work through those employee issues.

When it comes to hiring, we sit down with our clients and look at the growth plans and help decide how to accomplish those goals.

Like you said there’s that whole spectrum of employment. The firing aspect – not a fun part of the job, but we help you do it in the best way so that if you have to fire someone you know you’ve done all you can for your employee to be successful. You have a very strong group of experts behind you that are making sure it’s compliant and compassionate and the right thing to do.

Shalom: A lot of great offerings for businesses! I know the fantastic team at Tandem HR really serves as a partner in that effort. Like we said, with business growth comes challenges. With the opening of the Milwaukee PEO office, how are you going to handle the rivalry between the Chicago and Milwaukee sports teams?

Stella: I grew up in Illinois, but I’ve been in Wisconsin for about eight years now. I’m not a huge sports fan, so I think I’m on neutral ground to handle any issues. We always find ways to keep it fun, but without ruffling too many feathers.

Shalom: That’s very important. So, you’re getting out into the Milwaukee market and you have clients you’re already servicing there. But, certainly well-positioned for strong growth with your custom HR solutions and service offering for Milwaukee businesses. I want to make sure our listeners know how they can reach you and set up that initial consultation or ask any questions. How can people get a hold of you and your team?

Stella: tandemhr.com is a great resource and from there you can fill out a consultation form or you can call 630.928.0510. Businesses in the Illinois or the Wisconsin area can reach out to our Business Development Managers to assist with any questions on services. The website itself is a great resource with a blog about employment information. Or you can reach out to me directly. My name is Stella Terry and I am the Director of Strategic Accounts and heading up the brand new Tandem HR Milwaukee PEO office.

Shalom: Thanks for joining us! Can you share the website one more time for listeners that haven’t yet written it down?

Stella: Absolutely! It’s www.tandemhr.com.

For more information on our HR solutions for your Wisconsin business call 630.928.0510 or fill out the form below.

Tandem HR is an IRS Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO) providing hundreds of businesses with high-touch and custom HR solutions. We provide payroll, benefits, risk management, employee relations, and much more.

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