G&A Partners’ focus is on developing HR strategies that support its clients achieving sustainable and maximally effective growth. This year, that means ensuring decisions made under pressure and in a time of crisis are also conducive to the long-term goals of an organization.

“I’ve been in the PEO industry for 19 years, and this has probably been one of the most challenging,” said Carrlee Howard, Manager of Client Success at G&A Partners.

The Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry has seen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employers and employees up close and personal, having been involved in client decision-making processes of bringing furloughed and virtual employees back to work.

“There’s no one specific template, because what works for one company might not work for somebody else,” Howard said. That is why the onboarding process for clients of G&A Partners can take months, as the company evaluates the specific goals and needs of each client.

There are pieces of advice, however, that Howard would recommend to any client.

First is the gathering of data to make educated decisions: data on employees (their needs, current situations, and goals), on the state of the company (its needs and prospects for growth), and on the COVID-19 situation in a specific area. This is not a one time data gathering, but rather an ongoing commitment to understanding the dynamics impacting a company.
 
Second is the ability to pivot. With every new piece of legislation, every new piece of feedback from employees, and each new update on the spread of COVID-19, how a company reacts to a constantly changing environment is key.
 
Third is transparency and consistent communication, which Howard emphasizes as one of the most important pieces of employee management in a time when the future is unknown.
 
G&A Partners has also released a COVID-19 toolkit as a resource for employers making critical company decisions right now, which is composed of advice written by G&A Partners and a series of links to essential information. The toolkit covers relevant government resources and policies, employee management, guidance for essential businesses, and long-term effects and decisions to prepare for a post-COVID-19 world.
 
G&A Partners has been supporting small and medium-sized businesses with HR for over 25 years, and although its work has been particularly difficult in the past year, the company’s Dallas office has thrived.
 
“We saw a significant increase in our customer service and satisfaction rating, because we were very proactive with talking to clients, and touching base with them on a regular basis, making sure we could give them as much information that we had coming to us, whether it was related to the CDC or anything about COVID protocols,” Howard said.

The need to be intentional and proactive about communication this year, however challenging, has made G&A Partners a stronger collaborator and resource, according to Howard, and is a skill that the organization is now emphasizing for their clients.

“Just knowing that our organization was able to help so many, in such an uncertain time, was phenomenal,” said Howard. “And I hope that no matter what, pandemic or otherwise, that we can continue to provide that great service to everybody.”

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