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Is Your Business Ready for a PEO?
5 Questions to Ask.

Small business owners wear many hats—CEO, marketer, sales manager, accountant, and more. As your company grows, managing the complexities of HR, risk, state and Federal laws and compliance, payroll, and employee benefits becomes increasingly difficult.

The decision to partner with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) like Partners PEO versus trying to handle these tasks internally is a strategic one.

Much like how a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) manages the complexities around your tax needs while TurboTax offers a DIY alternative, businesses often face the question: Should I manage these vital processes on my own, or do we engage with a professional partner who can offer a more complete and reliable solution?

Here are five key questions to ask yourself about how a DIY approach compares to a PEO solution, to help guide you to the answer that best fits your company’s current stage of growth.

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1. Who Do You Call When You Don’t Know Enough?

When small companies are growing, they inevitably face increasingly complex HR and compliance issues. An all-too-common approach is to rely on Google searches, fragmented advice from multiple sources, or simply hope for the best. There is a better way!

As a small business owner, making an informed decision is critical when navigating the complex world of HR, payroll, and compliance. Leaning on a trusted partner can turn complicated questions into reliable solutions.

One example is how growing companies address Holistic HR. Here are some considerations regarding the DIY versus the PEO Approach.

Doing It Yourself

Consider a rapidly growing HVAC & plumbing company that began facing increasing challenges around employee benefits, payroll accuracy, and workplace injury response.

They were trying to manage these functions internally, but errors and compliance issues started to pile up, simply because there were too many changing laws and uncertainty was high.

Improperly resolving workers’ compensation claims was driving up cost to operate, and the added worry of employees without I-9 forms kept them up at night.

The PEO Solution

Partners PEO understands these challenges and handles all aspects of employee life-cycle compliance, from Federal forms like I-9s & W-4s, to state reporting, and workers’ compensation claims management. Our team is also experienced in solving the most complex and challenging workplace matters. We know the exact steps to take to prevent or resolve issues swiftly.

Why It Matters

Improperly maintained files can lead to legal issues. We help companies reduce the length and cost of claims against their firm and ensure compliance with applicable wage laws, avoiding costly penalties.

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2. Can You Do It All Yourself and Still Get Your Business Where You Want to Grow?

In business, you’re often faced with decisions that force you to decide whether to take on more responsibility or delegate. When it comes to HR management, payroll, and risk mitigation, it’s important to understand the unintended consequences that may result when you do it yourself.

Running a successful business at scale is uniquely tied to the capabilities of your Payroll function. The question becomes, should you manage this critical function in-house or outsource?

Doing It Yourself

Consider this scenario: a family-owned construction firm attempted to handle payroll internally. A well-intentioned family member, while proficient in accounting, did not have the expertise to manage the complex payroll and tax obligations involved with hourly and salary employees, prevailing wages, and jurisdictional reporting requirements. This led to frequent mistakes in payroll processing, delayed filings, employee dissatisfaction, tax notices, and delayed payments from Federal and State projects.

The PEO Solution

Partners PEO ensures payroll is processed accurately, in line with Federal and state regulations, with properly reconciled employee benefits, and taxes paid 100% on time. We also support certified payroll reporting for government projects. Our ability to provide you with a stable labor burden percentage and timely reporting of certified project payroll data make cash flow more predictable.

Is it difficult to transition your payroll? Our methods ensure smooth payroll transitions without the surprises you get from national providers. We manage the transition so you don’t have to worry about gaps or business disruption.

Once payroll is in our hands, our experts take on the responsibility of ensuring all wages, deductions, and taxes are handled efficiently. We also keep track of deadlines, making sure your business remains compliant without you lifting a finger.

Why It Matters

Payroll errors can lead to compliance issues, penalties, employee dissatisfaction, or worse—legal troubles. By partnering with Partners PEO, you ensure that your payroll is handled correctly, every time.

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3. Do You Feel Like You Are Stuck on An Island by Yourself?

Running a business can feel isolating at times. Most decisions fall on your shoulders, and you might not have the expertise or manpower to handle everything that needs to get done. Feeling like you’re stuck on an island can lead to burnout and poor decision-making.

Complying with state laws is often the most nagging burden facing business owners because laws are always changing. Here are some things to consider when deciding to DIY or finding a partner to help.

Doing It Yourself

Imagine a small trucking and transportation company dealing with employees who were often absent for extended periods during busy season. Onsite HR struggled to understand how to handle leaves of absence, particularly in conjunction with Colorado’s new Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) rules. They felt uncertain and feared legal repercussions for mishandling each distinct situation.

The PEO Solution

Partners PEO educates companies on new regulations, helps establish leave policies, and ensures compliance with FAMLI and other state laws. Partners PEO thrives in the face of the uncertainty that can stun your existing team. We also help streamline employee onboarding and develop employment handbooks, to ensure a seamless process throughout the employee-lifecycle.

Why It Matters

Small businesses are busy and it’s challenging and time consuming to keep up to date with every new state and Federal guideline. Our experts live ahead of the curve, so you don’t have to worry about penalties or repercussions, and you can focus on business.

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4. What if you had a Trusted HR Expert to rely upon?

The value of having a dedicated partner who is invested in your business success cannot be overstated. Instead of dealing with fragmented solutions like a CPA managing payroll on the side or trying to figure out employee benefits with fragmented guidance, you need a true collaborator who can see the bigger workforce picture and proactively help you solve problems before they arise.

Workers’ compensation claims management can be time consuming, confusing, and costly if done poorly. Here’s how having a go-to resource can make all the difference.

Doing It Yourself

Consider a highway paving company that faced recurring issues with payroll compliance and workers’ compensation claims. They needed expert guidance on reducing their insurance premiums while ensuring their employees were covered in case of an injury, but they didn’t know who to ask or where to turn for fast and reliable information.

The PEO Solution

Partners PEO is the go-to resource for small businesses across Colorado. We work alongside companies to minimize the business impact of workers’ compensation costs once an employee is injured. We offer world-class claims management to ensure no claim is left behind. We know how to utilize tools like Rule 6 Modified Duty to get injured employees back to work quickly, reducing the duration of claims, minimizing the business disruption caused by injuries, and strategically lowering insurance premiums. With our hands-on approach, businesses can focus on growth and operations, while we manage compliance and risk.

Why It Matters

Workers’ compensation claims can have a lasting financial impact on your business. A high Experience Modification Rate (E-Mod) can drive up insurance costs for years down the line. For businesses with a high E-Mod, we begin working from day 1 to improve your process. With better process and our expertise in navigating the claims landscape your E-Mod will come down overtime. For businesses in growth mode with a low E-Mod, we help ensure your expanding labor pool does not become a source of unexpected costs.

Partners PEO - Solving Your HR Needs

5. Are You Relying on Your CPA or Bookkeeper to Handle All Critical Issues That Might Arise?

Many businesses rely on CPAs or bookkeepers to handle all financial matters, including payroll and compliance. While CPAs are critical for tax matters, a forward-looking PEO guides your business in navigating critical HR issues and provide expertise in employee benefits that are beyond the scope of most CPAs.

Doing It Yourself

An electrician business trusted their CPA to manage payroll in addition to their tax filings. However, the CPA did not specialize in the specific HR compliance issues the company faced. As a result, they mishandled several employee-related issues, leading to former employees filing wage demands and exposing the business to potential litigation.

The PEO Solution

Internal accountants, HR reps, or CPAs can’t support your increasingly complex wage and benefit needs like we can. Understanding and being able to offer better benefits will attract and retain top talent while keeping your business compliant. From payroll and benefits to wage disputes and ensuring that your employee onboarding process is compliant with state and Federal laws, Partners PEO is the expert resource you can rely on.

Why It Matters

Workers’ compensation claims can have a lasting financial impact on your business. A high Experience Modification Rate (E-Mod) can drive up insurance costs for years down the line. For businesses with a high E-Mod, we begin working from day 1 to improve your process. With better process and our expertise in navigating the claims landscape your E-Mod will come down overtime. For businesses in growth mode with a low E-Mod, we help ensure your expanding labor pool does not become a source of unexpected costs.

For less than half the cost of hiring a single HR professional, Partners PEO will do the work of five skilled professionals for your business:

Human Resources, Insurance Services, Employer Tax Remittance, Legal Compliance, Payroll Administration

Choosing Partners PEO is an investment in your business’s long-term success.

If you find yourself in the DIY trap – trying to figure everything out on your own – it’s time to get strategic. By leveraging our expertise, you can avoid costly mistakes, ensure compliance, and create a more efficient, profitable organization. Whether it’s managing workers’ compensation claims, ensuring accurate payroll processing, or navigating complex employment laws, Partners PEO is your go-to resource and dedicated partner, helping your business thrive. It’s time to stop trying to do everything yourself—let’s succeed together.

What You Don’t Know Can Cost You.

Take this quiz to find out your company’s HR compliance risk level.