Steel Cutting Company Uses PEO To Ease Growth

Retaining talent in the steel coil processing business is not easy.
Cutting steel is a dangerous job, and as for Andes Coil Processors keeping the best people on board can be even more challenging.
As a fast-growing business doubling in size in three years, the HR needs of General Manager Angie Nocktonick was  constantly changing. 
She adds, “When small businesses experience this type of rapid growth, the company’s needs can often end up becoming the de-facto HR lead as they are closely connected to the administrative operations.”
Nocktonick also admits that initially she struggled with the added responsibilities of HR and employee management. 
“I was not familiar with the proper management and reporting tools that could help address the evolving issues of our employees as our business grew.  I was under a huge amount of pressure to meet the day-to-day needs of our people, as well as set time aside to think long-term about engagement and retention to ensure we were well poised for growth,” she says. 
For Nocktonick, ultimately, it became too much for one person to take on.
“We needed to find a true HR solution, and we needed it fast,” she says. 
Nocktonick points out for example, the company’s medical premiums started rising; therefore, the cost of insuring employees was going through the roof, and at the same time workers compensation premiums were going up.  
At that point in time, Mocktonick says she had Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) reaching out to her weekly. 
“We knew the solution was available, but we didn’t think it was appropriate for our business.  At first, we believed the common misconception that if we went with a PEO, we would lose control of our company,” she remembers.
“I can understand why many businesses might be nervous as there is a real fear that your employees might not be your employees anymore.  Once I learned more about the benefits of co-employment, I quickly understood that PEOs help you to retain control as you can better focus on the core business needs,” she adds.     
Nocktonick also describes the processing dirty steel as not a glamorous job with safety a huge concern to her company
As a result, Nocktonick says, “One of our biggest challenges has always been retaining quality people who are willing to work the hours, and in the environment that we have, over the long haul.  Not only do we have to provide solid wages and sound benefits, but we also need to demonstrate excellence and consistency when it comes to having a safe work environment.  Once we get great people in the door, we need to do more than a lot of other businesses in order to keep them here, and the things we need to do are unique. “
By partnering with a PEO, ADP TotalSource®, Nocktonick says her company has been able to attract and retain top talent with meaningful benefits that are on par with much larger companies. 
Adding she says, “they are meeting the company’s specific business requirements – for example, our PEO offering provides a dedicated safety person, who helps us identify areas of need and recommends programs to make our environment safer and more compliant with the latest industry regulations.” 
One final thought from Nockonick, “This partnership has brought so much peace of mind.  As soon as we started the PEO process, we felt very comfortable in co-employment. Acting as a true extension of our team, ADP TotalSource helped us not only navigate our growth smoothly but thrive while doing it.  They gave us back control as we could focus on the core business while they provided HR guidance and dealt with administrative tasks.  And, on a personal note, gave me the industry knowledge so I too am able to thrive in my career.”