How CEA’s HR Assist Program Can Work for You

A few years ago, CEA recognized that many of our members need additional support with day-to-day HR functions. We heard from members that were just starting their new business and needed help developing their HR department from scratch, owners trying to juggle HR functions when their HR manager was out on lengthy leave, and others looking for expertise of a California subject matter expert. Recognizing these needs, CEA developed our HR Assist Program, stepping in to handle the HR functions and provide peace of mind, allowing employers to focus on running their business.

In this article, we are sharing the story of one of our very first HR Assist members. This member is a small manufacturing company in Southern California that had big growth plans, and was on the brink of an international expansion. Already a CEA member, they recognized that their existing HR department was not ready for such a massive change and they needed additional support—and fast. This is when they reached out to CEA and one of our talented HR Business Partners took the call to action.

The Crawl, Walk, Run Approach

CEA’s HR Business Partner (HRBP) quickly identified several challenges: an outdated handbook, forms and practices that were no longer effective or applicable, as well as cultural challenges, and uncertainty about the changes amongst staff. Equipped with a plan, the HRBP conducted a comprehensive HR Check-Up and outlined an action plan that tied to the organization’s vision and values.

The HR Check-up revealed that, despite being in business for over 20-years, the company had never truly established an HR department. As with most small businesses, the leaders wore multiple hats, divvying up different HR functions. With the impending expansion, there was now a mountain of tasks to complete, however, the HRBP put the member at ease, assuring them: We can do this. We are going to crawl, walk, and then run.

Over the next few weeks, the HRBP rolled out a customized employee handbook, audited and corrected I-9 forms, updated required postings, and identified high-priority wage-and-hour red flags. With the HR foundation established, the next step was to get them up and walking.

Focus shifted to the company’s hiring process. They struggled to find the right candidates and wanted to explore recruiting, not only for their California operation but also for their international positions. CEA’s team of experts streamlined the entire recruitment process. The HRBP leveraged her extensive network and sophisticated screening tools, quickly identifying top talent. The result? Critical positions were filled faster and with candidates who were a fantastic fit for the company’s culture. CEA’s Business Partner managed the entire process, from interviews to salary negotiations, and within a short period, the new hires were on board and driving results from day one.

As the company began to run CEA made recommendations to the member to improve their benefits package, making them a more competitive employer in the labor market. The HRBP set them up in CEA University, a training and information platform exclusively for CEA members, and introduced a wide variety of training tools. The HRBP coordinated and ensured timely completion of the Harassment Prevention Training and other California-mandated training requirements. Now that one more compliance checkbox was marked, soft skills training was introduced next.

Finally, the HRBP helped the company onboard a new HR Coordinator for their business. The newly positioned HR Coordinator was registered to attend CEA’s four-part certification series, HR 101. Week by week, the Coordinator was trained on hiring and onboarding essentials, wage & hour practices, employee handbook fundamentals, leave of absence laws, and performance management. Training on these key essential HR functions ensured the business would be able to sustain and grow their HR foundation.

Within months, the company witnessed employee satisfaction, and productivity increased. They celebrated milestones by expanding internationally. As stated by the member, “we have been working to get our company 100% compliant and CEA has been invaluable in helping us to find all the issues in our company as well as supplying all the resources we needed to fix those issues. They have been informative, helpful, and easy to work with for all our HR needs.”

Are you ready for some peace of mind? 

The complexity of managing human resources internally can become overwhelming for business leaders. Spending countless hours on recruitment, compliance, and employee relations can be draining and take a toll on productivity. If this resonates with you, we encourage you to look into how CEA’s HR Assist Program can help bring you some Peace of Mind.  Click here to learn more about our HR Assist Services.

For additional information call us at 1.800.399.5331, or email us at CEAinfo@employers.org.