Florida is home to a ton of different businesses, and if you are reading this, you are likely an owner of one or a manager looking for ways to get an edge above the stiff competition in the state. And we know that a lot of what you do each day is dealing with the paperwork that comes from business ownership and management, not to mention the occasional HR problem and issues relating to regulatory compliance. It can be stressful, and it can prevent you from working on the things that will take your business to the next level.
Yet you do not have to deal with these issues alone, which is why we recommend the use of a professional employer organization (PEO). A PEO company will enter a co-employment agreement with your business, allowing for the PEO to handle payroll, HR tasks, and benefits administration (among other things) while you focus on the management and key tasks. You will still have full control of the business, and you will gain plenty of additional perks and tools to use as well.
Yet which ones are the best in Florida, where there are more PEO companies than one can easily count? If you are interested in working with a PEO or would like to know more, keep on reading to find out some useful information and our top five recommendations for Florida businesses:
1) Resourcing Edge
Our top choice and a PEO company we would recommend to most Florida businesses is Resourcing Edge. A fairly new PEO compared to some others on this list however they’ve certainly established themselves as a leader, offering all the core services you’d expect plus plenty of useful tools to help you efficiently run your business.
Resourcing Edge will work with you and your company to find the very best approach, they’re certainly not into offering generic one size fits all solutions. With a focus on offering personalized service to companies in over 20 sectors, you will be able to speak to a dedicated professional who knows your business, rather than standard responses or calling around to find the right person who can help.
General services are everything you could want or expect from a PEO, from payroll to risk management, and Resourcing Edge remains competitively priced for businesses worried about the cost of these services (though we always recommend getting a quote from all the PEO companies you are interested in first). They are an overall excellent choice with few flaws as we could find them.
We recommend Resourcing Edge if:
- Your business is growing or you think that there will be more recruitment in the future, and you want the best support and services related to that available.
- You want to work with a generally great PEO and do not want to take a risk on the other options.
- You have not worked with a PEO company before and want a relatively easy time getting started.
2) Amplify PEO
Our second choice, and just as strong an option for many Florida businesses, Amplify PEO is another one that works across the country with a wide range of businesses and can be a great PEO to get started with.
When it comes to customer service, there are few PEO companies that can compare to Amplify PEO. They are professional in all their interactions and will address any problem that comes up. Additionally, if you have a question or concern, you can always expect to talk to a human being, which is a promise that is hard to come by in nearly any industry.
Amplify can also take pride in affordability, its online tools, and portal, and the strength of all of their services, with us not being able to find an area where they do not at least keep above par. If CoAdvantage is not a good fit for any reason or you care about customer service a great deal, we strongly urge you to give Amplify PEO a close look.
We recommend Amplify PEO if:
- You are looking for the best when it comes to customer service and want to work with a PEO that will consider all your problems and questions important.
- You want an easy onboarding process and an overall easier time working with your PEO company.
- Your business is in general or common industry and you do not need the special features offered for specialized businesses.
3) Justworks
Next is Justworks, which is a growing PEO company that has a tech-focused approach and is easy to work with, with plenty of testimonials to that effect.
Justworks is perhaps most acclaimed for its online tools and platform, making the management of your services and your employees relatively easy. We know that remote work has become more popular recently (whether by choice or circumstances), and Justworks is a great option for remote businesses or businesses with people spread across the country because it has such a great platform for employees and business owners to work with.
On top of their excellent tools, Justworks also provides excellent services across the board, and can easily be considered a full-service PEO. Accredited and certified, they are capable of tackling whatever is needed.
We recommend Justworks if:
- You have plenty of remote employees or run an entirely remote business.
- You want to work with a PEO company that has a strong focus on providing the best tools and has a great online platform.
- The idea of working with a rapidly growing PEO company that may introduce new perks or features is appealing to you.
4) TriNet
Florida businesses will also want to look into TriNet, a well-known PEO company that serves over 15,000 clients and has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Able to offer industry-specific expertise in many fields, TriNet might be an option if your Florida business has special compliance needs or you are otherwise worried about staying ahead of what you need to do.
We find that TriNet is great for businesses that mostly operate remotely or have a large number of remote employees, due to their experience with working with people and clients across the country.
TriNet is also notable for its competitive benefits offerings and the perks and discounts offered to clients’ employees, which will make your business more competitive when it comes to attracting top talent and retaining it.
We recommend TriNet if:
- Your business is in a specialized industry in Florida and is subject to more regulations than usual, requiring more specialized support.
- You want to provide excellent benefits and some perks to your employees.
- Your business has plenty of remote employees, has employees in multiple states, or is generally decentralized.
5) ADP Total Source
Our last choice here for Florida businesses, but still one that is worth your attention, ADP Total Source is a PEO company that serves more than half a million employees and is one of the most well-known in the business. They have a history with data processing, and they have converted that well into great payroll processing and other services.
ADP Total Source stands out through its structure and backing, and businesses looking for an incredibly stable and reliable option may want to consider them first. There is not much that the PEO company cannot do, and furthermore, they can scale their services to the size of your business, allowing you to not have to worry about growth and get exactly what you need without any waste. There are customizable services packages as well, further reducing wasted services and the cost to your business.
The main drawback they might have is that some clients may feel a little detached from the PEO company compared to some of the other more service-oriented options here, but others might find that a positive and just want to focus on getting a few services done well. Additionally, service is always still available if needed.
We recommend ADP Total Source if:
- You want to work with a PEO company with an extremely large number of services on offer and the ability to scale those services to the needs and size of your business.
- You want to work with a PEO that is stable and has a lot of organizational backing behind it.
- Payroll processing is the most important feature to you and your business, and you want the best.
What Makes for a Top-Rated PEO Company?
By what metrics do we and should you judge a PEO company? There are quite a few facets to consider, and each PEO will handle matters and their own administration a bit differently, but there are clear items that make for a good PEO company and services which much be handled excellently.
Here is what we looked at and think you should look at, although other facets may be considered with specific PEO companies:
- Payroll and tax processing competency
- HR assistance and management
- Recruitment and retention assistance
- Training options and services
- Industry-specific offerings and services
- Benefit offerings and benefits administration
- Workers’ compensation insurance offerings and support
- Compliance assistance and risk-management services
- The quality of the online portal
- Availability and quality of time tracking and productivity tracking tools
- Customer service and timely response to requests
- Positive response to feedback
- Personalization or tailoring of services
- Additional unique features or services
- The ability to work on a local level and comply with local regulations.
Of course, your business might have pronounced priorities and might care about some things far more than others. It will ultimately be up to you to decide what is important and which PEO company listed above (or another one entirely) is best. We can provide information and insight, but eventually, you should do more research once you narrow down your options.
Why You Should Work with a PEO Company
If you are still on the fence about working with a PEO company or still want to know more about what a PEO company can do for you, you might want to keep aware of the following:
- A PEO company can offer better and cheaper benefits than you would be able to provide on your own since PEO companies represent thousands to hundreds of thousands or even millions of employees and can bring that bargaining power to the table.
- A PEO company will be able to handle HR and payroll tasks far more efficiently than you would, saving you money compared to trying to handle everything in-house. You will be paying a notable amount for the services, but you will also be saving a lot of time and energy that could be spent elsewhere.
- Using a PEO, the payroll and HR-related paperwork you, your managers, and your employees must deal with should decrease drastically, and you can count on it getting done right.
- Your business will get support when it comes to HR and compliance issues, which can otherwise cause issues and setbacks for businesses.
How to Select and Start Working with a PEO Company
There is a process to getting set up with a PEO company, and we want to make sure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, with no confusion. While there are multiple steps to the process and you should go over everything carefully, we would advise the following during the selection and onboarding process:
- Make sure that the PEO company you are interested in has a certificate of insurance and that they can provide all the services you are interested in, both industry-specific and general.
- Look up reviews and testimonials about the PEO company you are interested in. Look specifically for ones from other business owners in Florida or who run a business in the same industry.
- Try to set up an appointment with a representative of the PEO company you are interested in (or multiple appointments if you are undecided) either in person or virtually. Bring a trusted manager if appropriate, and do not be afraid to ask questions and take things at your own pace.
- Make sure to have either yourself or someone you trust with your business go over every possible detail and make sure that all the paperwork and documentation are closely examined. While you should not be worried about foul play with any of the above companies, you should know exactly what you are getting into and avoid misunderstandings.
- You should notify employees about the transfer as soon as everything is confirmed so that they can prepare and get set with the onboarding process. While they have nothing to worry about, change can be confusing, and allowing them to look up things on their own is a good idea.
Conclusion
No matter what decision you come to in the end, we hope that you understand a bit more about what PEO companies can do for you and your business and that you can find a PEO company that can meet your needs perfectly. We are certain that one can help most businesses in Florida, and there is an option that is affordable and workable no matter your business size or industry. Take care and take your time, and you cannot go wrong. We hope that the information here has helped you, and we encourage you to come back as needed.
