Georgia is a beautiful state with amazing people, and anyone that lives there knows that there is a vibrant business community over many different industries. Yet just because it is beautiful does not mean that running a business there is easy. There are payroll concerns, management tasks, HR tasks, and the occasional emergency or incident that needs to get dealt with. And those tasks are likely taking up the time you could be using forging a path ahead for your organization and are a headache on top of that.
And for people struggling with these issues or any business owner that just wants a little more time to themselves each week, we recommend the services of a professional employer organization (PEO). Your business can enter a co-employment agreement with one, effectively meaning that they take care of the payroll and most of the HR tasks while you focus on running your business and the regular operations. You are still in complete control, and a PEO company can offer things such as superior benefits options, risk management, online tools, and other perks.
Given the popularity of PEO services, there are quite a few options in Georgia, and they might be hard to sort through. Do not worry, though, as we have done that for you. Here are our top five PEO company recommendations for your Georgia business:
Our top choice for Georgia and our top choice for many other states as well, we found Resourcing Edge to be simply one of the best all-around options in the state. Founded in 2003 and working with over 30,000 clients, you can expect flexible solutions, dedicated customer service, and in-depth knowledge.
Your business will work with one single point of contact for all your needs, enabling you to build a relationship with a representative that understands your specific business, potentially foresee problems before they arise, and propose tailored solutions as well as day-to-day HR support.
As far as the services offered, you can expect all the usual services, including payroll processing, HR tasks, benefits administration, etc. but Resourcing Edge are also committed to working with patterns to develop its own solutions to ensure that clients and their employees get the customized solutions that truly suit their needs.
We recommend Resourcing Edge if:
- You have not used a PEO company before, and are looking for an easy onboarding process and a more personal relationship with your provider.
- You want resources tailored to your business and your industry. They have customizable options for over 20 sectors, and their experts will work with you to navigate regulations and industry-specific needs.
- You are simply looking for an excellent all-around PEO company for Georgia businesses and do not want to have to worry about all the nuances of each provider.
2) Amplify PEO
Our next choice is Amplify PEO, a company that operates across the country with businesses of all types and sizes, and one that is building a strong reputation for itself on the excellence of its staff and the quality of its services.
Few PEO companies, and no PEO companies on this list, have Amplify PEO beat when it comes to customer service. They are professional in all their responses, make sure to respond quickly to any questions or concerns, and you can always expect to talk to a human being if you would like to. This is rare in an increasingly automated world, and it is helpful to those who have not worked with a PEO before.
In terms of general services, all is as it should be, with no clear weaknesses and all of the services you would expect such as benefits administration and payroll services. The online platform is great, and pricing is competitive, with the exact amount depending on your business (we recommend getting a quote).
We recommend Amplify PEO if:
- You want to work with a PEO company that values customer service highly and will make sure that any issue is resolved professionally.
- You have not worked with a PEO company before and want to start and ideally stick with one that will be a
- You work in an industry that will not have specialized needs.
3) TriNet
Next up for our recommendations is TriNet, a well-known PEO company that has been a mainstay in the industry for some time now. With more than 15,000 clients and counting and over 30 years of experience, they have grown for a reason, and now they are a powerhouse that has a working system for its clients.
Much like Justworks listed below, TriNet is generally a great choice if you are looking for a PEO. TriNet operates in all states and can handle the nuances of each state, which means you have much less to worry about if you have people all across the country and perhaps beyond. Furthermore, TriNet has teams that can work well within a specific industry, so if your Georgia business is one you know will need specialized help or has more specific regulations, TriNet might be the best choice.
On top of this, TriNet has a lot to offer your employees. Their benefits packages are highly competitive, and there are additional perks and benefits that some (though not all) of your employees will be able to take advantage of in their everyday life, such as discounts to major chains or software.
We recommend TriNet if:
- You have remote employees in multiple states or are otherwise concerned about making sure you have a PEO that can handle a decentralized workplace.
- Your business is in a specialized industry and could take advantage of one of TriNet’s specialized industry plans.
- You want to make sure your business is providing some of the best perks and benefits available to your employees.
Our fourth choice, ADP Total Source, is one of the older PEOs in operation as well as one of the largest organizations working in the industry. They work with hundreds of thousands of employees from an equally impressive number of clients, and it is clear they have seen everything and can handle it. Furthermore, the company has a history in processing data, making payroll management and processing an easy expansion for them.
ADP Total Source benefits from being able to offer its clients practically anything as far as PEO services are concerned, as well as having the flexibility and resources to scale up or down for clients as needed. Whatever your business goes through, ADP Total Source will not be a cause for concern.
ADP Total Source, due to its larger structure, might be a little detached compared to some other service-focused options listed here, but you can expect to get the help you need should something come up and the systems used are fine-tuned and constantly improving. They are certainly worth a look for many Georgia businesses.
We recommend ADP Total Source if:
- You would like to work with a PEO company that has a strong structural backing and all the services you could need, complete with the stability and organization to make everything work well in your favor.
- You simply want a good PEO company that can provide excellent payroll services.
- You like the idea of being able to select and scale your services as needed, reducing waste, and making sure you are not paying for services your business is not using.
5) Justworks
Justworks is our last choice here, but your Georgia business might find them a perfect fit if you are interested in using some of the best online tools to help run your business and manage your personnel. This is being they are lauded for their platform, which is intuitive, effective, and constantly improving. If technology usually frustrates you, Justworks might bring a sigh of relief.
Justworks will work with teams of all sizes and in a wide range of industries, and your team will likely be happy with what Justworks has to offer, given the options and customizations available. They (and you) will also be happy with the affordable benefits options on offer, which is something to look for from any PEO company.
Certified and accredited by top institutions, Justworks also is lacking for nothing when it comes to the standard PEO services. Your payroll and HR tasks will be handled without issue, and that means you will be able to focus on all the other aspects of your business. This alone makes them worthy of your consideration.
We recommend Justworks if:
- You like the idea of working with a PEO company that is growing and expanding its offerings regularly.
- You want to prioritize working with good management software and technology from your PEO company and know that you will utilize it well.
- You want to take a more active role in management and HR than you might if you were to pick another PEO company.
What Makes for a Top-Rated PEO Company?
Now that we have gone over some of the top options in the state, we want to go over what we looked at regarding each PEO company we reviewed as well as what you should consider when you are looking over the options more in-depth yourself.
The following list is not everything we looked at, but consists of the major points and items you should consider regardless of your priorities:
- 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, timely response to requests,
- Positive response to feedback
- Personalization or tailoring of services
- Additional unique features or services
- The ability to handle local issues and provide aid in navigating local regulations.
What matters most to your business will depend on your business, and only you will know the best way to prioritize all the above. You know your business best, and will be able to make the right decision. Just keep in mind that your organization will change and have different needs over time, so make sure that the PEO company you are interested in is able to adapt or that you are ok with switching providers down the line.
Why You Should Work with a PEO Company
If your Georgia business is still growing or anything but a massive corporation, there will be things that a PEO company will be able to do that you simply cannot. We understand if you are hesitant, but please consider the following main benefits of working with a PEO before dismissing it:
- A PEO company will be able to provide better benefits at a lower cost to your organization. PEO companies technically represent thousands or even millions of employees, and as such can bargain with that power.
- You, your managers, and your employees will all have less paperwork to deal with, at least after the initial onboarding process.
- Your business will have the help it needs with risk management and regulatory compliance on both the local and federal levels. Specialized industries with plenty of regulations can benefit especially from working with a PEO company.
- While there is a cost associated with working with a PEO, if you consider the value of your time and the opportunity cost of dealing with HR and payroll tasks, a PEO will save your business money in the long run, especially if you were to try to provide the same perks they can offer in-house.
How to Select and Start Working with a PEO Company
Perhaps at this point you are interested in working with one of the companies listed above, but how do you get started and what does the onboarding process look like? We recommend starting with the following steps and practices:
- Carefully go over your top potential choices, making sure they have a certificate of insurance as well as all the services your business needs to thrive.
- Read as many testimonials and reviews from other businesses about the PEO company as you can. Ideally, try to find other businesses in Georgia or in the same industry, and seek their opinion.
- Try to set up an appointment between yourself and a representative from the PEO company you are interested in, perhaps bringing another trusted partner and making multiple meetings if you are interested in multiple companies.
- Make sure that you carefully read all the materials that you are given and ask any questions that you might have.
- Let your employees know about the transition to working with a PEO as soon as possible, in order to prevent confusion about the onboarding process. That being said, do not mention anything until everything is confirmed and onboarding is certain to happen.
Conclusion
There are many PEO companies, and we understand that it might not be easy to make a choice for your Georgia business. Still, we passionately believe that working with a PEO company is the best choice for many businesses, especially smaller ones, and we are just as confident that one of the options listed above will be the right partner for your business. The process will be worth it, and your business will save time and money from working with one. We hope that you can find the right fit soon and we wish you the best of luck with onboarding and your new services.
