BUILDING MANAGER CONFIDENCE THROUGH PROACTIVE TRAINING: A WIN-WIN FOR CLIENTS AND PEOS

If you’ve worked in Human Resources within a PEO, you know one of the greatest challenges lies in how client companies manage employee issues. Missteps in handling employee relations not only create operational strain but also expose both the client and the PEO to risks including unemployment claims, higher unemployment tax rates, wrongful termination allegations, or even discrimination charges.

Consider this common situation. You receive notice from any given state advising you of a claim. Maybe the claimant’s name is familiar, maybe it’s not. You review documents in the HRIS system and maybe even scroll through email communications searching the claimant’s name to see what information you may have regarding the claimant and come up with nothing. You reach out to the client who advises you that yes, in fact, they did terminate the employee, and then they state that they “have had so many conversations with this guy and they finally had to move on!” That’s not exactly the ideal response. In those situations, the client doesn’t say ‘let me send you all of our documentation that the claimant acknowledged when they were employed” (wishful thinking).

PEOs are uniquely positioned to mitigate this type of risk. By equipping client managers with professional, proactive training, PEOs can help ensure issues are handled correctly, documented properly, and ultimately resolved in ways that reduce liability for all parties involved.

INTRODUCING ROW PARTNERS’ MANAGER TRAINING PROGRAM

In 2023, Row Partners launched a manager training program designed to empower client managers with the knowledge and confidence they need to effectively address employee issues. The program emphasizes consistent documentation, proactive issue resolution, and understanding the implications of HR practices on business outcomes.

Managers who complete the training:

• Gain tools to confidently handle workplace challenges.
• Reduce reliance on “panicked” calls to the PEO’s HR team.
• Strengthen their ability to escalate only complex cases, freeing HR resources for higher-level support.

The result is a win-win: client companies benefit from improved issue management, and PEOs see reduced liability exposure while deepening their client relationships.

WHY MANAGER TRAINING MATTERS

Many organizations promote their top performers into management roles, only to discover that technical excellence doesn’t always translate into managerial success. Skills like conducting difficult conversations, holding employees accountable, and motivating teams often require intentional training. Without it, even well-meaning managers can inadvertently increase company risk through poor documentation or inconsistent handling of employee issues.

As one HR mentor wisely put it: “If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.” Yet too often, client managers don’t realize the importance of this principle until a mishandled issue results in real consequences.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

Row Partners’ program is structured to balance accessibility with effectiveness:

Content: Core topics include Common Employee Issues, Corrective Action and Documentation, Proper Handling of Terminations, and Defending Against Unemployment Claims.

Delivery: A blend of webinar-style sessions (limited to 10 participants for interactivity) and client-specific closed enrollments.

Incentive: Clients receive an invoice credit when managers complete all training within 90 days, an investment that encourages participation.

Engagement: Managers interact directly with Row Partners’ HR team, creating familiarity and reducing barriers to future communication.

Resources: Participants receive reusable training materials and must complete a feedback survey before certification.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One manager noted:

“I had an employee commit job abandonment the day after my Common Employee Issues course, and I felt much more confident handling the situation than I would have before the course.”

Another client shared:

“The interactive sessions had a big impact on our managers.”

STRENGTHENING THE PEO VALUE PROPOSITION

This program has proven to be a differentiator for Row Partners. Even when clients choose not to participate, the availability of professional, no-cost training strengthens the value proposition of the PEO relationship. It demonstrates a clear investment in client success, risk reduction, and long-term partnership.

GETTING STARTED WITH DEVELOPING A CLIENT TRAINING PROGRAM

If you are considering creating a training program for clients, here are a few practical steps to begin:

1. Identify a common need. It is not feasible to design a custom program for every client challenge, so focus on a recurring issue that impacts multiple clients. For us, the need was twofold: many client managers lacked experience, and they were often unsure how to conduct critical conversations or deliver corrective feedback with confidence.

2. Assess how your team can address that need. In our case, the solution began with developing a basic training curriculum and designing engagement strategies to encourage participation. For example, we discovered that managers were not documenting employee issues, not out of unwillingness, but due to a lack of knowledge. Most managers want to do the right thing; they simply need the skills and tools to succeed.

Once you have identified the key needs, the most important step is to start. Develop the curriculum, explore what resources your LMS partner can provide to balance human and system support, and communicate the value clearly to clients. Enthusiasm for the program, coupled with a focus on client benefits, will drive adoption.

Finally, consider offering incentives. In our program, we not only provide the training at no cost, but also issue an invoice credit for each manager who completes the training. This approach makes it difficult for clients to find a reason not to participate, and ensures that everyone benefits from stronger, more confident managers.