Finally, Some Good News About ACA Reporting: Less Paperwork (potentially)
In contrast to many other laws, the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act is a law that might actually do what it claims—reduce paperwork!
THE HIRING COMPLIANCE TIGHTROPE
States like California, Colorado, Illinois, and Washington have implemented strict pay transparency laws, with penalties for non-compliance reaching thousands of dollars per violation.
CHANGES AT THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
The EEOC came out with new guidance on “diversity, equity, and inclusion-related discrimination.” This guidance contains a new interpretation on DEI initiatives intersect with respect to anti-discrimination protections.
IS DEI LEGALLY DEAD?
While it may be premature to sign DEI’s death certificate, winds have clearly shifted. Fundamentally the law has not; discrimination based on protected class status was already illegal, being all-welcoming remains legal (if sometimes unpopular).
PARTNERS IN WELL-BEING: HOW PEOS CAN HELP SUPPORT WORKSITE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS
Benefits management in today’s rapidly evolving landscape can be challenging. In fact, according to Guardian’s recent report, The Power of PEO Partnerships, 63% of businesses with less than 50 worksite employees strongly agree that managing benefits has become more complex.
Yet this space is also ripe with opportunity. Especially as worksite employees nationwide often struggle with their mental, physical, and financial health, PEOs have the chance to help make a real difference for employers and their workforce—supporting healthy, engaged, and productive employees.
Here’s how to get started.
WHY WELL-BEING MATTERS
Serving as effective strategic partners and supporting a culture of wellness starts with understanding the well-being challenges facing today’s worksite employees.
According to Guardian’s latest Mind, Body, and Wallet® report, just one in three full-time working Americans said they’re doing well. In particular, self-reported financial wellness is significantly lower than in the past. Compounding concern is the reality that mental, physical, and financial health don’t exist in silos but rather affect one another.
For PEOs, knowing the primary concerns facing worksite employees and how the mind, body, and wallet intersect can be foundational. All efforts to support employee well-being should stem from this understanding.
THE ROLE OF WORKPLACE BENEFITS
With an understanding of the state of employee well-being today, PEOs should then consider the role that benefit offerings have in meeting these needs. Many will find that when the right benefits are offered, they’ll see corresponding improvement in recruitment, retention, engagement, and overall business success.
Of course, traditional benefits such as life, disability, vision, and dental insurance are essential offerings. Making them available to worksite employees can directly impact employee wellness, and they are key elements of any PEO’s benefit offerings. Yet, given the interconnected and evolving well-being needs of today’s worksite employees, PEOs may also need to go a step further.
For instance, financial protection products like supplemental health insurance can go a long way towards addressing wallet-related stressors for worksite employees. According to Guardian research, just over half of workers believe their health insurance would be enough to help cover any major medical event that may occur. To fill this gap, supplemental health insurance offerings such as accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, or cancer insurance can help provide a benefit payment directly to employees when they need it most. Plus, some supplemental health policies also offer a wellness reimbursement simply for completing a covered wellness screening or procedure.
Then there are the millions of worksite employees who may also have caregiving responsibilities. These caregivers aren’t just becoming a larger portion of the worksite employee population; they’re having to spend more time on care-related responsibilities—up from 9 to 26 hours a week since 2020.
Whether trying to manage a doctor’s appointment for an aging parent with complex medical needs or sourcing backup childcare for younger children, these caregiving responsibilities may lead to decreased productivity, lower employee engagement, and an increased likelihood of a worksite employee needing to take a leave of absence from work.
While there are a variety of HR policies that can be implemented to help support caregivers, employee benefits have a role to play, too. In fact, some carriers have begun to include caregiver support services—including a caregiving concierge, peer support network, or digital planning tools—within employer-provided insurance policies. Their impact is clear; data suggests that when employees use these services, 90% reported being more engaged and less stressed at work, 66% missed fewer meetings, and 33% were able to avoid taking a leave of absence from work.
DRIVING ENGAGEMENT
Once PEOs are confident that they are offering the right benefits to help meet evolving well-being needs, the next step is making sure worksite employees engage with their wellness benefits.
With more than half of employers saying they would be interested in a single platform through which all wellness-related benefits could be made available, it’s clear that access and simplicity are essential. Many carriers are working to answer this call, and PEOs should engage their carriers to find out what digital hubs or resources are available.
While technology is a powerful tool at a PEO’s disposal, don’t overlook the impact of in-person engagement. Whether a reminder of wellness benefits perks tied to key awareness months or sharing testimonials from colleagues on how they were impacted from their wellness benefits, ongoing benefits education and engagement is critical. When benefits are top-of-mind, they are more likely to be used.
MEETING THE MOMENT
As worksite employees continue to face well-being challenges, PEOs can play a key role on their wellness journey, especially when working alongside partners who can bring to bear a carefully curated and integrated ecosystem of mind, body, and wallet solutions.
By taking time to understand what matters to worksite employees, offering the right benefits, and supporting engagement efforts, PEOs can help make a difference.
Get started today.
AI MUST-HAVES FOR PEOS: ELEVATING HEALTH BENEFITS & STRENGTHENING CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS
PEOs have helped businesses manage HR, payroll, compliance, benefits, and more for decades. As healthcare costs soar and employee expectations evolve, traditional PEO models are being tested … to their breaking point.
As these market pressures mount, it’s no surprise that many organizations, including many PEOs, are looking to artificial intelligence to maximize return on client investments.
AI and machine learning models aren’t just back-office automation tools anymore. They’re competitive differentiators in how PEOs deliver value, client support, and workforce insights.
This is our new reality: PEOs that integrate AI into core client operations like employee support, compliance, and benefits administration will thrive.
Those that don’t will undoubtedly struggle to keep up.
HOW AI STRENGTHENS THE PEO-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
AI is such a tired-out buzzword that it now feels like a four-letter word. However, these models have massive untapped business efficiency and growth potential, particularly when maintaining client relationships and reducing churn risk. PEO leaders can deliver meaningful value in the long run by optimizing core operations for AI on behalf of clients.
AI-POWERED HEALTH BENEFITS NAVIGATION: A GAME-CHANGER FOR PEOS
For many PEOs, benefits administration is a significant cost center. However, benefits are also a key selling point for clients. Despite this tension, benefits remain a strategic priority for PEOs that bears real fruit for client growth.
Working with PEO partners and leading organizations in the benefits and health insurance industry, I’ve seen firsthand how artificial intelligence enhances the benefits experience.
Real-time, 24/7 answers to employee benefits questions like, “Is my MRI covered,” and “How much have I paid toward my deductible?” Helping employees select best-fit health plans during open enrollment. Boosting in-network provider utilization lowers claims costs for clients and their employees. These are just a few ways AI is transforming the employee benefits landscape.
I’ve seen one of my PEO partners use AI-powered benefits guidance to normalize premiums across their client base. I’d say that’s a win-win for both the client and the PEO.
AI-DRIVEN COST CONTAINMENT: HELPING CLIENTS REDUCE EXPENSES
Health benefits are one of PEO and their clients’ most significant cost drivers. Artificial intelligence promises real financial return on investment by steering employees toward cost-effective healthcare options.
Using AI for cost containment can take a few forms, but the most common methods I’ve seen are:
- Aggregated and de-identified claims data can be used to offer real-time cost transparency for procedures so employees can make informed choices.
- Identifying potential use of unnecessary ER visits and steering employees toward more affordable telehealth or urgent care options.
- Tracking benefits utilization trends to help PEOs optimize their plan designs across their client base during renewals.
AI even has the power to prevent wasteful healthcare spending by guiding employees through personalized plan selection processes. These processes empower employees to make informed plan choices by analyzing their usage patterns and recommending the most cost-effective options first. Employees get the coverage they need without paying for what they won’t use.
AI IN COMPLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT: A PEO DIFFERENTIATOR
Keeping up with evolving healthcare regulations is a burden for businesses, yet another reason they turn to PEOs. AI can also support PEOs as they strengthen compliance by automatically flagging policy updates that impact clients.
One of the most significant areas of confusion and change regarding compliance is the health benefits space, especially as shifting fiduciary responsibilities lurk in the shadows. AI can help PEOs and their clients understand their current operations and act as a support system when scanning benefits data for compliance risks.
While AI can’t ensure adherence to ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and other regulations outright, it can act as a secondary layer of protection — a net ready to help you catch risks before they fall through the cracks.
ENHANCING EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCES: AI-POWERED BENEFITS ENGAGEMENT
Today’s workforce expects consumer-grade, high-tech experiences in more and more areas of life, including benefits and healthcare delivery.
Artificial intelligence can support this vision of an enhanced employee experience by providing hyper-personalized benefits insights and navigation based on utilization history. By automating healthcare and benefits recommendations, PEOs can help their clients encourage preventive care and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
The employee experience goes beyond the general employee experience, diving into the specific needs of employee subpopulations. For example, AI can help clients surface point solutions, ancillary services, and mental health resources to the employees who would most benefit from their usage. An employee with chronic back pain may not know about an MSK point solution offering, so by routinely surfacing this option in the healthcare navigation experience, PEOs can increase the utilization of healthcare spending across the benefits ecosystem.
PEOs are crucial to high-quality employee experiences. I’ve seen the highest-performing PEOs win higher employee satisfaction and retention through better benefits engagement, making this a strategic value-add.
AI BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION IN ACTION
AI hasn’t just reduced administrative burden. AI has deepened PEO–client relationships by making health benefits more transparent, cost-effective, and employee-friendly.
One of my largest PEO partners has been able to streamline benefits management across its entire book of business using platforms powered by artificial intelligence, balancing cost containment and improving user experiences. AI translates into real-time savings for client success, call center, and account management teams for this PEO.
EMERGING AI TRENDS PEOS CAN’T IGNORE
Mental health support is in high demand among employees. Healthee’s recent research report reported that mental health was the most-searched care category among users last year, accounting for 8.61% of all searches.
AI-driven mental health solutions and instant-access telehealth solutions can help address this growing need with 24/7 anonymous support, reducing long-term disability claims and improving productivity.
AI AS THE FUTURE OF PEO GROWTH
AI is not replacing PEO functionalities or HR professionals. AI is here and ready to enhance the ability to deliver more innovative health benefit experiences and a better client offering.
PEOs that embed AI into health benefits will strengthen client relationships, reduce claims costs, and enhance employee engagement. Strategic implementation is key — aligning AI solutions with client needs and workforce expectations.
For PEOs, the question is no longer: “Should we implement AI?” It’s: “How fast can we deploy AI to deepen our client relationships?”
The next generation of PEO success will be defined by who uses AI best, and the time to start is now.
HELPING CLIENTS NAVIGATE THE FUTURE OF WORKPLACE DYNAMICS
Staying updated on these fast-changing policies and integrating them into organizational practices shows a commitment to building a diverse, respectful, and fair workplace while also keeping the well-being of your employees at the forefront.
PREPARING FOR 2025: KEY HR TRENDS IMPACTING PEOS
The ability to adapt and innovate will set forward-thinking organizations apart. By staying ahead of these trends, PEOs can position themselves as indispensable partners in creating workplaces where employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated to succeed.
DEVELOPING A TRAINING PLAN FOR HR COMPLIANCE
An effective HR compliance training plan is essential for any organization committed to fostering a safe, fair, and legally compliant workplace. With ever-evolving federal and state regulations, businesses face the constant challenge of staying up to date while ensuring their workforce is properly trained on key compliance issues.
HR compliance isn’t just about meeting legal requirements—it’s an opportunity to engage employees, foster trust, and build a thriving workplace culture. For professional employer organizations (PEOs), delivering engaging and effective HR compliance training can set the tone for their clients’ organizational success. When done right, compliance training becomes a tool for empowerment, connection, and shared responsibility.
WHY ENGAGING HR COMPLIANCE TRAINING MATTERS
Think of HR compliance training as a strong foundation for a building—without it, the entire structure is at risk. Businesses that fail to prioritize it expose themselves to costly lawsuits, reputational damage, and even regulatory penalties.
While it can sometimes be seen as a dry necessity, HR compliance training has the potential to drive meaningful engagement. It helps employees:
- Understand their roles: Clear expectations create confidence and clarity.
- Feel valued: Training reflects an organization’s commitment to their well-being and professional growth.
- Contribute to culture: Engaged employees actively support a fair, inclusive, and compliant workplace.
A 2023 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) revealed that 81% of HR professionals identified maintaining employee morale and engagement as a top priority for their organizations. Compliance training that engages employees also helps build trust, boosts morale, and strengthens workplace relationships.
KEY AREAS OF HR COMPLIANCE TRAINING
Sexual Harassment Prevention
Preventing sexual harassment is about more than following regulations—it’s about creating a safe and respectful workplace. Engaging employees in this effort requires more than a traditional lecture format.
Engagement strategies:
- Use real-world scenarios and role-playing exercises to illustrate concepts.
- Incorporate interactive elements like polls or group discussions.
- Offer clear and relatable examples of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
Training objectives include: Define sexual harassment and legal standards, explain how everyone plays a role in creating a safe workplace, and Emphasize the importance of immediate reporting and support mechanisms.
Key laws: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Anti-Discrimination Policies
Anti-discrimination training fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion when employees see it as a shared commitment rather than a mandated requirement.
Engagement strategies:
- Use storytelling to highlight the impact of discrimination and the benefits of inclusion.
- Facilitate open dialogues to encourage employee participation.
- Highlight success stories of diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Training objectives include: Identify protected classes under federal and state laws, recognize and prevent discriminatory practices, and promote equity and inclusivity in day-to-day operations.
Key areas to address: Recruitment, promotions, performance reviews, and workplace culture.
Key laws: Civil Rights Act of 1991, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
Substance Abuse Awareness
Addressing substance abuse is vital for maintaining a safe and productive work environment. Engaging employees in this area requires sensitivity and support.
Engagement strategies:
- Provide interactive resources such as self-assessment tools.
- Highlight available support programs, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Use multimedia content to illustrate the impact of substance abuse on individuals and teams.
Training objectives include: recognize signs and symptoms of substance abuse, understand the company’s substance abuse policy, and promote resources for seeking help.
Key laws: Drug-Free Workplace Act (DFWA), Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Wage And Hour Compliance
Ensuring fair compensation is essential for employee trust and satisfaction. Engaging employees in wage and hour compliance training can create transparency and understanding.
Engagement strategies:
- Create engaging visual aids, such as charts or infographics, to explain wage computations and make the process easier to understand.
- Conduct Q&A sessions to address common concerns.
- Incorporate interactive elements to reinforce key concepts.
Training objectives include: clarify employee rights and responsibilities regarding wages, address key wage and hour laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and promote transparency in compensation policies.
Best practices to keep in mind: regularly audit payroll practices to ensure accuracy and fairness, maintain clear communication about wage policies and updates, and encourage employees to ask questions and provide feedback on policies.
STEPS TO CREATE ENGAGING COMPLIANCE TRAINING
Transforming compliance training into an engaging experience requires creativity and focus. Here’s how PEOs can make training more impactful:
- Tailor training to your audience. Understand the unique needs of your client’s workforce. Customize training content to reflect their industry, workforce demographics, and organizational culture.
- Use interactive technology. Leverage tools like Learning Management Systems (LMS) to deliver dynamic and engaging training experiences.
- Make it relatable. Use real-world examples and relatable scenarios to connect with employees. Tailor training to address common challenges and experiences within their roles.
- Incorporate feedback. Regularly collect feedback from participants to understand what works and what doesn’t. Use this data to continuously refine and improve your training program.
- Celebrate the wins. Recognize employees who actively participate in and support compliance initiatives. Celebrate milestones to reinforce the importance of ongoing engagement.
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF ENGAGEMENT
To ensure ongoing improvement, it’s critical to measure the success of your compliance training efforts. PEOs can:
- Track participation rates: High attendance is a good indicator of interest and buy-in.
- Assess knowledge retention: Use quizzes and follow-up surveys to test understanding.
- Gather employee feedback: Identify strengths and areas for improvement through anonymous evaluations.
- Monitor compliance metrics: Look for reductions in compliance violations or related complaints.
THE ROLE OF ENGAGEMENT IN LONG-TERM COMPLIANCE
Engaging compliance training is not just about ticking a box; it’s about creating a culture of accountability and respect. When employees feel connected to the mission of compliance, they are more likely to: Retain information and apply it in their daily roles; report issues promptly and responsibly; and contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace environment.
For PEOs, developing a robust HR compliance training plan is more than a service offering; it’s a strategic advantage. By proactively addressing compliance risks and fostering a culture of accountability, PEOs can empower their clients to thrive in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Investing in comprehensive, ongoing training isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about building a workplace where employees feel valued, respected, and safe. With the right tools and strategies, PEOs can lead the charge in creating compliant, productive, and inclusive workplaces for their clients.
PROMOTING EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact that mental health and wellbeing have on both internal employees and client worksite employees. In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, it is crucial to prioritize mental health and create a supportive atmosphere that fosters wellbeing. Here are some strategies and insights I would suggest on how to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
THE FUTURE OF PAYROLL: WHY EMPLOYEE PAYCARDS ARE REVOLUTIONIZING WAGE DISTRIBUTION
Employee paycards are more than a payroll innovation—they’re a tool for progress.
TOP 5 CHALLENGES SMBs WILL FACE IN 2025
A major area of the growing digital world that SMBs need to prioritize is cybersecurity as they adopt new technologies. This includes implementing robust security measures to protect against cyber threats, regular training for employees on cybersecurity best practices, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE: ACHIEVING NEAR-PERFECT NPS SCORES
Consistency is a key driver of customer loyalty and high NPS scores. By standardizing processes and ensuring every team member understands our service standards, we deliver reliable, high-quality experiences across the board.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS: BUILDING A FEEDBACK DRIVEN CULTURE
As HR leaders, we need to work to change this paradigm because research clearly shows that people experience faster growth and development when they build on their strengths instead of correcting their shortcomings.
BUILDING EXCELLENCE FROM WITHIN: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MENTORING AND UPSKILLING IN PEO SUCCESS
Beyond mentoring, continuous upskilling is critical in our rapidly evolving industry. We’re seeing new technologies, changing regulations, and evolving client needs that require ongoing development.
REDEFINING LEADERSHIP: HELPING CLIENT COMPANIES BECOME TRUE ENGAGEMENT CHAMPIONS
An HR leader who possesses the ability to deliver forward thinking, empathetic, and impactful training to client companies’ management teams demonstrates not just a perfunctory HR service, but rather puts a stronghold in the hearts of our small business owners that is key in client retention.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DOs AND DON’Ts FOR EMPLOYERS
Performance evaluations have traditionally been the go-to tool for providing feedback to employees about their performance. Historically they have been conducted annually by the employee’s supervisor, but recent data has led to questions about their use and effectiveness following this model.
HOW THE RIGHT HCM TECHNOLOGY CAN ELEVATE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AND DRIVE PEO GROWTH
PEOs that embrace HCM technology to enhance EX can move beyond transactional payroll and employer-related compliance to offer services that build deeper, more meaningful partnerships with their clients.
USING TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS KEY HR OPPORTUNITIES IN 2025 AND BEYOND
Technology-driven solutions like applicant tracking systems, workforce management platforms, and real-time reporting software offer a clear path to overcoming recruitment hurdles, optimizing operational efficiencies, and making data-driven decisions.
HOW TECHNOLOGY IS REIMAGINING WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE
Today, the infusion of technology in workers’ compensation is revolutionizing how PEOs serve their clients. In an industry where speed, accuracy, and a human-centered approach are important, technology keeps PEOs ahead of the competition.
BEYOND TRADITIONAL PEO SERVICES: DEEPENING VALUE THROUGH STRATEGIC INNOVATION
The foundational strength of PEOs lies in their ability to serve as strategic partners, not merely transactional service providers. This value proposition has become more pronounced in recent years as employers grapple with supporting their employees’ personal and financial wellness.
FOSTERING A CULTURE OF LIFELONG LEARNING
Fostering a culture centered on continuous learning yields an array of benefits, including elevated levels of employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
EMPOWERING PEO SUCCESS: MAXIMIZING STRATEGIC IMPACT THROUGH EXTERNAL INFLUENCERS
Often, it’s client operational efficiencies, the “soft dollar savings”, that are never quantified in a black and white proposal, where external Influencers shine. The client trusts the external influencer more than the PEO salesperson to objectively validate and quantify investments in the PEO administration fees.
THE EVOLVING PEO SERVICE MIX: RECRUITING IS NOW NON-NEGOTIABLE
Recruiting is no longer an optional service for PEOs aiming to provide comprehensive HR solutions. It is an essential component that enables PEOs to position themselves as true full-service providers, capable of meeting the modern demands of their clients.