By Holly Riddle
Human resources can pose a challenge for SMEs, particularly when you look at the way the talent landscape has evolved over the last four years. As we’ve covered in previous articles, an incoming workforce of recent college grads comes with new demands, from more flexible schedules and remote work policies to greater career development opportunities. The Society for Human Resource Management published its predictions for HR in 2024 and similarly noted more demand for flexibility, DEI initiatives and L&D.
Centre County has approximately 3,000 small businesses with under 50 employees, and no local resources that offer our level of HR services.
Luckily, there are a few Happy Valley-based B2B businesses that are here to help SMEs navigate all these challenges and more.
Helping small businesses thrive
At Thrive HR Management, founder Becky Dreese and team provide HR guidance and support to both SMEs and nonprofits. This is Thrive’s third year in business and, since 2021, the team has helped more than 100 regional organizations, including the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and CBICC, among others.
“Centre County has approximately 3,000 small businesses with under 50 employees, and no local resources that offer our level of HR services. We differ from other outsourced HR companies in Pennsylvania, because we are here as businesses need us — [with] no retainers — and our guidance aligns with the mission, vision and culture of our clients. We work as an extension of their team,” explained Dreese.
Thrive’s primary service is managing all HR for businesses, including onboarding, offboarding and compliance. Secondary services include consulting and working on singular projects, like compiling an employee handbook.
“Small business owners work hard to make their businesses successful, but they may not be experts in HR. We are here to help them ‘Thrive’ by answering questions, providing expert advice, ensuring compliance and giving them all the information and tools they may need for an engaged workforce,” said Dreese.
Helping employers attract and retain employees
At Aperture Insurance Solutions, founder Rich Wilber and team offer a slightly different HR-related service for small business. The company, which started in 2018, provides expert technical guidance, paired with personal support, to help employers provide benefits that their employees will love.
Wilber said, “Insurance benefits are expensive and complex. We help employers design benefits that reflect their company culture, while managing cost and compliance. We help educate employees to understand their benefits and maximize their value.”
Aperture works with a variety of businesses throughout Pennsylvania, with a focus on businesses with fewer than 300 employees.
“I spent 10 years working in this industry in central Pennsylvania, prior to starting our company,” said Wilber. “I knew the need existed within the local business community. Happy Valley is a great place to start a business — not only our own business, but with many other businesses forming locally, there is a huge need for those companies to attract and retain employees, both locally within Happy Valley and remotely. We wanted to be positioned to help employers do exactly that.”
Does your business offer Happy Valley HR solutions? Are you noticing HR trends that you think HappyValley Industry should cover? Let us know! Sophia@affinityconnection.com
