Topic Case Studies and Company Spotlights

How Questco Helped a Start-Up Team Stay Focused on Growth

How Questco Helped a Start-Up Team Stay Focused on Growth

When Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance moved from its parent company to establish an independent corporation, it faced many HR challenges. As a new start-up, Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance wanted to offer its employees generous benefits and medical insurance while staying compliant with all relevant HR laws and regulations.

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Without its parent company's HR support, Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance tasked its Business Manager, Ms. Jacque Malota, to handle all employer-employee relationship challenges. Ms. Malota's background in Finance and a busy schedule left her overwhelmed with HR issues. This led to the decision to outsource HR with a Professional Employment Organization (PEO). Questco's experience and reputation topped other PEO bids, and the company was selected to work with Ms. Malota and her team.

Top HR Priorities for Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance

As a commercial space company specializing in conducting space research, development, and testing, Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance wanted a balanced benefits system that addressed its employees' needs and fully complied with the local, state, and federal regulatory obligations. The top HR priorities for the company were:-

  • Establish a payroll system
  • Provide medical benefits for its employees
  • Regulatory compliance with tax requirements
  • HR support during the transition period

How Questco Handled the HR Needs of Alpha Space

Questco has a solid reputation for offering top-notch client service, and their experts sought to create a seamless and hassle-free onboarding process for every employee of Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance. During the initial stages, the HR team engaged with Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance staff to gather necessary information about the company. They then tailored these details and took charge of the transition process, allowing the employees of Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance to focus on their primary duties with minimal distractions and disruptions. The following are the main implementations that Questco made to help the space company adopt favorable policies:

  • Proper Classification of Employees. One of Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance's top priorities was to have a comprehensive classification of all its employees per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Without the correct classification, Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance was at risk of remitting inaccurate taxes and being fined thousands of dollars. Questco experts used their vast experience and the information provided by the staff and management of Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance to categorize the employees correctly. They placed the employees in the correct jobs and classified them as either exempt or non-exempt in line with the FLSA provisions. Besides complying with the law, this exercise helped Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance management identify future vacancies that would need to be filled.
  • Setting Up A Payroll System. Questco made sure to establish a payroll system that fully addressed all the payment challenges that Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance was facing, and this paid off. Amongst all the tasks undertaken by Questco, Ms. Malota was most impressed by the payroll system. Not only was she able to disburse the salaries on time, but it also helped her manage employee information more efficiently and generate reports for each employee whenever necessary. Additionally, the new payroll system ensured that Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance complied with statutory regulatory requirements and worked in tandem with the correct employee classification.
  • Obtaining Medical Insurance. Ms. Malota and the management team at Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance were very keen on providing good health coverage without breaking the bank. Questco used its experience and contacts in the insurance sector to negotiate the most ideal medical insurance options for Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance employees. It helped the start-up secure various health insurance benefits at affordable rates, hence boosting its employees' morale.
  • Ensuring Regulatory Compliance. Apart from the employee classification and payroll system, Questco also helped Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance identify and deal with other HR areas that portended high compliance risks. This protected the young corporation from unnecessary investigations and fines, thus giving the entire management team peace of mind.

Startups Gain Big from PEOs

Like Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance, many other start-ups face challenges in setting up appropriate policies and systems compliant with employment laws and practices. Financial hurdles and constrained budgets prevent these companies from hiring experienced in-house HR specialists. As a result, start-ups tend to have high turnover rates and employee dissatisfaction.

These issues, coupled with inexperience in hiring the right resources, pose many risks to enterprises during their nascent stages. Regulatory compliance and management of employees and human capital concerns cannot be done without HR experts.

Even though financial constraints and slow growth may not permit having an in-house expert, PEOs like Questco can address upcoming companies' human capital needs. Like Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance Test and Research Alliance, start-ups can benefit from outsourcing HR solutions from PEOs. If you need expert and customized HR solutions, you should contact the award-winning human resources specialists at Questco and arrange for a consultation.

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Derek Carlstrom

Derek Carlstrom

Derek is the Vice President of Sales Growth. He is a proactive leader with refined business acumen and exemplary people skills. He has progressive experience in sales leadership with the skills to drive business growth, capitalize on new revenue potential, and execute proper territory maximization