Don’t Recreate the Wheel When the Wheel Already Exists

As a tech startup leader or head of people, your time and energy should be dedicated to rapid and exponential growth, attracting the best possible talent, and developing your product. If growth and market penetration are your goals, there’s no reason to spend time and energy building out your internal HR infrastructure when there are existing service providers there to do it for you (and get it right). While you’ll still need to focus on recruiting, culture, and retention, what you need — and what your investors will likely recommend — is an outsourced solution designed to support HR operations for tech startups.

An increasingly popular option that meets this need is a professional employer organization (PEO). Rather than manage the compliance, administrative and foundational HR tasks internally (handbook, policy development, offer letters, etc.), a PEO takes care of these for you — acting as your central HR service provider and the responsible party for much of the transactional tasks and risk associated with employment. A PEO also gives you access to strong and comprehensive employee benefits (from health to 401k) right out of the gate, making you a more appealing option when competing for talent.

hr tech startup

Why Choose Cognos HR as Your PEO?

There are a variety of PEO providers in the market, but Cognos HR offers a model that fills a gap between software-focused PEOs and the institutional HR/Payroll companies. Unlike these other companies, Cognos HR offers dedicated fractional HR and payroll support, which means there are actual people who get to know you and your unique needs serving your account. We’re here to serve as an extension of your team for all HR-related matters. We can actually help get things done — so you don’t have to spend time figuring out how to do it yourself.

Software-Focused PEOs

  • Newer to the market
  • Offering is primarily software (SaaS service model)
  • No consultative approach (FAQ/chatbot model)
  • Often VC-backed and therefore rapidly expanding while figuring how to disrupt the existing market

Cognos HR

  • Experienced service provider
  • Dedicated HR and payroll representatives
  • Consultative and service-first: we spend time learning about your company’s needs
  • Operator friendly — easy to work with, flexible, and available when you need us

Institutional HR/Payroll Companies

  • Service model is only flexible for the largest customers
  • Hidden fees/pricing — can be significantly more expensive
  • Siloed service approach — rely on different departments to get things done
  • Less flexible, more bureaucratic, and slow to change

What Our HR Services for Tech Startups Include

Our PEO capabilities for tech startups are comprehensive, spanning every aspect of the employee lifecycle, with the exception from recruiting and sourcing candidates. We can support you with:

  • Infrastructure — We offer the tools, systems, and processes to support a complete HR program: HRIS technology, payroll systems, federal and state compliance, formal procedures, employee handbooks, job descriptions, and more.

  • Payroll Administration & Compliance — We’ll take care of payroll tax filings, state registrations, ACA compliance, unemployment insurance, and Workers’ Compensation. We’ll also provide daily support for employees who have payroll questions.

  • Employee Benefits — Our group benefits plans help you get top-tier benefits for your team that you’d otherwise be unable to obtain. Along the way, we’ll help with benefits planning, enrollment, and reporting as well as support your team with any questions they have over time.

  • Risk Management — We’ll help you build the foundations and frameworks you need to focus on growth and employee development. We can assist with handbooks, help with policy development, ensure overall compliance, and provide ongoing education and coaching assistance.

  • Dedicated Fractional HR Support — We serve as an extension of your team for all HR matters. We support leaders and employees with questions, concerns, and guidance. Strategically, we assist with new manager training, employee surveys, policies, compensation benchmarking, performance management, and more. And we’re always here when the unexpected arises: terminations, dispute resolution, and employee leave.

Ready to Talk HR for Your Tech Startup?

Our solution is comprehensive and affordable for the stage you’re at. We can work with companies as small as two employees (if you’re just starting out). Get in touch with us today. We’ll get you growing.

 

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