Sixteen years ago (almost to the day) we took a leap of faith.
At the time, I knew something was missing; something in my career. I’d already owned and sold one successful PEO company, and I loved the work I had done there helping companies with their HR administration. But I was looking for something more. Real estate seemed like a natural fit (I love having lots of contact with people and sharing in their dreams and goals) and I was ready to give that a go. But John saw a real need in the market that I didn’t. He envisioned us running an innovative company that helped growing businesses get the answers and resources they needed to compete with bigger companies and level the playing field…a company that provided much more than the typical PEO and offered a real partnership that could help those companies grow.
He was right, and we dove headlong into launching Innovative Staffing Inc. It wasn’t long after launching that we saw the Internet making a huge impact, not just on our own work but on the way people communicate and connect. We have always been on the forefront of technology, and we were one of the first companies to offer paperless new-hire onboarding back in 2004.
But as our online presence became stronger and more important to our customers, we decided the shortened “ISIhr” made it easier to find and use our services.
Through the years we’ve seen growth and change, helping our partners and their teams along the way. It’s been a huge challenge with plenty of sleepless nights -- and worth every moment. The relationships we’ve built with our clients keep us going strong because the work we do matters to our clients and to their teams. And today, a decade and a half later, the world truly is a different place.
The role of human resource management in organizations has evolved as businesses come to understand that their greatest resources are the people they employee. HR plays a critical role in making sure that every employee is well aligned to the company’s strategic goals; it’s about finding (and keeping!) the talent that will move an organization forward ... and quickly. A smooth recruiting and hiring process, corporate-level benefits, solid training and a vibrant company culture are important to everyone.
The business climate has changed too. According to the 2014 National Federation of Independent Business’ survey, one in five small business owners say that dealing with government regulations is their biggest challenge (second only to taxes). Regulations continue to mount, with potentially stiff penalties for non-compliance.
The biggest change though, is in the way people work. Thanks to technology, employees are no longer tied to their desks. They work in motion with everything they need to stay connected to the office, all in the palm of their hand.
To reflect these massive shifts, we’ve changed too. ISIhr is now Stratus.hr, a name that reflects the new realities of the way we work. First, we have a new website that makes it easy to find us - just type in “stratus.hr.” Second, we provide HR solutions that are cloud-based (but know that we still have real people to help you out, too). And the employees we serve can access their most important information through our mobile app. This all adds up to HR that helps you run your business anytime, anywhere. What hasn’t changed is what’s made us Utah’s leading PEO: having the right people providing outstanding HR services - benefits and compliance and advice about regulations - and support to every one of our clients.
As Stratus.hr, we promise to live up to our name with our “sky’s the limit” approach to client partnerships and service. A lot can change in 16 years. But I’ll be the first to admit that the good stuff just keeps getting better.