AlphaStaff PEO: Simplify Your HR

Understanding AlphaStaff PEO Services

AlphaStaff's comprehensive human resources services, such as payroll processing and benefits administration, make them a potent Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Interestingly, they hardly refer to themselves as a PEO online, although they fulfill all the requirements of such a service and detail how they effectively co-employ their clients' workforces and have done so for over 100,000 worksite employees in 49 states.

We know that choosing a PEO is not a simple task, but AlphaStar may present as a compelling option. In their co-employment capacity, they use their expertise to advise their clients on HR and management best practices, ensure regulatory compliance, improve workplace operations, and generally provide a satisfactory return on investment (ROI) through their all-in-one Human Resource Information System (HRIS) automation. They can also provide a wide range of medical plans for your employees, among other competitive benefits that are a direct result of their strong broker partnerships. In short, AlphaStaff aims to take the hassle out of HR management.

They are well-regarded among their PEO industry peers for their overall service excellence and have been recognized for their efforts in fighting unemployment fraud. They are members of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) and have been accredited by the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) as well as by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for meeting SSAE 16 and 18 requirements. However, they don't seem to be certified by the IRS, although that certification is neither necessary nor does it constitute an endorsement. They are also not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which gives them a C+ rating.

Industries & Business Sizes Served by AlphaStaff PEO

AlphaStaff does specify any specific business sizes or industries they target with their services. They state that they work with various types and sizes of client businesses. That being said, they do seem to more actively go after startups with few or no employees, as well as franchise owners of between five and 500 employees. They feature testimonials from a courier service, a biotechnology company, and an animal care facility on their website.

AlphaStaff PEO Features

AlphaStaff simplifies HR management through their full-featured suite of services that comprise their PEO. Those features are as follows:

• HR management: Their human capital management (HCM) solutions involve lending their expertise regarding company growth practices, talent management, workplace compliance, and minimizing time spent on routine administration. They make their expert consultation and support available for a wide range of HR tasks, offer training and development opportunities for leadership and compliance, and implement performance management measures designed to motivate employee achievement
• Payroll and tax management: They strive to simplify all tasks to do with payroll and tax administration, as these services may be accessed and managed through the web and mobile app platforms. Their many services include the automation of time and attendance, time-off requests, reporting and record-keeping, payroll processing, wage deductions and garnishments, and tax filing and administration
• Benefits administration: They capitalize on their partnerships with brokers and service providers to provide Fortune-500-level benefits, which include medical, dental, vision, life, disability, critical illness, accident, and other insurance plans. They also can supply tax-advantaged accounts, 401(k) plans, as well as shopping and entertainment savings perks
• Benefits advisory services: AlphaStaff makes its benefits advisory department available to assist users with their decision-making and to ensure compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• Recruitment: They help you target and hire new talent that is appropriate to your company's mission and culture, as aided by a scientific assessment program
• Technology solutions: Their services are all deployed through their software solution, with tools streamlining the electronic tasks of hiring, onboarding, time and attendance, and reporting. They also have a separate employee self-service portal, which may be accessed through the app, where workers access pay and tax records, change their payroll information, receive work messages, and request paid time off (PTO), among other tasks
• Cyber security insurance: To combat potential cyber breaches, they offer specialized cyber liability insurance coverage from ProWriters

AlphaStaff PEO Pricing

AlphaStaff does not specify any PEO plans or packages online, nor do they share any specific costs or pricing methodology. There's also no specific information on the required number of employees or the duration of the contracts. They present as a flexible PEO option, so you may browse different features and services online and then contact a representative to receive a free quote that is tailored to your requirements.

AlphaStaff PEO Top Perks

AlphaStaff can make for a suitable co-employer of your small or franchise business, and you may choose them for the following reasons:

• Highly personalized services: Their advertised solutions specifically take franchisee concerns, as well as those of startups, to heart while ensuring they receive the administrative infrastructure of larger enterprises
• Greater variety of benefits: They offer many high-level benefits, from the usual variety of insurance products to tax-advantaged accounts and employee shopping perks, which are made affordable via their strong partnerships with top service providers. They also offer targeted cyber security insurance and their own 401(k) plans, among other products, and aid employees with their eligibility tracking services
• Expert benefits advice: They offer advisory services to ensure you are in compliance with ACA. They also offer comprehensive implementation advice for other benefits like COBRA administration, FSAs, HSAs, HRAs, and retirement savings plans
• Robust recruitment features: They provide streamlined, paperless onboarding and offer a science-based assessment program for picking applicants that is meant to reduce bias and emphasize targeted metrics. They also offer a 90-day replacement policy if a new hire should be found not to be a good fit

The Drawbacks of AlphaStaff PEO

On the other hand, there are aspects of this company that might deter you from employing their services, some of which are:

• Lack of transparency: They do not share any PEO plan packages nor their pricing criteria online, which makes it necessary for you to contact them for all such information
• Unique features may come with extra fees: Services such as their advisory services, especially with regards to ACA compliance, are considered extra features and come with added fees
• May not offer multi-location services: Their focus on individual franchise or startup business owners indicates that they don't handle payroll or management services across multiple offices or regions, and they do not make mention of such features on their site
• Outdated platform: Online sources state that AlphaStaff's software solution, including the mobile app, seems out of date, although it is fairly easy to use
• Not IRS-certified: While they do feature links to IRS tax best practices online, they do not have the IRS's certification. Also, the NAPEO does not list them among their members, although the AlphaStaff website states that they do belong to that association

The AlphaStaff PEO Client Experience

There is very little client feedback that can be found online about AlphaStaff. They are reviewed once on G2, with a 4.5 out of 5 score, where the reviewer praised the easy-to-use AlphaStaff website and their employee benefits and perks. They were also reviewed once on Yelp, and that user gave them a low score of 1 out of 5 stars for a poor support experience and having difficulty accessing records. They have one complaint lodged against them on the BBB, where the user had problems with time tracking and accessing proper documentation, leading them to be compensated incorrectly. AlphaStaff did not respond to that complaint.

This sparse feedback does not provide enough basis to draw any generalized conclusions about the company's services or support structure, although their failure to respond to a complaint is notable.

AlphaStaff Customer Support

There are several ways to get in touch with their support staff. If you're an employee or referral partner with an inquiry, you may go to the contact page on the AlphaStaff site to request to be contacted. You may also call them at 888-335-9545 or email them at [email protected]. You may also contact support by logging on to the platform, either through the employee or manager portal.

The Bottom Line on AlphaStaff

AlphaStaff PEO offers a comprehensive range of HR services to simplify your HR processes. With extensive features for payroll processing, tax services, employee benefits administration, streamlined onboarding, and performance management support, AlphaStaff provides a complete solution for your company's HR needs— whether you run a small startup or a larger franchise business.

However, you may have many questions that you can only get answers to by calling this company, especially because they are not transparent about their PEO packages and pricing, and there is very little customer feedback about them online to gauge any useful information from. If you are considering AlphaStaff for their PEO services, make sure to ask them pointed questions about client eligibility and pricing structure before committing to an agreement. We also recommend inquiring about their certifications and accreditations, credentials which many of the top PEOs possess because they go a long way to ensure proper payroll and compliance procedures.

If you're still vetting possible providers, we recommend you read up on the top PEO companies here. And you can use our comparison tool if you need to see how those companies stack up against each other. With the proper research, we're confident you will find the right choice for your business.

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