This month we are featuring a great guy, and a great CEO, Roger Hays of Premier Employer Services. Based in Denver Colorado, Premier Employer Services prides itself on being a strong PEO with a great corporate culture that incorporates a fun atmosphere whenever possible.
Roger spent almost a decade as a lobbyist prior to entering the PEO industry, which was probably great experience to have. Hays started Premier Employer Services in 2008, and has experienced strong growth with great client relationships.
Whyman:
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today. I know things are very busy this time of year.
Hays:
I am happy to do it.
Whyman:
Roger, as a twenty-year industry vet, do you recall initially what attracted you to PEO?
Hays:
I was attracted by the uniqueness of the industry and the constant change that this business provides. Every day there is a new challenge or a new obstacle to overcome and I relish the opportunity to take these on and succeed for our clients. There is huge satisfaction in the PEO industry as we watch our clients succeed with our help.
Whyman:
I agree; I think that constant changing environment really draws people into the PEO industry. With that being said, there are so many different kinds of PEOs out there, how would you describe the culture of your PEO?
Hays:
We strive to create a culture that stresses respect and fairness when dealing with our own employees as well as our worksite employees and we place a strong focus on trust and integrity with our team and our clients. Teamwork and trust are very important here as is the ability to have a relaxed atmosphere and the ability to have some fun along the way.
Whyman:
I am sure it does not hurt recruiting that you are in beautiful Colorado. So, speaking of hiring and making hiring decisions, is previous industry experience necessary? Helpful? Or potentially harmful?
Hays:
Previous industry experience is not necessary in my opinion and for some positions it can actually be harmful. A good example is our sales consultants. Over the years we have moved away from hiring people with industry experience. We have found that it takes more time and money to retrain them to the way we want to do PEO than if we hire someone with specific skill sets we want and train them to our way of doing PEO. It holds for many other positions in our office but this one is the most critical in that we have instituted an outright ban on sales staff with other PEO experience.
Whyman:
I respect that, it is so easy to take the temptation that someone from the industry is just easier and can hit the ground running. Your strategy maybe takes a little more upfront training, but down the road, seems as it has been positive.
Hays:
Yes the down side to this method is that it does in fact take longer to get a person trained and ready to go out on their own. It requires us to be a bit more forward thinking so that we have good candidates in our pipeline and we are not letting big gaps develop where we do not have a well-trained person always in the field.
Whyman:
So if you were not in this crazy world of PEO as a CEO, what position would you be in?
Hays:
I would be a professional lobbyist. I did that for almost 10 years before I got into the PEO world and loved it. So if I were not doing the PEO thing that would be my fallback position.
Whyman:
So you would just trade the crazy world of PEO for the crazy world of politics? Ha! So, since you are remaining a CEO for now, what would your best client say about you as a CEO?
Hays:
I think they would say I am open and easy to talk to. I am not hard to find or get in touch with either and I truly view them as a partner that has their best interests and the best interest of their staff at heart whenever we make a decision.
Whyman:
So before I let you go, do you have any words of advice for new PEO start-ups or entrants into the industry?
Hays:
My advice for a new PEO is simple. Don’t cheap out and ensure you align yourself with the best business partners this industry has to offer. McHenry Consulting, Clay Kelley, Slavic401k, and PrisimHR for a few examples. Get the best partners you can and work with them along the way and you will never regret those decisions as they will make your life so much less stressful and so much easier.
Whyman:
Wow, thank you for including McHenry Consulting in that group of amazing partners you mentioned.
Hays:
No thanks necessary, Dan McHenry is simply one of the best in our industry and I greatly admire him.
Whyman:
Mr. Hays, this has been great, I appreciate you spending some time and your perspective on the industry.
Hays:
You are very welcome.
To learn more about: Premier Employer Services visit http://www.premieremployerservices.com/
