Expert HR Consultants Step in During a Time of Need for Victory Programs
Case Study November 8, 2022
Left with an overly full work plate and no HR team due to COVID-19, Victory Programs needed an extra set of hands and turned to AIM HR Solutions. For six months, two of our expert consultants joined their team to help with complex HR issues, including leave management, recruiting, benefits administration, and employee relations.
Customer
Victory Programs focuses on the pressing needs of men and women who are coping with substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health concerns, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other chronic conditions. Victory Programs provides individuals and their families with the education, tools, and ongoing support they need to help them regain their health, prevent and manage relapse, and maximize their independence. Visit their website to learn more about their mission at www.vpi.org.
Challenge
Sarah Porter, the executive director, oversees a staff of 225 employees to run the critical health, housing, and prevention programs. COVID-19 and its variants placed a strain on the employees and ultimately the turnover of the HR team. Sarah also knew that she didn’t have the time to onboard a new HR team. She needed immediate help with:
- Leave management
- Recruiting
- Benefits administration
- Employee relations
Solution
AIM HR Solutions provided two seasoned HR professionals to work with Sarah. The first consultant was placed in the role of HR director and the second in the role of benefits administrator. The HR director jumped in to ensure compliance with company policies and procedures. He quickly became a part of the team and was viewed as a go-to resource for handbookrelated questions, COVID-related leave, and recruiting strategies. The HR director worked in a primarily remote capacity, but was available for on-site meetings as needed. His hours flexed with the needs of the organization throughout the duration of the assignment. The benefits administrator focused on day-to-day benefits tasks, including new hire onboarding and benefits enrollment, but was also tasked with ensuring overall benefits compliance and automating HR record-keeping.
“The AIM HR Solutions’ benefits administrator is probably the smartest human being I have ever met! She is amazing and has figured out so many things that I would never know how to do.”
– Sarah Porter Executive Director of Victory Programs
Results
The benefits administrator worked with the Victory Programs team for approximately six months. During this time, she successfully streamlined the benefits administration process and ensured required compliance obligations were met. This included the streamlining and restructuring of the COBRA and leave of absence processes, including the revision of all associated documents; creating and distributing required ERISA, Affordable Care Act and Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave notifications; and securing a benefits broker to assist with renewals and ongoing compliance. In addition, she provided guidance to Sarah on the skills needed by a full-time replacement. The benefits administrator assisted with the recruitment process and the transition of all projects, and provided ongoing support for a 30-day period following the transition. At the conclusion of the assignment, Sarah said that the AIM HR Solutions’ benefits administrator “is probably the smartest human being I have ever met! She is amazing and has figured out so many things that I would never know how to do.”
The HR director remained in the role for a period of seven months. The key projects completed during this assignment included creating a new gender-neutral employee handbook and handling complex employee relations issues. The director identified gaps in internal procedures and implemented new procedures to better address the needs of the company including establishing COVID protocols, exemptions, and leave management. Other duties included coaching and counseling of managers and senior staff, updating employee data in the HR information system, onboarding new employees and managing the exit process of employees. Sarah said that “The staff simply adores the HR consultant. He does a really nice job of adjusting to our culture, but also being able to tow the line on HR practices.” As members of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Sarah knows that she will continue to have unlimited access to the AIM HR Helpline five days a week so she can continue to get answers to her most pressing HR questions.
617.488.8321 | KMcInnis@AIMHRSolutions.com | www.AIMHRSolutions.com