Extending Capacity at Chelan County
CLIENT
Chelan County
INDUSTRY
Government Support
LOCATION
Chelan County, WA
SIZE
525 Employees
Priorities
Policy and Process Development, Compliance, Recruiting, HR Tech
About Chelan County
Chelan County, with 525 employees, prides itself on making its community a great place to work and live. Maintaining a thriving organization and the right HR support are critical to meeting the high-caliber vision Chelan County has for itself and its citizens. Public and municipal organizations can be complex, and Chelan County must accomplish its goals in an efficient and cost-effective way.
The Need
Smaller markets like the Wenatchee Valley can have a hard time finding seasoned talent, including HR professionals. When County Administrator Cathy Mulhall found herself in need of help after their HR Director left their position, her long-time, trusted OneDigital benefits consultant, Jessica Carr, recommended a virtual solution through OneDigital’s HR Consulting to fill the gaps and take some things off the HR team’s plate.
“I never even knew a solution like this existed. I just assumed I’d have to buckle down, do two jobs, and figure things out on my own. It’s because of [Jessica’s] knowledge of how we operate here—how small of a department we are and how many hats we wear—that we could trust her suggestion.”
– Cathy Mulhall, Chelan County
The introduction led to developing a fractional HR service plan and a seamless and productive relationship between Cathy, her team, and OneDigital’s Senior HR Consultant, Andrea Allard.
Resourceful Response
The OneDigital HR team hit the ground running to help Chelan County address their immediate HR needs. Andrea met virtually with the team every week to offer guidance and project assistance while the organization looked for a new director. Andrea called upon her OneDigital colleagues to help with specific situations, and even though they worked remotely, they quickly established a strong working relationship.
“The OneDigital HR team reminds me a lot of Jessica (in Benefits), who I obviously have a lot of respect for. They are warm and kind and incredibly capable.”
– Cathy Mulhall, Chelan County
Handbook Refresh
Chelan County’s employee handbook was a hefty 100+ pages, and OneDigital helped streamline and simplify it, making it easier for employees to understand.
Compliance Confidence
The OneDigital team minimized Chelan County’s exposure to business risk with expert guidance on complicated compliance issues. They gave advice on handling and managing personnel files, how FMLA laws intersected with the state’s PFML leave, and a variety of issues brought up at the weekly county government meetings.
Recruitment and Retention
OneDigital’s team helped Chelan County recruit its new HR Director, including writing a new job description and pertinent interview questions. The team also helped develop a recruitment plan, updating all job descriptions with the most accurate and up-to-date responsibilities and requirements to facilitate finding and hiring the best candidates. They reviewed and assessed leave management programs to help improve engagement and boost retention rates.
“I’m always just so impressed that they always seem to know the answer. Or if they don’t, it’s readily available, and they will get the information. They are very willing and able to jump in, lightening our load.”
– Cathy Mulhall, Chelan County
Meaningful Results
Through this partnership, Chelan County gained valuable knowledge and resources that will be impactful for its future. The organization is now equipped to quickly address concerns and better support its whole workforce with enhanced policies.
OneDigital’s HR Consulting team dynamically bridged the gaps within the organization in a cost-effective and flexible manner. The team brought a breadth of knowledge to the table and gave Chelan County the confidence they needed to lessen their reliance on their lawyer, which also lowered costs.