Why Employee Benefits Should Be Your Top Priority with a PEO

In the competitive landscape of today’s business world, attracting and retaining top talent is more critical than ever. Offering a comprehensive benefits package not only enhances an organization’s appeal but also plays a vital role in employee satisfaction and productivity. Partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can be a game-changer in this regard. This blog explores why prioritizing employee benefits through a PEO should be at the forefront of your business strategy.

Understanding the Role of a PEO in Employee Benefits

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) provides comprehensive HR solutions, including employee benefits, compliance support, payroll, and risk management. By partnering with a PEO, businesses can offer their employees enhanced benefits packages that might otherwise be difficult to obtain independently. PEOs leverage their relationships with leading insurance providers to negotiate better rates and more extensive coverage options, making high-quality benefits accessible to small and mid-sized businesses according to PrestigePEO. This assistance is especially valuable to businesses unable to match the purchasing power of larger organizations, which often results in cost prohibitive premiums and limited offerings.

In addition to providing access to superior benefit packages, a PEO also streamlines the entire process of benefits administration, from initial enrollment to ongoing management. This means your business can introduce and maintain a more robust plan without getting bogged down with the intricate details inherent in benefits management. The PEO effectively functions as a co-employer, handling back-end operations and allowing you to focus on your core business activities. As well-documented by BBSI, this partnership frees up resources and time, which can be reinvested into driving business growth and enhancing employee satisfaction.

The Direct Impact of Robust Employee Benefits on Retention

Employee retention is a perennial challenge for businesses, but offering a strong benefits package can be a decisive factor in reducing staff turnover. Studies have shown that health insurance is extremely important to over 80% of employees when considering job opportunities. By securing comprehensive benefits through a PEO, businesses can position themselves as employers of choice, attracting high-caliber candidates and retaining key personnel. When employees feel that their health and well-being are valued, loyalty and engagement naturally increase.

Moreover, PEOs provide additional services such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), which are proactive measures designed to address personal issues that may affect work performance. These lesser-known PEO services go beyond standard offerings, fostering a supportive environment that contributes to employee satisfaction and well-being. By including such programs, businesses demonstrate a commitment to supporting their employees holistically, which can significantly enhance workplace morale and retention. As noted by AxcetHR, implementing these services can transform your business and establish a supportive, productive culture.

In an era where the competition for talent is fierce, PEOs provide a significant advantage by allowing small and mid-sized companies to compete with larger enterprises in the benefits arena. This is especially valuable considering that losing key staff can not only impact immediate productivity but also incur substantial recruitment and training expenses. Thus, prioritizing employee benefits through a PEO not only uplifts your workforce but also fortifies your business’s bottom line.

Cost Efficiency and Scalability with PEO Partnerships

One of the most compelling reasons to partner with a PEO is the cost efficiency they bring to the table. By leveraging economies of scale, a PEO can provide small and medium-sized businesses access to group health insurance plans at rates typically reserved for larger corporations. This shared purchasing model allows individual businesses to benefit from reduced premiums and broader coverage options, providing an immediate boost to their financial viability. According to a NAPEO study, the return on investment for businesses using PEOs is an impressive 27.3% per year. Such cost savings free up financial resources, which can be redirected towards other strategic initiatives.

Scalability is another significant advantage of PEO partnerships. As your business grows, a PEO’s infrastructure can readily accommodate your expanding workforce. They offer flexible plans and employ sophisticated technology solutions that streamline onboarding processes, regardless of the size or geographical dispersion of your team. This ensures consistency and compliance as your company scales, mitigating the risks typically associated with rapid growth. Working with a PEO makes it substantially easier to adjust benefits packages as required, ensuring that your offerings remain competitive and aligned with employee expectations. This agility is ideal for companies aiming to maintain an edge in a fast-paced and ever-changing business environment.

Moreover, engagement with a PEO translates into enhanced cash flow management. By outsourcing the complex processes involved in benefits administration, businesses can channel their time and resources into refining their core competencies. This is particularly beneficial for resource-strapped SMBs, as it reduces overhead and enables leadership to focus on strategic goals and core functions, driving overall business growth.

Enhancing Employee Satisfaction and Engagement

High levels of employee satisfaction and engagement are fundamental to a thriving business. Satisfied employees are more motivated, productive, and loyal. A comprehensive benefits package is crucial in fostering this environment, demonstrating to employees that their wellness is a top priority. A PEO can help deliver this by providing access to exclusive employee benefits plans typically out of reach for smaller businesses. These plans may include advanced wellness programs, flexible savings accounts, and retirement plans, which contribute greatly to employee well-being and job satisfaction as outlined by BBSI.

An added advantage of engaging a PEO is the incorporation of surveys and feedback mechanisms into their offerings. Regular employee surveys can gauge satisfaction levels, providing insights into areas needing improvement. This strategic approach not only bolsters employee engagement but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement, underscoring that the management values employee input and is committed to addressing their concerns. Mercer’s employee listening approaches offer actionable insights helping organizations to proactively enhance the employee experience.

Navigating Compliance with PEO Expertise

The modern business landscape is rife with regulatory challenges, as compliance requirements become increasingly complex and burdensome. For small to mid-sized businesses, staying abreast of these changes is not only daunting but also resource-intensive. Here, the expertise of a PEO is invaluable. They offer robust compliance support, ensuring that your business adheres to relevant employment laws and regulations. This not only safeguards your operations from potential fines and legal issues but also enables you to foster a compliant work environment with minimal hassle. Experts like those at AxcetHR provide strategic regulatory guidance, which is essential in avoiding the costly pitfalls of non-compliance.

PEOs are well-versed in the intricacies of regulations across different jurisdictions, which is particularly beneficial for businesses operating in multiple locations or planning geographic expansion. Their support includes regular updates on legislative changes, proactive assessments of compliance vulnerabilities, and development of corresponding action plans to address any shortcomings. This proactive engagement dramatically reduces the risk of compliance violations, contributing to operational stability and continuity. Ultimately, by entrusting these responsibilities to a PEO, businesses can focus on their growth trajectory with the assurance that compliance is meticulously managed — an essential component of sustainable success.

Embrace Employee Benefits as a Strategic Advantage

In conclusion, making employee benefits a top priority, particularly by leveraging the expertise of a PEO, can lead to significant advantages for your business. From enhanced employee satisfaction and retention to streamlined HR processes and cost efficiency, the benefits are compelling. As the workplace continues to evolve, ensuring that your employees feel valued and supported is crucial for long-term success. Embrace this strategic advantage by visiting Dinsmore Steele’s homepage for more insights and guidance.

Chad Westerman

Director of Broker Sales & Strategy

Meet Chad Westerman

Chad serves as the Director of Broker Sales & Strategy at Dinsmore Steele, where he leads the broker channel with a clear focus: delivering unmatched support, strategy, and results for our partners and their clients. With a strong commitment to responsiveness and transparency, Chad ensures every broker partner has the guidance, tools, and insights needed to navigate the PEO landscape with confidence. He excels at simplifying complex decisions, strengthening relationships, and aligning solutions that put the client’s best interest at the center.

 

Whether he’s shaping growth strategy, optimizing partner workflows, or advising on PEO fit, Chad brings both strategic clarity and hands-on follow-through — always grounded in his belief that great brokerage relationships are earned through consistency, honesty, and meaningful impact.

Outside of Work

Outside of work, Chad’s world revolves around his family. He takes pride in being a dedicated husband and father, and one of his greatest joys has been coaching his kids throughout the years—from their early seasons to where they are today. Whether on the field or in business, Chad brings the same energy, patience, and commitment to helping people succeed.

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Alicia Mole

Senior PEO Advisor

Meet Alicia Mole

Alicia helps businesses navigate the world of PEOs—whether they’re evaluating options, switching providers, or simply looking to get more value from renewals. At Dinsmore Steele, she manages the RFP process from start to finish, gathers competitive quotes, and delivers detailed analyses that give clients clarity and confidence. Acting as a bridge between companies and PEOs, Alicia makes sure onboarding, compliance, and benefit transitions are smooth and stress-free.

 

With a strong background in PEO brokerage, consulting, and customer service, Alicia brings both industry expertise and a client-first mindset. Her style is strategic and detail-oriented—she’s known for keeping projects organized, proposals accurate, and communications clear. Over the years, she’s successfully negotiated lower fees, secured stronger service agreements, and uncovered hidden savings that translate into measurable ROI. Clients trust her not just for her knowledge, but for her ability to listen, advocate, and deliver solutions that make a real difference.

Outside of Work

Alicia’s passion for helping others extends beyond the office. She’s a dedicated animal rescue advocate, actively volunteering with dog rescues and adoption efforts—and a proud dog mom of three herself. She also loves staying active through strength training, hot yoga, and pickleball. Whether with clients, colleagues, or in her community, Alicia thrives on building strong connections and supporting others in reaching their goals.

Ethan Grove

Peo Advisor

Meet Ethan Grove

Ethan helps clients make sense of the complex PEO landscape, guiding them through evaluations to find the right long-term solution. Before joining Dinsmore Steele, he spent several years at ADP—starting in small business and later selling TotalSource—working closely with companies in blue collar industries, professional services, and tech. A consistent top performer, Ethan has built a reputation for listening closely, cutting through the noise, and finding solutions that actually solve the problems clients are facing.


His strengths lie in navigating the overwhelming number of PEO options to identify the best fit for each company’s goals. Ethan’s approach works because it’s rooted in problem-solving—he focuses on what matters most to clients and ensures every recommendation aligns with their specific needs. What he enjoys most is the trust clients place in him and the satisfaction of delivering solutions that truly fit.

Pat Villalobos

Operations Director

Meet Pat Villalobos

Pat is the glue that keeps operations running smoothly at Dinsmore Steele. As Operations Director, Pat focuses on processes, workflows, and accounts—making sure nothing falls through the cracks and every system works the way it should.

 

With a career that spans industries and countries, Pat brings a truly global perspective to the team. Prior to joining Dinsmore Steele, Pat served as a Marketing Manager for a restaurant chain in the Philippines, a Regional Sales Director for a tech start-up in Vietnam, an Accounts Manager for the Central Bank of the Philippines, and an Operations Manager for an HR firm in Australia. This diverse background has given Pat the ability to see both the big picture and the finer details, spotting inefficiencies, improving workflows, and bridging gaps between teams to create systems that actually scale. Known for being strategic yet execution-focused, Pat makes sure every plan is not only effective but also executable.

Outside of Work

Pat’s early career as an international model with Elite Model Management developed a sharp eye for branding, visual storytelling, and creative direction. That creative perspective still shows up in their work today, blending operational precision with design-minded detail. Outside the office, Pat enjoys exploring new ways to merge structure with creativity, bringing balance to both professional and personal pursuits.

Bobbi Jo Jenkins

Chief Human Resources and Client Experience Officer

Meet Bobbi Jo Jenkins

Bobbi Jo is a seasoned HR leader who believes people strategy should always push the business forward—not just keep it running. With more than two decades of experience, she’s helped companies tackle big challenges like turnover, scaling through acquisitions, and building systems that make HR less reactive and more proactive.

 

As a former CHRO, Bobbi Jo knows what it takes to lead a high-performing HR team and get results in fast-changing environments. She’s streamlined processes, redesigned job structures, and rolled out performance tools that stick—all with a focus on creating efficiency without losing sight of the people behind the work. Having been both a sole contributor and a leader of large teams, she gets what HR professionals at every level are up against, and she knows how to help them shine.

How Bobbi Jo Can Help You

Bobbi Jo is the person you call when HR needs to be more than just a support function. She guides businesses through PEO transitions, benefit renewals, and M&A integrations, while also digging into the nuts and bolts like compensation benchmarking, pay equity, recruiting strategies, and turnover action plans. She’s skilled at building or reworking HR systems, creating policies that actually work in practice, and setting up engagement programs that inspire real results. Whether it’s payroll, performance reviews, or planning the next generation of leaders, Bobbi Jo brings clarity, structure, and energy to every project.

Rachel Shipp

Marketing Director

Meet Rachel Shipp

Rachel leads all things marketing at Dinsmore Steele, where she’s known for turning big business goals into smart, data-driven strategies that actually connect with people. Her superpower? Blending creativity with analytics to build marketing programs that not only look good but also drive real, measurable growth.

 

Rachel has worn just about every marketing hat: go-to-market planning, brand positioning, demand generation, team leadership, and more. She’s built marketing programs from the ground up, partnered with product, design, sales, and growth teams, and helped transform complex ideas into stories that resonate with customers. From launching new ad formats and running multi-channel campaigns to refining customer journeys with data insights, Rachel brings a mix of strategic thinking, collaboration, and a results-driven mindset. 

Outside of Work

When she’s not leading marketing initiatives, Rachel’s likely off exploring. She’s traveled extensively (including bungee jumping in Greece!) and loves experiencing new places and cultures. Rachel’s love for travel fuels her curiosity and creativity—she’s always drawing inspiration from new experiences. At home, she finds joy in music—she’s an accomplished pianist and never misses a chance to sit down at the keys.

Josh Doering

Chief of Staff

Meet Josh Doering

Josh is an operations and marketing strategist who helps businesses scale by combining automation, CRM strategy, and airtight systems that eliminate chaos. With more than a decade of experience supporting executives and business owners, he’s built a reputation for translating big ideas into workflows that actually work.

 

At Dinsmore Steele, Josh manages client lifecycle campaigns, builds CRM automation in HubSpot, leads outreach strategies, and makes sure marketing vision translates into measurable results. Known for being proactive, precise, and systems-obsessed, Josh is the trusted behind-the-scenes operator who keeps both the DS team and their clients running smoothly.

How Josh Can Help You

Josh specializes in creating end-to-end systems that drive growth and efficiency. He builds CRM automation and marketing funnels, designs HubSpot workflows and sequences, and develops follow-up strategies for both active and lost deals. He also supports PEO lead nurturing and client retention efforts, while running survey campaigns, email drips, and slybroadcast voicemail outreach. Beyond campaign execution, Josh strengthens team communication systems, ensures content and campaign quality, and continuously optimizes processes to keep businesses running at peak performance.

Cassandra Anderson

SVP/Sales & Revenue

Meet Cassandra Anderson

Cassandra joined Dinsmore Steele in 2023, bringing more than a decade of experience and a reputation as one of the top 1% of performers in the PEO industry—earning her the nickname “The PEO Queen.” Few, if any, know more about the inner workings of PEOs than Cassandra, and she uses that expertise to help clients navigate their options with clarity and confidence.

 

Her role focuses on guiding businesses to the PEO that best fits their needs and budget, then ensuring a smooth transition through the DS platform. With deep experience across PEO, ASO, EOR, HRIS, benefits, payroll, workers’ compensation, compliance, and risk mitigation, Cassandra brings both breadth and depth to every engagement. She combines market knowledge with high-volume productivity and strategic insights to help organizations achieve true scalability. Known for her compassion, professionalism, and dedication, Cassandra always chooses client success above everything else—even when that means losing profit.

Barbara Pailley

Managing Partner

Meet Barbara Pailley

Barbara has been part of Dinsmore Steele since 2016, bringing with her a wealth of industry experience and a knack for building high-performing teams. An industry veteran, she quickly streamlined operations and helped shape a world-class team to better support clients, partners, and providers. What makes Barbara’s perspective especially unique is her background as a former partner in a successful PEO—giving her firsthand experience on both sides of the table and a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver real value.

 

Today, Barbara focuses on developing cost-effective PEO solutions for organizations of all sizes. She believes the key is understanding each company’s needs and vision, then researching and analyzing the best options to deliver the right fit. Beyond advising clients, Barbara also leverages her deep PEO expertise to work directly with both PEO and ASO providers, helping them expand their marketing engines and strengthen their reach.

Rodney Steele

Founder and CEO

Meet Rodney Steele

In 2010, Rodney founded Dinsmore Steele with a clear vision: to give business owners an unbiased, efficient way to shop, compare, and negotiate with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). As CEO, he has spent the last 16 years redefining how companies build HR infrastructure—not by selling vendors, but by engineering smarter PEO strategies that protect margins and fuel growth.

 

Rodney often says most companies don’t pick the “wrong” PEO—they pick without a strategy. That lack of strategy costs businesses time, leverage, and profitability. Through Dinsmore Steele’s Strategic PEO Advisory™, Rodney and his team compress what would normally take months of research into a few days of outcome-driven analysis. The results speak for themselves: over 6,000 companies advised, more than $592M in savings delivered, and an average of $2,016.78 saved per employee, per year. Trusted by growth-stage founders, PE operators, and portfolio teams, Rodney has built an independent, strategic, and proven model that helps businesses design infrastructure that scales—because the right PEO strategy doesn’t just save money, it powers the next stage of growth.