You’ve done your research and narrowed the field down to just one professional employer organization. You’ve negotiated the contract, and you’re ready to sign on the dotted line. You’re prepared for the best possible PEO services for your US operations.

Now you’re wondering what the next steps are. You know that, once you sign the contract, you’ll be in a position to get the HR services you need. There are a few tasks you’ll want to handle to get your partnership started on the right foot. By completing these checklist items, you’ll be able to streamline your onboarding process. In turn, your new PEO partner can deliver great HR even sooner.

Create a Communication Policy

Communication is the key to any great relationship, and that holds true for your new PEO partnership. That’s why one of the first things you should do is create a communication policy.

A communication policy does more than outline what kind of language is appropriate in your emails. It can tell you about how often you’ll communicate with your new partner. Will you have weekly check-ins, or is a once-a-month update meeting enough?

Communication policies also establish which channels are appropriate to use. If you prefer email to text messaging, the communication policy will help you streamline communication through your preferred channels. It can even help you create better record-keeping practices.

Tidy up Payroll Information

Before you send your payroll data over to your new PEO partner, take a look at the state it’s in. Are there old records for people who haven’t worked for you in some time? Have you missed collecting some key data, or is data in a format that your PEO can’t use?

A good step to take here is to ask your partner about the information they need in payroll records. You may also ask about preferred formats and the software your partner is using.

Once you have these details, you can tidy up your payroll information. If you’re sending other records, such as benefits data, you may want to take a look at them as well.

While your PEO partner should be able to handle this task, you can make the onboarding process smoother by kickstarting the process.

Discuss Your Onboarding Goals

Another checklist item to tackle with your new PEO is discussion of your onboarding goals. How quickly do you want the process to be completed? What do you want to accomplish during this process?

An example might be getting payroll information cleaned and inputted into any systems within a certain timeframe. Another might be establishing that clear communication policy, or training employees about updated HR policies.

When you discuss what you want to accomplish, you’ll be in a better position to actually reach those goals. In turn, your onboarding process will be smoother and more streamlined. Taking this initiative also sets the tone for your relationship with your PEO.

Establish Reporting Protocols

Another key aspect of your partnership with a PEO will be reporting. Much like communication more generally, a policy about reporting will help everyone understand their roles and responsibilities.

Talk to your PEO about how often they’ll report to you about aspects of your partnership. How will you measure success or receive reports about financial aspects of the partnership?

Establishing reporting protocols at the outset of the partnership will help you avoid any confusion later.

Discuss the Details

Your contract probably outlines how many people your services will cover. That could be a maximum, and you may not be enrolling so many people with your PEO right now.

You should address these sorts of details with your PEO. Knowing exactly how many people they’re onboarding now, the timeline they’re working on, and more will help them meet and exceed your expectations.

With this checklist in hand, you’re well on your way to a successful PEO partnership for your US operations.