Bent Ericksen vs. HR for Health
“Human resources isn’t a thing we do, it’s the thing that runs our business.” — Steve Wynee, Business Magnate
There is no denying the pressure felt by professionals within the healthcare industry. Whether you are a dentist, a veterinarian, physician, chiropractor, and any other healthcare professional, one thing is certain — human resources (HR) is complex. However, when you have the right systems and tools in place, you can significantly minimize HR risks, all while boosting productivity.
After all, 1 in 5 businesses face employment claims, averaging 318 days to resolution and a total cost of $160,000. For small businesses, the effects can be crippling. The majority of pressing issues that arise are preventable. However, they require proactive action.
If you’re currently searching for an HR software you can rely on, it’s important to compare the best options on-the-market. Bent Ericksen is one of those options. Let's dive deeper into what Bent Ericksen offers, before comparing it to HR for Health as a popular alternative.
What Does Bent Ericksen Offer?
Bent Ericksen works towards helping small businesses with HR and personnel, with a focus on employment compliance. As they say, their goal is to “minimize liability and maximize profitability.”
Offering clients their HR Director package, this software provides HR web tools and coaching. The goal of their software is to support you as you become more compliant, focusing on a number of key features:
Policy manual — Clearly communicating your expectations is incredibly important. However, writing your own manual can be a time-consuming (and risky) process. Bent Ericksen will write your manual for you, which you can edit in the future through the HR Director system. They also offer a policy manual review service, which costs $500.
- Personnel forms — Providing 50+ forms to cover the lifecycle of your employees, these forms help companies navigate everything from hiring to firing.
- Compliance updates — If there are state or federal changes, you will be notified. Alerts are sent and updates are added to your preexisting manual.
- Their software also includes access to HR specialists and a “job descriptions” tool, as well as a number of bonus features, including their knowledge base. Features and services offered at an additional charge include:
- Skills Training Webinars — These webinars help educate HR team members, addressing common issues, questions, and solutions. Individual seminars are $59 each (5 webinars can be purchased for $262 and 10 webinars for $475).
- Background Checks — Bent Ericksen provides background checks, offering criminal reports, employment verification, a social security search, and reference checks. Pricing varies depending on the scope of work, court fees, etc. On average, this service costs between $50 and $100 per applicant.
This company is an all-encompassing business when it comes to those seeking help with hiring, compliance, and more.
In comparison, some of the core software features offered by HR for Health include but are not limited to:
- A customized employee handbook — This will be customized based on your state regulations, specialty, individual practice standards, and more.
- Support and HR advising — Whether you need assistance with key features, have technical issues or would like to address a complex employee concern, HR advisors are waiting to support you.
- Time and attendance tracking — Save time and money with an integrated time clock, addressing everything from lunches and breaks to sick leave and vacation balances.
- Performance and task management tools — This helps ensure discipline and performance reviews are consistent. Performance scores automatically update based on violations and attendance history.
- New Hire Documents — HR for Health offers all of the personnel forms an office would need, in addition to job descriptions, allowing companies and organizations to efficiently streamline HR processes.
Some of the other most popular features include the online document vault, required document automation, integrated payroll, and the efficiency of e-signatures. In addition, HR for Health is known for their professional HR advising services.
Bent Ericksen vs HR for Health: Pros and Cons
Bent Ericksen Pros
An extensive list of services, appealing to varying practices.
Three decades of experience, offering trustworthy services.
Bent Ericksen Cons
- Pricing schedules may be high for some clients.
- There are no reviews except on the Bent Ericksen website, making transparency hard to gauge.
- No specialties exist for specific industries.
- Services maintain a one-size-fits-all type of fix.
- Services like background checks are often less expensive through other means.
- They use consultants to provide advice, so there is no consistency in the advice they provide clients.
HR for Health Pros
- In comparison to Bent Ericksen, who charges $249 for “Alternative Work Week” guidance, HR for Health assists with this at no additional cost. Sample documents related to this schedule alternative are also included.
- Easy payroll services including benefits, deductions, unlimited payrolls. You can also manage tax filings and more.
- Focuses on specific avenues of dentists, optometrists, and veterinarians (i.e. customizable plans for veterinarians, optometrists, physical therapists, surgeons, pharmacists, chiropractors, and dentists).
- Time tracking and PTO that includes time-off requests and PTO policies.
- A custom employee handbook crafted by HR experts that includes a custom-tailored manual.
- Live HR support with direct access for any type of question or employee issues. Plus, emergency issue escalation with HR for Health’s legal team.
- HR tools that allow you to streamline the hiring process, employee management, and onboarding.
- Compliance with automatic alerts to any law changes in your area. Plus, you can securely store all required employee documents in the cloud-based document vault.
HR for Health Cons
- While select rates are higher than Bent Erickson (i.e. the fee for each additional location), pricing is incredibly flexible. Meaning, you only pay for what you need. Overall, based on what’s included, HR for Health does offer greater value per dollar spent.
How Much Does Bent Ericksen Cost?
Bent Ericksen offers a pricing formula intended to meet your needs.
For their “Total Year 1 Investment,” you will pay $3195. This rate is for a single location business with up to 14 employees. This price includes a one-time fee of $2600 and an annual support fee of $595 per year, which increases depending on the number of employees (see below). If there are additional locations, there will be an additional one-time fee of $495 per location.
As discussed, the annual support fee changes depending on the number of employees. Here’s what you can expect based on the size of your company — the associated costs are:
⦿ $595 for 1-14 employees
⦿ $779 for 15-30 employees
⦿ $1149 for 31-49 employees
⦿ $1499 for 50-99 employees
⦿ $2395 for 100-249 employees
⦿ $4195 for 250-499 employees
⦿ $5995 for 500+ employees
Companies can also choose their annual support agreement (ASA) package, which is $395 per year. This is intended for employers who are more experienced when it comes to employment compliances. If you have a low turnover rate, stable employees, and very few ongoing HR-related issues, this may be your best option.
This package includes:
⦿ 1 hour of phone support with HR Specialists
⦿ Continuous HR Director access
⦿ Federal and State Compliance Updates
⦿ Quarterly Compliance Newsletter
You can also explore add-on services, such as their Drake P3 Personality Assessments (costing $149 per candidate) and their Bonus Pro software (costing $679).
Comparing HR for Health — Pricing Structure and Costs
HR for Health is unique in comparison to Bent Ericksen in that you are charged a monthly fee in comparison to an annual fee. One major benefit of their business model is that as an HR for Health client, you will receive a customized employee handbook. Annual updates are also free!
For a single location, there is a one-time setup fee of $795, plus a monthly fee of $225 for 4+ employees. If you have multiple locations, the one-time setup fee is $895 with a monthly discount of just $200 per location.
If you’re in need of a more comprehensive package, HR for Health offers the Compliance Complete package, which includes integrated payroll and required workplace posters. For this package, the setup fee is $1295 and the monthly fee is $395. The Compliance Complete package includes up to 15 employees. If you have a larger team or additional locations, custom pricing is available.
Initially, HR for Health does cost slightly more than Bent Ericksen. However, the associated fees offer greater value. This pricing tier includes HR support and compliance updates, which can be costly on their own when purchased from other vendors separately.
What Others Are Saying About Their Experiences with Bent Ericksen
As discussed, there are no outside sources when it comes to reviews. However, some of the things that Bent Ericksen’s clients had to say, as published on their site, include:
⦿ “Your personnel materials are indeed a blessing to the small professional business. The more I use the information, the more impressed I am.” — Dr. Catherine Webb
⦿ The personnel manual frees me to what I do best — treat my patients.” — Dr. George Markle
How Does HR for Health Stack Up In Comparison?
While customer testimonials speak for themselves, HR for Health really stands out based on the high-quality software offered, which significantly increases efficiency and decreases compliance risk. By boosting efficiency and productivity while lowering risk, HR for Health can support the growth of your organization long-term.
As stated in a review by Rabee McDonald on Bark, “We finally made a decision to have an outside service manage our HR. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made. The team at HR for health has been prompt, and efficient. It has made our lives so easy and the best part is that we know we are compliant with the law and are never in the dark about touchy topics such as termination and paid family leave. They respond to all our questions within a day and even track our benefits for our employees. There is no maintaining paper files anymore. Our employees can go online and look at everything in their records. Our handbook is the best we have ever had, very particular and detailed so that we as a company are as protected as our employees. They are worth every penny when we live in such a litigious society!”
Other reviews mention how they have helped with California labor rules, which are quite specific, referencing their stellar customer service. There is also often mention of their customer service team, as they know exactly how to help solve specific HR problems efficiently and with care.
How HR for Health Can Help Your Practice with HR and Mitigate Compliance Risk
There are plenty of excellent HR software companies that perform at a high-level, including Bent Ericksen. However, if you are in the healthcare industry and require support from an HR software company that covers all the bases, then HR for Health is an optimal solution.
Being #1 in HR for doctors, HR for Health will empower you as you streamline communication and productivity. Being more comprehensive than Bent Ericksen, whether your goal is to increase peace-of-mind, save time, put an end to paperwork, or optimize payroll, HR for Health will help you protect your practice while maximizing productivity.
Proudly trusted by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), California Dental Association (CDA), VisionSource and so many more professional organizations, if your number one goal is to get back to focusing on patient care, HR for Health may be just what you’re looking for.