HR & Payroll Services for Small Business
Outsourced HR and payroll for small and mid-sized businesses with up to 150 people on the team. We handle payroll processing, employee handbooks, classification guidance, multi-state compliance, and the kind of HR infrastructure most small companies build too late. Good HR is more than compliance protection; it's what gives a growing team structure, accountability, and a culture that holds together under pressure. From your first hire to your fifteenth, Prism Consulting gives you the back-office team without the overhead of building one.
Sound familiar?
Most clients come to us in one of these spots. If a few of these land, we're probably a good fit.
You're hiring your first employee and the W-2 vs 1099 question is already keeping you up.
Classification mistakes are expensive to undo. We get it right from day one.
You're running payroll in a spreadsheet and you've started missing things.
Late filings, missed withholdings, wrong rates. We move you to a real platform and handle the transition.
You have employees in more than one state and aren't sure what's required.
Multi-state payroll has rules that change by zip code. We track them so you don't have to.
You don't have an employee handbook, or the one you have is from 2019.
Without a current handbook, management is making decisions without a framework and employees know it. We build one that gives your team clear expectations, consistent accountability, and real structure.
You just got a letter from the DOL or a state agency.
Take a breath. We've responded to these before. Send it over and we'll tell you what's actually being asked.
You want one provider for books, payroll, and taxes, not three.
Payroll runs through your books. Taxes run through your payroll. The integrated model means information actually flows.
HR and payroll, handled
HR work covers payroll, compliance, and the documentation that shapes how your team operates day to day. The infrastructure we build gives management real tools to lead, not just boxes to check.
Payroll processing
Bi-weekly or semi-monthly payroll runs through Gusto, iSolved, QuickBooks Payroll, or whatever platform you're already on. Withholdings, direct deposit, and tax filings handled.
Multi-state compliance
Different state? Different rules. We track filing requirements, withholding rates, and registration obligations across every state your team works from.
Employee handbooks
A strong handbook gives managers clear authority to set expectations, address performance issues, and build culture on purpose. We write yours from scratch or update what you have, with an outside perspective that catches the gaps insiders miss.
Classification guidance
W-2 vs 1099. Exempt vs non-exempt. Independent contractor vs employee. We make the call with you and document the reasoning.
Onboarding workflows
New hire paperwork, I-9s, state-specific forms, and benefits enrollment. Set up once, runs every time.
Benefits administration
Health, retirement, and PTO policies. We work with your broker or help you find one, then handle the day-to-day administration.
Audit and notice response
DOL letters, state agency notices, and IRS payroll inquiries. We translate, respond, and represent. Joa is an Enrolled Agent for the federal piece.
Termination and offboarding
When it's time to let someone go, we make sure the process protects your business. Final pay compliance, COBRA notifications, documentation, and file closeout.
How it works
HR audit
We review your current payroll setup, employee files, classifications, handbook (if you have one), and recent filings. You'll get a written summary of what's working, what's exposed, and what to fix first.
Prism Consulting handles HR differently
- Credentialed in the platforms we run
Certified Gusto People Advisor and BambooHR Partner
Joa is a certified Platinum QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Gusto People Advisor, an authorized BambooHR Referral Partner, and a certified Predictive Index Talent Optimization Consultant. We don't dabble in HR tools; we hold credentials in the ones we run for clients.
Integrated by designBuilt on the bookkeeping foundation
HR decisions affect payroll. Payroll affects your books. Your books affect your taxes. When the same team owns all four, nothing gets lost in handoffs and nothing gets missed at year-end.
Enrolled Agent on staffFederal representation when it matters
When HR or payroll issues cross into federal tax territory (and they often do), Joa is an Enrolled Agent, the IRS's highest credential, and can represent you directly.
$800 to $2,200/month
The range depends on team size, how many states you operate in, and whether you need standalone payroll or the full HR infrastructure. Larger or more complex setups are scoped on the Vibe Check.
HR and payroll questions
We work with what you're already using in most cases. Gusto, iSolved, QuickBooks Payroll, BambooHR, Rippling, and Paychex are all common. If your current platform is genuinely the wrong fit, we'll tell you and handle the migration. We don't move you for the sake of moving you.
Ready to stop running payroll on a spreadsheet?
A Vibe Check is free, takes about 30 minutes, and ends with you knowing whether Prism is the right fit. No follow-up sales pitch.