Comparisons
Corban OneSource vs. AlignHR
How do the HR Outsourcing services stack against each other?
You are looking for an outsourced HR partner for your midsized business, and you have narrowed it down to two organizations that offer a more customized, higher touch point service. Both firms primarily serve companies your size and industry and cover the same core components in the HR department. You ask – there must be something different between the two firms – and we are here to answer your question and show how these two HR outsourcing organizations differ. Let’s compare Corban OneSource vs. AlignHR.
What is AlignHR?
AlignHR is a fractional HR services firm offering advisory and support services to companies in the United States. An administrative services organization (ASO), they partner with firms who face an immediate need for HR support or lack proper leadership. Their consultation model tends to be more project-based to serve needs over a transitional period.
Value proposition: AlignHR offers advisory support and guidance to scaling businesses who lack the proper resources or leadership capabilities.
What is Corban OneSource?
Corban OneSource is an HR outsourcing provider that offers HR, benefits, and payroll solutions to midsized companies across the United States. As a boutique Managed Services Provider (MSP), they offer human-driven services and white-glove treatments for their clients while alleviating administrative burden and managing day-to-day tasks of the HR department.
Value proposition: Corban OneSource manages your day-to-day HR tasks, removing your administrative burden and allowing you time to focus on strategy and growth.
Service Model
These two serve similar markets and have customization built into each package, however, the methods for addressing needs in HR are what set them apart.
AlignHR When you partner with AlignHR’s fractional HR services, you are getting the expertise of a remote HR professional who can help you manage and implement processes. This situation is ideal to bridge gaps, especially when your company is scaling and needs interim support. However, this does fail to address long-range problems in the HR department.
Corban OneSource When you partner with Corban OneSource, you are going to get a fully outsourced HR partner who assumes day-to-day tasks in the HR department in totality. This means a completely managed payroll system, HR technology, benefits, and compliance reporting. This resolves long-term issues by removing administrative burden and allowing HR leaders to forecast, strategize, and implement plans.
What this means: AlignHR provides solutions to help with temporary problems in your HR department. Corban OneSource offers long-term services and becomes an extension of your HR department without taking over.
HR Technology
Another major point of differentiation, and a top tier item to consider for decision-makers, is how they manage and roll out HCM systems.
AlignHR Offering their own proprietary software, Mineral®, AlignHR implements this technology with their partners. It offers specialized tech solutions to aid HR plans, such as compliance and training, and offers further applications that assist with workforce health and recruitment efforts. However, it is not a fully developed HCM, and the firm notes on its website that it also partners with other undisclosed tech partners.
Corban OneSource There is no proprietary software offered by Corban OneSource, which does allow for some flexibility in choosing an HCM provider, typically offering ADP Workforce Now or Paylocity to their clients. The true benefit, however, is that Corban OneSource will completely manage your HCM software for you. This includes the employment lifecycle, payroll, benefits, the HR module, and technical support.
What this means: AlignHR offers proprietary software that will more than likely require you to purchase an additional HCM system to meet the needs of your department. Corban OneSource offers expert management in top-rated HCM systems for midsized companies.
Payroll
With one provider offering a fully outsourced solution and the other partnering with several payroll companies, there are further differences in payroll options.
AlignHR While payroll solutions are available, AlignHR heavily relies on several close payroll partner companies to execute this component. These companies include Execupay and Gusto, which cater software programs and services to small businesses. With AlignHR, not only will you get an unnecessary middleman, but you are also paired with payroll providers that scale poorly.
Corban OneSource As a fully outsourced model, Corban OneSource effectively manages every single step of your payroll process. This includes time and attendance, taxes at all levels of government, reporting, and automation. The firm handles every component and does not send it out until given the blessing from you.
What this means: AlignHR offers payroll as an advisory service and requires you to add additional software on top of their proprietary technology. Corban OneSource uses the technology of your choosing and manages every step of the payroll process.
What is the primary difference between Corban OneSource and AlignHR?
The big difference between Corban OneSource and AlignHR is how they administer their services. The latter provides advisory services through fractional HR when your business needs to close the gap while the former is a true, fully outsourced HR partner. AlignHR is a great option when your business is scaling quickly and lacks the necessary leadership resources, but the model falls apart when you begin implementing long-term solutions and possess a director or VP who can get the job done.
Additionally, the proprietary software should be a big concern. If you are only contracting AlignHR services through a transition or temporary period, the costs and time to implement their technology would not lead to any type of benefit. Depending on the size of your business, implementation of a true HCM can take three to six months (or longer), and there is a significant up-front monetary investment to be made into these systems. They are truly a long-term commitment. Midsize businesses take this choice seriously and spend many months analyzing the field of options.
Midsize companies need their HCM to be inclusive of all features and functions as well. AlignHR’s Mineral® only includes a handful of features, and additional software is needed to meet all the needs of the HR department. Never mind ensuring these systems are properly integrated, there are bound to be inefficiencies when trying to speak to each other, do all the systems contain the tools you need as you require them?
With nearly three decades of experience serving these mid-market companies, Corban OneSource knows what HCM system works best and has all the tools and features to get the job done. While we typically use ADP Workforce Now and Paylocity, we understand that “no one size fits all” when it comes to software. However, we do understand that a properly built all-in-one system trumps a hodgepodge of individual tools pieced together with duct tape and glue.
Bottom Line: AlignHR vs. Corban OneSource
Seeking fractional HR services to solve a temporary problem is never a bad idea. However, if you are reading this comparison, then chances are that you are leading your HR department and lack the available time to sit down and plan. You are just too busy administering routine HR tasks. This is where Corban OneSource HR outsourcing fits in. We have experienced, specialized teams that take over your day-to-day HR and become an extension of your HR department without taking ownership. We believe that true success is achieved when you have time to focus on what is important to build your department and can rely on a trusted team to keep your foundation solid. Reach out for a capabilities call to see how we can help.