When it comes to building strong communities, the Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin (HACD) knows the importance of laying a solid foundation, both in housing and in the workplace. When Executive Director Leah Eppinger stepped into her leadership role in the organization, she quickly realized that managing human resources responsibilities alone wasn’t sustainable. That’s when the HACD turned to HR Resolutions and found lasting support through the company’s StartHR program.
The Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin is a non-profit public agency incorporated under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Housing Authority Law of 1937. The authority’s mission is to provide eligible families with safe and affordable housing opportunities as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life. HACD is also committed to offering accessible facilities for people with disabilities and fosters partnerships with clients and community agencies.
At the time HACD engaged HR Resolutions, the Authority was navigating a complex employee and compliance issue. For an agency facing such challenges, the StartHR program brought a sense of structure.
“HR is so complicated for non-HR people,” Leah said. “I really appreciated having support, and I felt heard throughout the entire onboarding process.”
The HACD-HR Resolutions collaboration began with the “StartHR” Program. This provides a clear and customized strategic HR Plan. During the process, HR Resolutions evaluates the organization’s entire employee experience practices from recruiting and exit from the organization. The plan is developed based upon an individual company’s specific need, ranked by compliance as well as best practices. The initial priority for HACD was updating and standardizing job descriptions across departments. HACD involved staff directly in the process, increasing employee engagement and helping management adopt a more strategic and organized approach.
“That standardization and consistency created a lot of stability on the staff level,” Leah said. “It also laid the groundwork for leadership development and clearer internal communication.”
Before partnering with HR Resolutions, Leah wore many human resources hats, sometimes acting as judge, mediator, and a sounding board, all at once. By establishing accessible support from the HR Resolutions team, especially regular collaboration with Pam Cruey, Director of Strategic HR Services, HACD was able to create a safer culture of trust for its employees.
Another area that arose in the StartHR Strategic Plan was training. One of the most impactful parts of the relationship has been HR Resolutions’ investment in HACD’s leadership development. Monthly supervisor training sessions have empowered HACD’s management team and redefined their roles where supervisors can speak freely and develop their skills independently. This shift has brought a ripple effect of positive change. Now, supervisors are helping identify necessary policy updates and aligning day-to-day actions with written procedures.
When it comes to employee relations, HACD previously had its share of challenges. However, Leah says HR Resolutions helped the agency turn a corner. With proper documentation, guidance, and compliance processes in place, HACD is better protected legally and operationally. All from a simple strategic HR plan!
As HACD continues to evolve, HR Resolutions’ role as a trusted partner continues. The agency plans to continue its work with HR Resolutions’ as their outsourced HR Department, especially in areas of leadership development, policy alignment, and maintaining the business plan to ensure the team is moving compliantly in the same direction.
“I recommend StartHR to everyone I know,” Leah said. “Small agencies and nonprofits are so mission-focused but, as they grow, they’re often not ready to bring on employees. StartHR gives leaders the support they need so they can focus on the mission and leave HR to the experts.”