Case Study: Chick-fil-A

Background

Chick-fil-A first opened in 1967 in Atlanta, GA, and is now the the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States based on annual system-wide sales. They have 2,600 restaurants across 47 states, Washington, D.C., Canada and Puerto Rico.

The Chick-fil-A franchises in the towns of Cicero and Clay in Central New York employ approximately 250 workers, most of whom work part-time, including many students. After opening their second location in 2021, they realized they needed help with their employee handbook and other human resources (HR) functions. Pinnacle HR (acquired by GTM in 2021) was recommended to Charity Allen, the franchise Executive Director of People and Culture.

Finding a Solution

Chick-fil-A needed HR consulting services that could:

• Create a new employee handbook and update it as needed
• Provide compliance assistance for issues such as child labor laws, leave management, and workers’ compensation
• Ensure that the franchises were meeting requirements and implementing best practices

A Better Way: HR Consulting from GTM Payroll Services

GTM’s HR consulting services met Chick-fil-A’s needs and more.

Charity had been using a local attorney and other franchise employee handbooks, but soon realized many of the policies and procedures were outdated or irrelevant. And she had been relying on labor department website information and videos to answer her HR compliance questions. She needed a solution to ensure things were being done the right way.

The Solution
Since 2021, these two Chick-fil-A franchises have relied on outsourcing their employee handbook and HR compliance questions to GTM.

“Having an expert like GTM provide HR assistance has been crucial for me and my employees,” says Allen.

An extraordinarily different experience
Outsourcing all or part of your HR functions to experts is an increasingly attractive and timesaving option as businesses struggle to manage the complexities of an ever-changing legal compliance landscape, managing and retaining talent, and implementing HR best practices that keep employees aligned with business goals. Smaller companies have little or no human resources infrastructure and may not be able to afford an HR staff member. Mid-sized companies may need additional HR resources and assistance but can’t justify hiring another fulltime HR professional.

By utilizing GTM’s HR consultants, employers are able to effect changes more quickly through targeted human resources support solutions specifically tailored to fit their needs. GTM’s HR clients improve infrastructure through the implementation of better payroll technology and the best practices in HR processes, freeing up valuable time and resources.

“Caprice Reader, our GTM HR consultant, is amazing,” says Allen. “Knowing I can rely on her for guidance as things come up has been immensely helpful.”

Employee handbook
GTM ensures that Chick-fil-A’s employee handbook is always up to date, including current policies and procedures specific to Charity’s two franchises. With many high school students being employed there, the handbook needs to accurately convey relevant child labor laws, such as the spread of hours.

“Going through the handbook process with Caprice has been so helpful,” says Allen. “Her expertise gives me the confidence to know we are doing it the right way.”

HR compliance support
Charity utilizes Caprice’s and GTM’s expertise to confirm the franchises are in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, along with advice on best practices and policies that promote employee satisfaction.

“I simply don’t have the time to make sure all HR issues are being taken care of correctly,” says Allen. “Knowing I have GTM as an HR compliance resource allows me to use my time to better serve my staff.”

Exceptional local service and support
Caprice is available to Charity any time she has questions or needs support. When employee handbook updates are needed, Caprice contacts Charity and lets her know what is being changed and ensures the new handbook is available to all employees. The support has given Charity the confidence to handle other HR issues herself.

“I refer new franchises and local businesses to GTM, especially when they are getting started, to make sure they have the HR help they need,” says Allen. “I want them to have the same compliance and handbook assistance we have, along with the best care for their teams.”

Conclusion
With GTM Payroll Services, businesses like these two Chick-fil-A franchises receive experienced, accomplished professionals that deliver expert HR solutions, including outsourced HR consulting and employee handbook services to clients across the country. By developing HR strategies that align with business goals by leveraging their experience, knowledge, and tools, GTM delivers value beyond expectations.

“We want to make sure we are doing everything required of us, while also doing what’s best for our employees,” says Allen. “GTM makes that happen for us.”