DRAKE is proud to be profiled in the April 2005 edition of "ACTION" in the article
"Your Company’s Most Important Resource: Its People"...

Small Business Profile
"Your Company’s Most Important Resource: Its People"

From the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce,
ACTION Magazine (April 2005)

“People are your company’s most important resource—in the long run, you can’t create your products or provide your services without an informed, enabled, and inspired workforce,” says Mary Lou Drake, the President of North Carolina’s DRAKE & Associates, Ltd., a human resources consulting firm.

Whenever a company gets too focused on their product or service, their bottom line, or any other major consideration, Ms. Drake makes sure her clients don’t forget that good employees are what make it happen. “Our clients learn quickly that a well-conceived and executed HR program can save them considerable amounts of money, minimize stress, and improve productivity within their organization,” she says.

The DRAKE approach to managing people is unique. “Whereas most HR consulting firms focus on one area, we combine human resources, organizational development and training to provide clients with a complete package,” says Bob Drake, the company’s Executive Vice President. “We find that most new clients have previously only received assistance in one aspect of their HR program, preventing management from creating a cohesive plan for successful people development.”

Justin Fansler, DRAKE’s Director of Marketing and Operations, says that it’s DRAKE’s big-picture approach that can turn around a company’s morale and productivity. “We can see the whole picture, from your organizational development and design to the policies and procedures that create a consistent, productive environment among employees,” he says. “We’re big enough to tackle a wide range of problems, but small enough that we can adapt our approach to the unique needs of each client.”

To provide clients with effective solutions, Ms. Drake has created a formidable associate network of more than 30 specialized experts who work together to provide insight, planning, guidance and implementation in solving a wide range of people problems.

Recently, DRAKE’s employees have seen a considerable rise in salary and pay-equity projects. “After several years of a tight economy, many employers have had to cut back on salaries or positions,” Ms. Drake says.

“Times of rapid growth create a similar problem. Some parts of companies grow faster than others, with the result that the company discovers a wide disparity in how similarly experienced employees are paid.” Often, she says, the results are disastrous for motivation and morale.

Ms. Drake says clients want salary comparisons both within their company and across the job market in their field. Responding to that need, the DRAKE team created an innovative product that couples technology with expertise: The Human Capital Management Tool for Pay Equity.

“Our Pay Equity Tool combines sophisticated analytical software with our team’s consulting expertise to help companies attract and retain the best employees,” says Fansler. “Equitable pay relationships are just one of the many components that keep employee morale and productivity at their peak. This technology gives managers an instant window into how small changes affect their company’s pay-equity situation.”

Continuing DRAKE’s tradition of innovation, the company has also introduced several other products and services in the past few years that focus on putting best practices in place to prevent some problems from ever happening. “Our Employment Kit for NC Small Businesses is really exceptional in that it provides clients with an affordable option to establish best practices through a customized employee handbook, employment forms and consulting time,” says Mr. Fansler.

And DRAKE's commitment to leadership and training goes from top to bottom. DRAKE runs a program to develop the leadership skills of one or many managers within their client’s companies. “Because of our commitment to excellence and leadership practices, we created and continue to offer an open-enrollment Certificate in Leadership program,” says Ms. Drake.

Since 1992, Ms. Drake and her team of professionals have been helping clients of all sizes, from three employees to 10,000 employees, with such issues as productive organizational design, effective recruitment strategies, uniform job classifications, competitive wage and salary structures, fair employee relations practices, HR audit for compliance, consistent and clear communications including employee handbooks and supervisory guidelines, ESOP communications, and motivational performance management programs to encourage employees to stretch and grow in their capabilities.

DRAKE believes that good people are a company’s most important asset. Guided by Ms. Drake’s leadership, the DRAKE & Associates team continues to use this core principle to assist organizations, leaders, managers and employees reach the next level of success.

For more information on DRAKE & Associates, Ltd., visit their website at www.drakehr.com or call (919) 969-9901.

©1992-2015 DRAKE & Associates, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. See Privacy Statement.