Did you know that 80% of terminations at work come down to behaviors, not skills?
During his presentation at GrowCon 25, Rhamy Alejeal, CEO of human resources management company People Processes, broke down why business owners need to shift what they prioritize during the hiring process.
“We need to hire problem solvers, not task doers,” Alejeal told the firm owners in attendance on May 5, during Day 1 of GrowCon 25 in Provo, Utah. Explore more lessons from GrowCon here.
Alejeal offered strategies for improving the talent acquisition and retention process that every business owner would benefit from.
He said that in order to ensure lasting success at the business, firm owners need to develop systems that make life easy on their employees.
“The time to look at a maternity plan for your employee is not after they’re already pregnant,” Alejeal said.
A business’ competitive advantage isn’t its process or its product. The advantage comes from the people who work there, Alejeal said.
For the audience of more than 100 business owners in attendance, Alejeal explored strategies for finding and retaining the right people to grow an accounting firm. Let’s explore some highlights from Alejeal’s presentation, “From Processes to People: The Key Shift for Sustainable Business Growth” in this article.
Curious about hearing more insights for growing an accounting business? Be sure to sign up for GrowCon 2026, to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, today.
Value Your Employees by Training Them
A common concern that Alejeal hears from business owners is about training. Why should they invest money in training an employee if they’re going to eventually leave the company? Isn’t that a waste of time and money?
Alejeal flips the concern on its head. What if you don’t invest in an employee via training and they stay? Won’t their stagnation drag the company down? Isn’t that a waste of time and money?
“Training is cheap,” Alejeal said. He added that providing regular training for employees demonstrates that the company values them and believes in their potential.
At People Processes, employees receive five hours of training each week from four full time trainers.
Business owners need to make plans to train their employees well after their onboarding, and Alejeal recommends regular training sessions for all employees.
Teach Employees the “WHY” Not Just the “HOW”
Employees in entry-level positions will be more likely to push the company toward its vision if they feel like they have dominion over their role, Alejeal said. This can only be achieved through training and trust.
Business owners need to embrace the capabilities of their employees, but understand that mistakes will happen. You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.
Alejeal recommends building up systems to regularly record and evaluate mistakes outside of performance reviews. Correcting those mistakes should not be the focus of a performance review. Business owners can’t afford to wait that long, and it can be a drag for employees to only hear about what they need to correct if the performance review is their only time to receive feedback.
Performance reviews should be where you set the future trajectory for the employee and identify leaders at your company, Alejeal told the GrowCon 2025 audience.
Saying Goodbye with Grace
Despite the fact that many businesses struggle with turnover, it’s not uncommon for a business to have no process in place for letting an employee go. They simply send a message to the employee and that’s the end of it.
That approach is dangerous for the long term health of the business. Every business should have an offboarding process, Alejeal said.
Business owners should do what they can to avoid making enemies with people on their way out the door.
Alejeal warned attendees of a business he worked with in the past that had fired more employees than it had served clients.
“That creates the opposite of goodwill,” Alejeal said.
Building an offboarding process also benefits the people who stay. They’ll feel less anxious about what might happen if they have to leave the company if they hear from former employees who had a positive experience.
In conclusion,
Thank you to Rhamy Alejeal for sharing his insights with the GrowCon audience. To learn more about People Processes, visit their website.
If you’re looking for more insights like what Alejeal shared in Provo last May, be sure to reserve your spot for GrowCon 2026 today!
