Unless you are a member, business owner, manager or human resources professional, you may not be familiar with the Employers’ Association (EA). We are not an employment agency; nor are we associated with the unemployment office. EA may not be a household name, but that is okay since we frequently assist the management of member organizations with employment-related issues that are often sensitive—and are thankfully resolved before they become real problems.
EA, founded and headquartered in Peoria, is a not-for-profit that has served central Illinois’ employers since 1917. EA staff works with the management teams of nearly 600 organizations in 60 counties providing employment practices information, guidance, training and human resource services. We have the benefit of a local, regional and national presence. On the national level, EA is associated with the Employers Association Group and the National Association of Manufacturers.
Who does EA serve in central Illinois?
We serve organizations in nearly every industry sector, including manufacturing, healthcare, municipalities, other service providers and, yes, nonprofits. We specifically reach out to other not-for-profit organizations to serve as a cost-effective, trusted resource. These groups have the same issues that for-profits have, but often have financial constraints to hire outside expertise to assist—this is where we help. For example, we frequently field employment-related questions through our HR Help Desk. Our professional staff responds to a multitude of questions each year from employers who may be uncertain on how to handle an employment situation or are unclear about a particular employment law. We also have a speaker’s bureau, and we frequently address nonprofit organizations on management and employment-related topics.
With the major issues and trends currently facing employers, our role as a not-for-profit HR organization has never been more critical. The top-cited issues are finding qualified employees, healthcare costs, doing more with less and doing business in Illinois. We make it our business to ensure that we are providing practical solutions to help organizations see the value of having great people practices. This, in turn, helps them have a distinct competitive advantage, since people are what set one organization apart from another. This benefits not only the organization, but its employees and the community as a whole.
EA has a 91-year vested interest in the success of central Illinois employers. At the end of World War I when we were formed, the challenge was not so different than it is today—making central Illinois a place where talented people want to live and work. The employer community is our primary stakeholder and our measure of success is in consistently delivering high-quality, cost-effective solutions. iBi
