Jason Maxwell, Founder & CEO, MP: Wired for HR

In an interview with Invest:, Jason Maxwell, Founder & CEO of MP: Wired for HR, discussed the company’s evolution, key growth milestones, and its strategic focus on leveraging technology, addressing compliance challenges, and expanding into new markets, including the healthcare sector.

How has MP Wired for HR evolved since its founding, and what are its key areas of focus today?

We started the business in 2004, and for the first 10 years, we operated exclusively as a payroll company. About a decade in, we reinvented ourselves to offer HR software and services to our clients. Now, we have three main pillars to our business. The first is HCM software, which includes payroll, HR management, employee benefits administration, timekeeping, onboarding, and offboarding through our platform. Second is the services around it, such as HR compliance, training, and third is talent acquisition.

We’ve been in business for 20 years and currently serve just over 2,100 clients, primarily concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest. 

Reflecting on the past year, what have been some key highlights for the firm?

Over the past 12 months, a couple of major milestones stand out. First, our client retention for HCM software has been exceptionally high. Second, we successfully completed our first acquisition — APS Workforce Management, based in Lafayette, Indiana. These two accomplishments were significant for us over the last year.

Are there any trends in staffing and human capital management that stand out to you?

Several trends are shaping the landscape. At the state level, we’re seeing changes around paid family medical leave acts and minimum wage increases. Federally, there are updates to FMLA, penalties being enforced for ACA non-compliance, and many companies are beginning to create policies for integrating artificial intelligence into their operations.

From an industry perspective, we anticipate significant consolidation in the payroll and HCM sectors over the next few years. This presents a growth opportunity for us, as we aim to capitalize on it by acquiring independent payroll companies.

What services or expertise are in high demand, especially with the rise of AI?

Many clients are seeking guidance as employees begin to use AI, especially when sensitive data is involved. Companies hold a lot of confidential information, and there are risks when this data is fed into AI models. It’s critical for organizations to carefully consider how they want their teams to use AI.

Within our platform, we’ve also rolled out several AI-driven tools to help companies with decision-making. For instance, predictive analytics helps identify risks or opportunities. One example might be an employee who has been contributing to their 401(k) for 10 years but suddenly stops. This could indicate they’re exploring other job opportunities. Identifying these signals allows our clients to have conversations with their team members and potentially address any concerns, ultimately impacting productivity and retention.

How is your company leveraging technology to stay competitive and better serve your clients?

In a variety of ways. For example, we’ve started investing in tools that support conversational intelligence, particularly on the  sales side of our business. These tools help train  our teams by providing feedback on their conversations with clients and prospects, highlighting best practices in our processes.

Internally, we’ve also adopted a tool that gives us visibility into both opportunities and risks within our client base. It analyzes client communication to identify what we call “happy signals” — indications that a client is satisfied, potentially open to purchasing additional products, or services, or even sending referrals. On the flip side, if the system detects dissatisfaction or frustration, we can proactively reach out to the client to address their concerns and provide troubleshooting before the issue escalates.

How do you match candidates with the right organizational culture, and what resources do you offer for training?

On the recruiting side, it’s about understanding a company’s culture, their values, and what they need in employees. We leverage technology to identify candidates who align with those values and fit the criteria. Additionally, we use screening tools to help ensure we match the right candidates with the right roles.

From a training perspective, we offer a learning management software (LMS) that provides clients with a variety of training options. These range from handling workplace conflicts to HR topics like sexual harassment prevention, customer service, and first-time manager coaching. Our LMS also allows clients to create their own customized training programs and internal certification processes, helping ensure team members are proficient in key areas.

How have recent market changes impacted your business or your clients, and how have you navigated these challenges?

During COVID-19, particularly in 2020 and 2021, there was a strong demand for our services. Companies needed help bringing employees back to work safely and setting up remote work processes for the first time. In the last couple of years, as the economy has normalized, businesses are now more focused on efficiency and productivity. We’ve also seen a shift toward outsourcing non-core functions, allowing companies to reduce expenses and risks by moving general and administrative tasks outside their organization.

With more companies shifting to hybrid and remote work, how has that trend affected your clients, and what strategies have you implemented to adapt?

The shift to remote work was significant for many of our clients, especially from 2020 to 2022. Remote work has allowed them to attract talent from markets they hadn’t previously considered. However, this also brings new challenges in terms of compliance. For example, if a company based in Boston hires employees in Arizona or North Carolina for the first time, they need to be aware of the different employment laws in those states.

We assist clients with the necessary registrations, compliance with jurisdictional regulations, and understanding different compensation benchmarks for those regions. Strategically, we help clients source talent in a way that boosts productivity while ensuring they meet all legal and administrative requirements.

What key regulatory changes do you foresee, and how is MP: Wired for HR preparing for them?

I think several changes are on the horizon, particularly around AI, parental leave, and pay transparency. Depending on the outcome of the election, these changes could happen at the federal or state level. We’re prepared for both.

For the organizations we serve, change presents an opportunity for us to be an even more valuable resource. We help our clients navigate these changes in a way that’s advantageous, or at the very least, mitigates risk as much as possible.

What is your outlook for MP: Wired for HR over the next two to three years, and what are your top priorities for growth?

Our main priority is to continue delivering proactive, above-and-beyond client service in an industry that’s increasingly software-driven. We believe that the people and processes surrounding the software are where we can add the most value for our clients.

We’re also focusing on expanding into the healthcare sector. While we’ve grown as an industry-agnostic business, we’ve identified integration partners in healthcare that can bring even more value to our clients, so we’re building on that opportunity.

Additionally, we’re actively seeking acquisitions of independent payroll companies. We believe we can provide the infrastructure to help grow those businesses, and this would give us the chance to expand into new geographic markets, which is something we’re very excited about.