Simco’s 2025 Year in Review
January 5, 2026
Simco’s 2025 Year in Review

As the business landscape continues to evolve, so does Simco. While 2025 may have looked like a year of quiet focus from the outside, it was anything but. Behind the scenes, our teams were strengthening the systems and structures that support our HCM / payroll, benefits, HR, retirement, and commercial insurance services, all with one goal in mind: to deliver a smoother, more dependable, and more proactive client experience.


This recap offers a high-level look at what we’ve been building. If you're part of our existing client community, you’ll see how these investments enhance the service you receive every day. And for prospective partners and the broader market, consider this a window into how Simco is evolving to meet the growing expectations of the modern employer.


A Stronger Foundation for the Future

Much of our work throughout 2025 focused on reinforcing the operational backbone of Simco: the processes, tools, and training that enable our teams to support clients with consistency and confidence.


We refined and standardized the core elements of our service model, including:


  • Onboarding processes: creating a smoother, more predictable start for new clients by clarifying steps, responsibilities, timelines, and handoffs, ensuring everyone begins their Simco partnership with full visibility and support.


  • Day-to-day service workflows: enhancing how requests are managed, tracked, and communicated so that clients experience faster responses, fewer delays, and a more proactive approach to problem-solving.


  • Renewal experiences across multiple service lines: strengthening the structure behind annual renewals so they are more organized, timely, and transparent, with clearer communication and better preparation on both sides.


By strengthening the infrastructure that supports every client interaction, we’re ensuring that growth never comes at the expense of quality.


Communication That Sets Clear Expectations

One of the most meaningful shifts this year came from improving the clarity and cadence of communication. Whether you're a current Simco client or exploring us as a potential partner, you’ll see a growing emphasis on:


  • Setting expectations early: ensuring clients understand timelines, responsibilities, next steps, and key milestones upfront so there’s no confusion as projects or service requests move forward.


  • Addressing issues proactively: identifying potential challenges before they surface, communicating them quickly, and offering solutions early to prevent disruptions.


  • Creating more transparency in every interaction: providing clearer insights into processes, status updates, and decision-making so clients always know where things stand and what’s happening behind the scenes.


This work helps eliminate surprises and creates a smoother, more predictable experience.


Technology That Makes Service Smarter

2025 also brought strategic technology upgrades designed to improve accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.


Some key milestones include:


  • Expanded use of integrations and automations across platforms like isolved
  • Enhanced reporting and improved data accuracy
  • New tools to support onboarding, renewals, and Open Enrollment
  • The build-out of our new CRM, rolling out to employees in January 2026


For our existing clients: this CRM will evolve into a client-facing portal, giving you clearer insight into service activity and easier access to support without compromising security or simplicity. This investment underscores our long-term commitment to transparency and service innovation.


A More Coordinated Open Enrollment Season

The Simco Benefits Team completed Open Enrollment two weeks faster than the previous year, thanks to strengthened planning, better communication, and tighter internal coordination.


This improvement reflects our broader goal: to create processes that scale with growing demand while remaining predictable and client-centered.


A Strategic Shift: Separating Our B2B and B2C Divisions

In 2025, we completed the structural separation of our consumer-facing services, Simco Insurance & Wealth Management, from our core B2B operations. This was not simply an internal reorganization, but a strategic step toward honoring the very real differences between the needs of businesses and the needs of individuals and families. Employers require scalable systems, predictable processes, and deep operational support. Individuals, on the other hand, seek personalized guidance, protection, and long-term financial clarity. By creating space for each division to develop independently, we positioned both sides of our organization to serve their audiences with greater intention and expertise.


As our service offerings have expanded, so has the complexity of the problems we solve. The separation enables our B2B team to focus fully on the demands of an employer environment, including compliance, data accuracy, HR workflows, benefits strategy, service scalability, and beyond. At the same time, the B2C division can continue developing its advisory capabilities, client education tools, and one-to-one support models. Both sides continue to share the same core values, high standards, and service philosophy, but each now has the room to innovate in ways that make the most sense for the communities they serve.


We want to ensure that whether you’re engaging with Simco as an employer, or with Simco Insurance & Wealth Management as an individual or family, you’re connected to a team built specifically for your needs without losing the warmth, consistency, or integrity that define the Simco brand.


Growing Without Losing What Makes Us, Us

2025 was a year of meaningful expansion for Simco through new partnerships and client relationships. But growth alone isn’t the metric we celebrate, it’s sustainable growth.


Behind the scenes, we focused on building structure and scalability so that every new relationship receives the same level of attention and consistency our long-standing clients expect from us.


What This Means for Those We Serve

Whether you're already part of the Simco family or seeing us for the first time, here’s what our 2025 investments translate to:


  • More consistency in how we serve
  • Greater proactivity in identifying and addressing issues
  • Enhanced accuracy and efficiency throughout every process
  • Improved capacity to support continued growth and complexity
  • A stronger, smarter foundation for the years ahead


To our current clients: thank you for trusting us with your business. Everything we built this year was designed to enhance the experience you rely on.


To those learning about Simco for the first time: consider this a preview of the service structure we believe all employers should expect, both today and in the future.


Looking Ahead to 2026

We’re entering the new year with momentum, clarity, and a renewed commitment to continuous improvement. The work we completed in 2025 positions us to deliver an even more streamlined, transparent, and dependable experience in 2026 and beyond.


Thank you for being part of our journey and for giving us the opportunity to support yours.


This year-in-review report was developed by Elisha Everson, Director of Operations at Simco.

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2026 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits Raised by IRS: Key Updates for 401(k) and More

November 20, 2025
The IRS recently announced the updated retirement plan contribution limits for 2026, reflecting cost-of-living adjustments and new guidance under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Whether you’re an employer managing a company plan or an employee planning for your future, these changes are important to understand so you can make the most of your retirement savings. Key Increases for 2026 Some of the most notable updates for defined contribution plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans, are summarized in the chart below: 

The Employer's Guide to 2026 Minimum Wage Updates

November 5, 2025
As we move into 2026, employers across many states and localities are preparing for significant minimum wage increases. Nearly 20 states and more than 40 local jurisdictions will raise their wage thresholds effective January 1, 2026. This poses important planning, budgeting, and compliance considerations, especially for mid-sized employers like those that partner with Simco, where payroll, HR, benefits and advisory services intersect. Below we’ve summarized key state and local minimum wage updates and outlined the steps you should take now to stay ahead of the changes and mitigate risk. State-Level Minimum Wage Increases (January 1, 2026) The table below highlights selected state increases scheduled for January 1, 2026.

The Benefits of Outsourcing HR: Save Time, Cut Costs, and Boost Engagement

October 24, 2025
When HR Is Overloaded, Your Business Feels It For many small to mid-sized businesses, HR is one of the most critical (and most overextended) functions. From payroll and benefits to onboarding and compliance reporting, administrative tasks can quickly consume your team’s time, leaving little room for strategic work that actually moves the business forward. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. A recent survey from Champions of Change: isolved’s Fourth-Annual HR Leaders’ Research Study found that 51% of HR leaders spend four or more hours a day answering repetitive questions. This time could be better spent on employee engagement, culture, and growth initiatives. When HR teams are pulled in too many directions, the consequences ripple across the entire organization, resulting in missed deadlines, frustrated staff, compliance risks, and ultimately, higher turnover. Why HR Leaders Consider Outsourcing Outsourcing HR isn’t just for businesses without dedicated HR teams. In fact, a survey of 1,000 HR decision-makers found that 76% could benefit from outsourcing certain tasks, even though only 54% currently have plans to do so. HR outsourcing allows organizations to offload both core and strategic tasks, including payroll, benefits administration, recruitment, onboarding, compliance support, performance management, employee relations, and workforce analytics, without adding headcount. This augmentation provides a multiplier effect: a small HR team can function like a much larger one, accomplishing more in less time. By leveraging experienced HR professionals through outsourcing, organizations can free up internal HR teams to focus on initiatives that directly impact business growth, such as talent development, employee engagement, and culture-building. Routine administrative tasks, when handled externally, no longer distract from these high-value priorities. The True Cost of Administrative Overload Overburdened HR teams don’t just affect your internal operations; they impact your employees’ experience. Inconsistent onboarding can create a rocky first impression for new hires. Delayed payroll or benefits questions lead to frustration and decreased trust. Compliance oversights expose your business to fines and legal risk. Even small inefficiencies add up. According to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), organizations that leverage an outsourced HR model achieve an average ROI of 27.2% per year, saving around $1,775 per employee while paying $1,395 per employee for outsourced services. That’s not just cost savings, it’s a reinvestment in your team and your business. The Power of Strategic HR Outsourcing Outsourcing doesn’t mean giving up control or handing HR off to a faceless provider. Done strategically, it’s about extending your team. Administrative tasks like payroll, benefits, onboarding, and reporting can be handled efficiently by experts, while HR teams gain confidence that compliance requirements are being met. Most importantly, it frees internal HR to pivot from reactive, day-to-day tasks toward engagement, culture-building, and retention strategies. Outsourced HR support can scale with your business, providing additional expertise during busy periods, leaves of absence, or rapid growth phases. The impact is clear. Teams feel supported, employees feel heard, and the organization operates smarter, not harder. With the right outsourcing partner, a small HR team can act like a team of 10, and a team of five can perform like a team of 25, all while maintaining compliance and efficiency. Retention Starts With the Right Employee Experience When administrative burdens are reduced, HR teams can focus on creating meaningful experiences for employees. Transparent processes around pay, benefits, and policies build trust. Faster, more organized onboarding leaves a strong first impression. Access to modern self-service HCM tools empowers employees to manage their own information, reducing repetitive questions and improving engagement. By leveraging experienced HR professionals to handle gaps in internal processes, organizations can enhance overall employee satisfaction, ensuring every interaction, from onboarding to open enrollment, feels seamless and supportive. A Smarter Approach to HR Means a Stronger Business Across industries, companies are recognizing that HR outsourcing is no longer a luxury. It’s a strategic advantage. Organizations that adopt a blended model of technology and advisory support report measurable reductions in administrative workload, cost savings compared to maintaining fully in-house HR teams, and improved engagement for employees. Strategic HR outsourcing allows internal teams to shift from transactional tasks to big-picture initiatives, creating a more resilient, efficient, and high-performing workforce. At the end of the day, HR isn’t just a function; it’s the backbone of your organization. When it’s overextended, the entire business suffers. But with the right support, HR teams can focus on meaningful initiatives, employees feel more valued, and the business benefits from measurable ROI. Strategic HR outsourcing isn’t about replacing your team, it’s about empowering it. Your people, your culture, and your bottom line all benefit. Curious how Simco's HR Advisory services can help your business? Let's talk today.

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