Michelle Dell is regional director of a local HR outsourcing firm and staffing agency, O2 Employment Services.  Because she was born and raised in Redding, the area holds a special place in her heart.

“People don’t just want to be here because that’s where the job is,” she says, “they want to be here and are lucky that this is where the job is. This is a good place to be.”

“We’ve been in business since 2001,”  she recalls. “We work with over 500 businesses locally,  providing their staffing, payroll, or HR needs. In our staffing efforts we tend to specialize in helping businesses that are just getting off the ground, or businesses that have relocated and need to find employees.”

O2 Employment Services in the community

O2 Employment Services got its start as so many other companies did, going around town and knocking on doors. Initially O2 helped other companies with their HR work by ensuring compliance with California’s numerous regulations and a good environment for employees. “We become the HR department for local businesses,” Dell explains. “We allow them to have access to competitive HR resources without actually having a department of 20 people.”

In 2009, O2 launched its staffing services, which helps connect jobs with applicants in the community. Their business is primarily local.

More than that, O2 has made it a priority to reinvest in the community in a huge number of ways, through volunteer efforts and support. “Part of our success has been our commitment to the community,” says Dell. “Not just taking a passive approach to running a business, but proactively asking ‘what else can we do to help the community?’”  When asked about the efforts that O2 was involved in, she laughs. “Gosh! It’s a long list!”

“We’ve done everything from ‘dancing with the stars’ to sponsoring crab feeds,” Dell continues. “We’re participants in some major funding for Make a Wish. We created the Give Redding Holiday drive that pulls all the businesses together to meet holiday donations needs for One Safe Place. We’ve worked with the Mission, whether raising money or going down and serving food during the holidays. We’ve touched just about every local organization in some way. Some of the work is larger. Some of it is sponsoring Little League teams. We’re well-connected with different high schools and boards, teaching students what they need to learn before they go into the workforce. We do the same at Shasta College and Simpson University.”

This commitment is shared by every member of O2, from the CEO, Heidi Corrigan, to Michelle Dell, to the other members of the team.

“The people in our building live and work here,” Michelle says. “So we all have a vested interest in witnessing the success of this community.”

Why Redding?

Why did O2 start their business in Redding? “There’s something to be said for the work-life balance available in this community,” Michelle replies. “No matter how large we grow, we seem to maintain that small-town feel where you’re friends with your neighbors. Everyone within the business community is connected and supports each other. I think that’s really valuable. I wanted to move away after high school and I did, but I hope my kids will look at Redding and say, ‘that’s where I want to come back to. When I have kids that’s where I want to raise them.’”

Michelle and Heidi have high hopes for what Redding can become in the future. Being active in the community, she hopes that the caring culture that makes this city such a good place remains as strong and vibrant as it is today.

“My hopes would be that we continue to grow from an economic or business standpoint, and that we’re able to leverage the thriving business community we have built to draw more resources into the area.” Michelle remarks, “But that as we do that, we also maintain the integrity and the culture that this town has.”

 

Name of Business: O2 Employment Services

Owner: Heidi Corrigan

In business since: 2001

Products/Services: HR outsourcing and staffing

Location/Contact: O2 Employment Services is located at 915 Mistletoe Lane, in Redding California. Call at 530.223.4674 or e-mail at info@o2es.com.

Website: https://o2employmentservices.com/

February 2017