Services
FINALIST
It was the late 1980s, and companies were adopting the practice of just-in-time (JIT) inventory management. However, the model for the staffing industry did not address the complex service requirements of JIT clients.
Michael Miles took notice of the situations and co-founded The Seaton Cos. in 1988 with fellow Arizona State University alumni and entrepreneur Hugh Farrington. Miles recognized that to be competitive, companies needed to change their workforce strategy and move toward a permanent staffing solution embedded in their infrastructure.
The business model revolutionized the staffing industry by providing for hands-on management of a client’s flexible workforce. It also supported decision-making with ready access to program data and analytics.
“Our company has always had in its DNA a real appreciation for process and execution: for achieving operational excellence, building systems for scale and automating when others are not,” Miles says.
He later launched the company’s Staff Management division when he partnered with one of America’s largest food and confection companies to support a staffing surge in its Chicago facility.
Today, Seaton has two other business lines, PeopleScout, a recruitment processing outsourcing business launched several years ago; and StudyScout, a business aimed at getting better qualified students applying into Seaton’s for-profit college clients.
Embedded in the company’s culture are a high level of employee engagement and a self-driven organization. Miles believes the key to attracting and retaining staff lies in belief in the company’s product. The ability of the company to consistently achieve tangible gains and improvements for its client base is a testament to the company’s offering and why the message is willingly embraced by staff.
Since its inception, The Seaton Cos. has achieved consistent, organic growth. The organization has grown a remarkable 38 percent over the last couple of years, but in reality the growth story began the day the business was established.
How to reach: The Seaton Cos., www.seatoncorp.com
