Karen Speidel, Senior Consultant Relations Manager

“If a consultant is feeling good about his or her assignment, everybody benefits.”

Meet Karen Speidel, one of Clarity’s consultant relations managers. Karen is the liaison between the consultants and the Clarity home office during the course of an assignment.

A consultant relations manager is part human resources (HR), part public relations, and an important member of Clarity’s Consultant Services staff. Karen is the point person for consultants once they begin working for Clarity. She calls each consultant during the first week of his or her assignment to explain the payroll process, go over onboarding information, and answer any questions the consultant might have.

Once the consultant is up and running on a project, Karen calls weekly to see how everything is going and to see if the consultant needs any assistance or has any issues. These routine check-ins help the consultant feel appreciated and connected and keep Karen in the loop on project status. Karen also sends client feedback to the consultants as she receives it and gives project updates to the account managers as needed.

If consultants have questions about paychecks, benefits, or 401(k) enrollment, Karen can provide the answers. She can also be a sounding board for consultants if there is a concern while engaged on an assignment. For example, if a consultant is having issues or something happens on a project, Karen is a confidential advisor who can help sort out the issue and work to resolve or defuse a situation.

Karen explains that this communication helps build rapport and a higher level of engagement with each consultant. “If a consultant is feeling good about his or her assignment, everybody benefits,” she says.

Karen has a bachelor’s degree in human resources management, so she has a solid foundation in HR knowledge. Her previous experience as a radiation therapist in radiation oncology enables her to stay focused and compassionate when dealing with challenging situations.

When a project ends, Karen conducts an exit interview with the consultant to get his or her insights about the assignment and to see what types of projects would be of interest to the consultant in the future. She remains the point person for the consultant whether it’s to send an updated resume or change of address or to notify Clarity of availability for work.

Karen also helps create a smooth and seamless experience for clients. Her management of the consultant and any HR-related concerns frees up the client to focus on more pressing issues. When a project is completed, Karen sends a survey to the client to evaluate the consultant’s work and also receives the client’s feedback regarding their experience with Clarity.