o matter what industry you’re in, it’s critical to focus on people—the people you serve and employ. People are the glue that binds Alaska Executive Search and Bradison Management Group, which recently merged to offer executive recruitment and business consulting services under one roof. The resulting entity—People AK—enables clients to capitalize on forty-plus years of recruitment experience augmented by practical business expertise. “There were so many things in common with both businesses that it was a natural fit and pairing,” says Founder and CEO Paula Bradison, a fourth-generation Alaska business owner.

People AK strives to highlight and amplify what is unique and strong about a company, starting with its employees. People AK is not an HR or marketing firm—although it emphasizes internal and external communications and often collaborates with marketing agencies on behalf of clients. “When you think about the whole continuum of the services we offer, we truly are an engagement firm,” Bradison says.

Promoting Smart, Competitive Recruiting

People AK’s recruitment, temp to hire, and temporary staffing services represent three distinct solutions. So it’s important for clients to focus on the problem they’re trying to solve versus the job description in their HR files. The key is to cast the widest possible net and then look for transferable skills. “You don’t want to recruit for the same person you just lost,” Bradison says. “You’re really recruiting for the effort that needs to be made on behalf of your business.”

Whether through its recruitment services or certified business coaching, People AK helps clients address their most pressing needs while fostering strength-building staff development and engagement. Employment engagement is important because it allows companies to continue grooming current staff—and makes it easier to recruit the next batch of employees. Engagement also enhances workplace safety and data security, which is critical since more than 90 percent of breaches are caused by human error.

Importance of Being Proactive

People AK differentiates itself by assessing market challenges and opportunities and anticipating clients’ needs in advance of a crisis. This allows the company to constantly seek out potential job candidates—even before clients have vacancies. Employee turnover is expensive and challenging, but companies can mitigate this by being realistic and proactive. Bradison advises, “Look for that talent before you need it because you know it’s going to come.”

People AK concentrates on the entire employee experience, from attracting the right talent to succession planning. It offers objective, nonlegal support for succession planning, which can result from employee retirements, terminations, resignations, and promotions, as well as company closings and mergers. “We’re not attorneys,” Bradison clarifies. “We’re a functional solution during times of transition.”

The company is also a dependable solution for staff, clients, and job candidates. People AK endeavors to place individuals in positions they want and help employers benefit from that level of engagement from the very first day. Bradison explains, “We have their back; we ensure employees are towing the line in a way that is healthy and productive.”