TriNet Survey Reveals Surprising Insights About the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Small and Medium-Size Business Owners

Ground-breaking Survey Featured in RISE, TriNet’s New Dynamic Digital Platform where SMBs Can Get Inspired, and Receive New Perspectives and Learnings on Growing Business

Dublin, CA — October 22, 2020 — TriNet, a leading provider of comprehensive human resources solutions for small and medium-size (SMB) businesses, today announced the launch of RISE, a digital platform where business owners and employees can find new perspectives and learnings to elevate their workplace.

Launched today, RISE features the results of a TriNet SMB Pulse survey. The survey is a revealing look at the experiences and mindset of SMB founders, much of which debunks common assumptions about the future of work. The survey offers actionable intelligence for entrepreneurs, such as:

• Burnout is acute at the mid-level. Employees of mid-sized businesses (MBs) of 100 to 500 employees are as much as three times more likely to be experiencing burnout than employees of small (20 to 99 employees) or very small (one to 19 employees) businesses.
• Email still beats video in the mobile workforce. Seven in 10 very small business (VSBs) and four in five small business (SBs) and mid-sized businesses (MBs) still use email (vs. video) as their preferred and primary form of communication.
• Mobile work hasn’t yet killed physical office space. Half of very small businesses (VSBs) and small business (SBs), and nearly a third (the plurality) of mid-sized businesses (MBs), do not plan to change their commercial office space.
• SMB pride prevails. At the midsized level, one in three people feel better about being a business owner now than they did prior to the pandemic.

“We were encouraged by some of the opportunities for SMBs that were revealed by this research,” said TriNet SVP, CMO and CCO, Michael Mendenhall. “What others might find surprising—but what we instinctively knew—is that extreme challenges that COVID-19 presents for SMBs has not damaged the will and determination of business owners. These are the people at the heart of innovation in America; whose businesses keep this country’s economy running.”

Mendenhall added, “I am also thrilled to unveil RISE – TriNet’s dynamic platform that offers balance and strength through inspiring stories from real people. Our goal is for businesses to gain new perspective and learnings to elevate their workplace.”

RISE will offer frequent updates, tools for growth and inspirational, authentic, on-the-ground stories from real people and real businesses. It celebrates work that puts people first. The platform is personalized and engaging for the needs of each user—whether on-the-go or on the job. Business owners and their employees can learn from those who do the incredible and celebrate success together.

SMB Pulse, conducted with third-party research firm Bredin, surveyed 500 principals of U.S. companies between September 26 – October 13 with one to 500 employees, including: 250 Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with one to 19 employees (97.7% weighting); 150 Small Businesses (SBs) with 20 to 99 employees (2.0% weighting); 100 Mid-sized Businesses (MBs) with 100 to 500 employees (0.3% weighting). The data cited in the research represents the opinions of the survey respondents and not those of TriNet or its employees.

About TriNet

TriNet (NYSE: TNET) provides small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) with full-service HR solutions tailored by industry. To free SMBs from HR complexities, TriNet offers access to human capital expertise, benefits, risk mitigation and compliance, payroll and real-time technology. From Main Street to Wall Street, TriNet empowers SMBs to focus on what matters most-growing their business. TriNet, incredible starts here. For more information, visit TriNet.com or follow us on Twitter.

Investors: Alex Bauer TriNet Investorrelations@TriNet.com (510) 875-7201

Media: Renee Brotherton TriNet Renee.Brotherton@TriNet.com (408) 646-5103

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