Outsourcing a function as sensible as payroll is usually very stressful for companies. One small mistake could put you in serious trouble with your employees or HMRC. It could also open you to litigation. This is something no business owner wants to deal with, but if you know what to look for in a payroll service provider, you will greatly reduce the chances of mistakes happening. Let’s take a look at how to pick a payroll service for your organisation.

Check their Track Record

You must check the payroll service’s reputation first and see if they’ve been known for committing errors in the past. It’s normal for companies to make some mistakes, but there shouldn’t be a pattern.  If they make mistakes with tax reporting, for instance, some of it will fall on them, but you have to be ready to bear some repercussions as well. This is why you have to make sure that you hire a reputable team with a long verifiable track record.

Look at the Scope of Service

Another thing to do is to look at your specific needs and then check if you could use other services, like HR management, for instance. Some companies focus mainly on payroll while others will help you with recruiting employees, moving them through the onboarding process, and even training them.

Working with the same company for payroll and HR will make things easier for you and will also take a lot of work off your hands. And there’s a strong chance that you’re overpaying for HR if you have a full in-house team.

If you’re looking for a great HR payroll outsourced service, a provider like HR Dept is a great place to start. Companies like these can help you with everything from sending payslips and setting up new employees to recruiting new talent, so consider hiring a complete service that will allow you to concentrate on what you do the best.

Look at their Software

You also have to make sure that the payroll service’s software can handle all of your essential records. Their software should allow you to quickly pull things like full employee particulars, salary details for staff, bank account details, and new hires. You should also be able to see and monitor things like benefits and bonuses, tax code notices paternity and maternity easily, among others. The more user-friendly the interface is, the lesser the chance for confusion and the easier it will be for you to spot irregularities. So do not skip that part.

Another very important thing to look at when looking at a payroll company’s software is if it is cloud-based. Having a solution that you can access from everywhere is very important with remote work slowly becoming the new normal. Ask for a sample of different reports to get an idea of what they look like and how easy they are to decipher.

Look at their Expertise

Payroll companies will often try to portray themselves as experts in your industry, but you have to look in detail into the type of clients they work with. Favour those who have worked with people in your field or at least one that is close to it. 

The payroll company also must be familiar with businesses of your size. If you have thousands of employees to manage, you have to work with a team that can manage these types of numbers first. Larger companies also have more obligations to meet, so ask who is the biggest client they worked with and for how long they’ve worked with them if you have extensive needs.

Check their Security

Security should be on top of your list as your payroll provider will be handling very sensitive information about your employees and a breach could cost you not only in terms of litigation but damage to your brand as well.

The most important thing to look for here is certification. Look for things like PAS Proven Expertise, ISO27001, and ISO9001 certifications. Any of these will show that this is a company that takes the security of their customers very seriously and you shouldn’t worry about breaches when working with them.

Conclusion

Picking a good payroll outsourcing service takes time and planning, so don’t rush the process and take the time to find a company that understands your needs and can meet them. Also, go for a company that will be accessible and treats you like an important client no matter your size.