There was once a time when payroll was done by hand. Hours may have been recorded with a time clock, but a payroll specialist had to go through each card individually to verify the recorded hours in order to painstakingly calculate and pay them out. Of course, this was back in the days when people still used shorthand and when electric typewriters were considered a huge business improvement.
Thankfully, times have changed. Payroll isn’t nearly as onerous as it once was, but it’s still pretty labor-intensive, especially when you factor in the dizzying rate of change for laws regarding employment and compensation. One thing hasn’t changed, though: the calculation and delivery of payroll is still an extremely sensitive topic.
Why Get Payroll Software at All?
Let’s face it: as happy as your employees may be, they still expect to be paid. When there are errors or delays in payroll, your employees will not let you forget it.
The right payroll system can make your payroll process less dramatic. It can help you respond to changes in state and federal law, time and attendance tracking, and the ever-changing business climate. A good payroll system can also be used for other tasks. For instance, iSolved Payroll can handle scheduling, labor and job costing, and time and attendance tracking. It also interfaces with your accounting system so that you can minimize the drama and headaches for your GL team as well.
How Do You Know What You Need?
Of course, change can be hard. You may think that your payroll process is working just fine and that there’s no need to change. Your payroll manager might feel the same, given that even considering such a fundamental change to your business administration is intimidating. However, we all know that time only moves forward; what is good enough today may become inadequate in the very near future.
So, let’s say you start looking at new payroll solutions – and you are immediately inundated with choices. What do you do now?
Before jumping into the future with both feet, take a step back and really look at your business. Consider your current needs and your future needs. Where do you see your business in five years? Ten years? It’s important to have software that can grow with you as your business grows and adds more employees.
This is where cloud-based software really shines. Online payroll services aren’t confined to your server, so your company can get updates as necessary without a lot of disruption to your daily business. With a remotely accessible system, there will be fewer, or better yet, no panicked drives to the office in the dead of night because of the payroll run. With the end of the regular pay run drama, you can truly focus on developing your employees and empowering them to use payroll self-service. Using online payroll services, your employees can access the system on their own to request time off, update their taxes, change their retirement contributions, and make other changes.
At this point, you might know where you want to go, but you’re still feeling a little uncertain about how to get there. Now is the time to find a good Human Resources Business Partner, one with a strong background in complete payroll services, who also has an eye on the future. The right business partner can leverage their experience to develop a solution that will help you manage your current needs, as well as chart your future growth.
Commonwealth Payroll & HR pairs decades of payroll experience with updated technology in order to help your company forge ahead without letting payroll administration slow you down. When you work with Commonwealth Payroll & HR, you get a business partner who will work with you to develop a plan tailored to your company’s specific needs and who is committed to helping you address the future.
For more information on how Commonwealth Payroll & HR can work with you on your strategic human resources planning, call us today at 877-245-1159.
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