Is It Time to Switch Payroll Providers? Here’s How to Know for Sure.
Managing payroll is one of the crucial elements of running a business. It might not always be in the spotlight but it matters a lot more than you think.
Keeping employees happy, staying compliant and maintaining smooth operations all contribute to the overall success and productivity of your business.
You can create payroll efficiency issues fast by not having the right people in place to support you. Whether that’s through having enough people in your in-house team, with the right expertise, or through an outsourced payroll services provider.
Looking for UK payroll services?
In this blog we’re exploring the warning signs; which signal that now’s the time to start looking for a new payroll provider. List how many of these you’ve found yourself thinking recently:
I feel like we’re outgrowing our Payroll Provider
Your business isn’t standing still, it’s evolving! What worked well for you for small business payroll may no longer cut it when you’re expanding your team rapidly. You’ll find yourself diversifying your operations and needing more advanced features like payroll reporting, dealing with more complex pay shift patterns and supporting multiple business locations (which also means more considerations like HR policies).
Your payroll provider should be a key player in helping you scale your business effectively, not holding it back. If you feel like you’re dragging your payroll provider along the floor instead of them riding ahead helping you gallop ahead, you need to change.
Pro Tips: Look for payroll case studies that show the provider has experience coping with rapidly growing companies or larger businesses. Ask your potential suppliers for examples of when they’ve supported customers through growing pains.
Payroll Case Studies from Talk Staff
Our Payroll accuracy feels like it’s slipping
We all make mistakes right? In most departments the odd mistake here or there is usually not too costly but accuracy in payroll is non-negotiable.
Mistakes in payroll can lead to unhappy employees, tax penalties, and creates problems for your HR team.
If you’re noticing frequent errors—whether in calculating wages, managing deductions, or processing benefits—it’s a red flag that something is amiss.
Payroll errors can cost you more than money; they can erode trust and affect employee morale. You have enough on your plate without having to triple check everything. You are paying them so you don’t have to do the admin! This defeats the point. It’s time to hunt for a better payroll provider.
Pro Tip: Check testimonials and look for any mentions of accuracy and satisfaction
I’m worried we’re being overcharged for payroll
Is what you’re paying for payroll suspiciously high.
Whilst it’s true that cheaper isn’t always better, it’s one thing to pay a little extra for a premium service and someone you’ve had a great experience with. It’s quite another to feel like there’s a hole in your piggy bank.
If your payroll provider’s fees have steadily increased without obvious benefits or you haven’t reviewed your costs in a while it’s time to look at the market. Find a service that doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability too.
Pro Tips: Review your contract and business commitments to find the right time to move. Speak to a few good potential providers and rate them on both quality and other factors such as customer service during the review process. Seek out competitor quotes to help you make the best decision.
Start With Transparency – Request a Payroll Quote from Talk Staff
Our payroll admin is becoming unmanageable
When you’re a small business, handling payroll in-house might seem manageable. But as your team grows, so do the complexities of payroll administration. Keeping track of payroll becomes more difficult especially as you run into new scenarios around statutory pay rates and more.
If you find yourself (or your HR team) spending more time on payroll than on other essential business activities, it’s probably time to delegate this task to a professional payroll provider. After all, chances are that you didn’t start a business to become a payroll expert—so why not leave it to those who did?
Pro Tip 1: Start exploring early. Don’t leave it until things become unmanageable.
Pro Tip 2: Small Businesses deserve great payroll too. Just because you run a small enterprise or start-up doesn’t mean you have to do it all yourself. We work with many small businesses on payroll solutions that simplify processes and keep employees happy.
Explore Small Business Payroll Solutions
It’s impossible to get a response out of our payroll contacts
It’s all well and good getting accuracy right but payroll is never fool-proof. There’s always a new surprise in the works. This makes responsive customer support key! And they need the right knowledge too!
From last-minute changes to urgent payroll queries a hard to reach payroll partner can turn a small problem into a big one!
The whole point of having a payroll partner is so you don’t get weighed down by payroll admin and so you have peace of mind. Long wait times and unhelpful responses eat into your limited time and increase stress in the workplace for everyone involved.
Pro Tip: Find yourself a payroll partner who responds quickly from the get-go. Look for payroll bureaus with testimonials that mention the human elements of payroll. Your payroll provider should be your solution and a partner, not a problem.
“With Talk Staff it’s all about relationships and that makes working with them a joy.” – Read More
I’m worried we’ll get caught out legally
Payroll compliance just keeps getting more complex. HR and payroll functions are seeing big changes due to the UK government with plenty of Employment Law Changes expected. This makes it very easy to fall behind. Not keeping up with payroll legislation leads to a road filled with hefty fines, legal issues and possibly even reputational damage.
A good payroll provider will ensure your processes are aligned with the very latest regulations, a great payroll provider will keep you posted and these updates whilst they are at it too!
Pro Tip: Work with your existing payroll provider to get informed about legislative updates as they happen. If your payroll partner can’t do this or is unwilling to communicate on this frequently then it’s time to make a change.
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Choosing a payroll provider is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s efficiency and employee satisfaction. If you’ve experienced any of the above scenarios, it might be time to evaluate your current provider and consider making a switch.
Remember, the right payroll service should simplify your life, not complicate it!
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Looking to make a switch or need more advice on choosing the right payroll provider? As a people consultancy who specialises in payroll services and supports over 100+ employers in the UK and beyond we’re here to support you, whatever you decide is the right step forward for your business.
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