Ian McAlister, General Manager of CRS Technologies.

Processing your company’s payroll should be a breeze, but if your payroll department is living from one crisis to the next, chances are good you’ve either outgrown your HR and payroll software, your solution provider, or both, says Ian McAlister, General Manager of CRS Technologies.

“The workplace is constantly evolving and HR and payroll systems, together with the vendors who provide them, need to be flexible enough to keep pace with these changes.

“Unfortunately, however, many solutions are presented as current but are characterised by outdated, legacy technologies that fall short of the modern capabilities needed to meet changing business and compliance requirements.”

According to McAlister, it’s not uncommon for payroll administrators to rely on Excel spreadsheets and manual processes to perform specific tasks, simply because their payroll system lacks the requisite functionality.

“Ongoing payroll disruptions that necessitate repeated manual intervention significantly increase the likelihood of errors,” he says. “These are not only time-consuming to correct, but turn paydays into an organisational nightmare of never-ending delays and queries about late and inaccurately paid salaries.

“Consequently, unless there is continual investment in research and development to upgrade and maintain the system, a break down at some point is inevitable.

“Add to this an inability to comply with complex payroll legislation and you’re looking at a crisis of epic proportions. Besides the financial ramifications, the reputational damage to the organisation can be monumental as trust in the company wanes and with it, employee morale.”

So how do businesses ensure they stay at the forefront of payroll technology?

According to McAlister, price is not an indicator of cutting-edge innovation, nor whether an HR and payroll system will be a suitable short-term fit to a particular organisation.

“It’s important to look for a solution that not only meets your current HR and payroll requirements, but also incorporates a developmental roadmap that is cognisant of the shifting technological landscape while aligning to your long-term organisational strategy.

“Mobile computing, the fourth industrial revolution and changes in employees’ expectations over how and when they get paid are just some of the market forces currently impacting the HR and payroll arena, and it’s essential for companies to ensure that the solution provider they choose is on top of these developments.”

McAlister points to three solution components that are critical to ensuring salaries are never at risk. “Owing to the nature of the information stored in a payroll system, robust security features are imperative. The correct safeguards must be in place to ensure that data integrity is never compromised. This includes leveraging the best benefits of hybrid cloud computing.

“Equally essential are sound functionality and legislative compliance. The solution should encompass all aspects of the HR and payroll function and be capable of managing the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement.

“Additionally, as tax authorities become more meticulous and HR legislation increasingly complex, companies need the assurance that their HR and payroll solution delivers up-to-date regulatory compliance, wherever the employees are deployed nationally or internationally.

“Finally, when it comes to finding the best HR and payroll provider for your business, companies should look for a partner that facilitates investment in engaged employees. A proven, legislatively compliant and comprehensively supported payroll solution is the first step to achieving this objective.”