How to Make Payroll Processing Easier & Faster
Make Payroll Processing Easier & Faster
Businesses are always looking for ways to save time and cut costs. One of the most expensive line items in any business is payroll, making it a natural target for cost-cutting measures. However, many companies have found that the best way to save on payroll is simply by automating and digitizing their processes for processing payroll as much as possible. The quicker and easier payroll is processed, the more time you can devote to growing the business. While each company’s payroll process will look different, there are a few general things that nearly every business can do to cut down on costs, improve efficiency and make their payroll process easier and faster. The following are some of the best practices companies have found useful.
1. Align or Combine Your Different Pay Schedules
Payments to employees differ depending on the time they start working for you and factors such as how much commission they make and how long they’ve been with the company. The more complicated your payroll is, the longer it will take to process. By aligning schedules so that all new hires get paid the same way, or by combining similar pay schedules into a single one, you can simplify your payroll process. Because of the sheer number of employees many businesses have and the expenses they incur, every hour saved on payroll equals a pretty sizable annual savings. Reducing your payroll costs by streamlining your processes can help you get to where you need to be quicker and with less hassle. It’s well worth your time to review your company’s payroll schedules to see if there’s anyway you can simplify things.
2. Automate payroll calculations
Automatic payroll systems can help you simplify your payroll process, because they can handle necessary calculations for you automatically. By plugging in the number of hours worked by employees, the amount of pay owed to them and other factors, automatic systems can do any math needed to determine how much each employee’s paycheck should be. Many businesses use automatic payroll calculators to ensure that they are paying their employees correctly and that everything is accounted for. Technological advances have made it possible to automate more and more aspects of running a payroll, so automatic systems have become increasingly common.
3. Create a timekeeping system for all employees
Many businesses have found that a timekeeping system for all their employees can be an excellent way to streamline payroll processing. Developing employee time sheets that are accurate and easy to use can help you manage employee pay and benefits in much the same way you manage your office staffing and processes. Few things are as frustrating as not knowing if an employee is charging hours or not, but by accurately tracking time worked, employers will be able to better ensure that their employees are being paid for the hours they work. When tickets are issued or when an employee checks in to the office, the employee’s time sheets can be tapped into the system to confirm that they have actually worked the hours they say they have.
4. Directly integrate employee time with payroll systems
Providing faster and easier payroll processing for your employees can be a big help to the business. By integrating payroll systems with a timekeeping system for all employees, you’ll have an accurate record of how much time each employee is working and how many hours they’re actually taking home after the fact. This information gives you a better idea of how well your employees are doing, what needs to be done to retain them and how they’re performing overall. It also helps you manage benefits packages more efficiently by better understanding what needs to be covered under each plan.
5. Stay Informed of State and Federal Tax Requirements
Understanding what requirements and deadlines will be during the tax season can be difficult to do on your own, since the federal and state governments have released so many different requirements. One of the easiest ways to stay up on all of these rules is by consulting a tax professional who can help you understand them each year and give you an idea what you need to do to meet those requirements. For employers, it’s critical that they stay on top of these rules so they don’t find themselves unintentionally breaking any of them. Having a tax professional come in regularly throughout the year can help ensure that this doesn’t happen and helps you avoid any expensive penalties or fines. Seeking professional assistance in the process of payroll processing can save you time and money. Saving time and money that could be spent on growth is a great way to grow your business. The advice above should give you some ideas of how to get the most out of your payroll process while keeping your costs down and making it easier on yourself as well as your employees.
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