How to Reduce Costs in Your Payroll Department

Payroll can be one of the most expensive areas of a business. Whether you’re a big or a small company, the costs of materials, as well as administrating and delivering payroll, can really add up. But this doesn’t have to be the case if you’re able to implement specific procedures that will not only cut costs but improve efficiency.

Below we explore a few ways that you can reduce costs in your payroll department.

Reduce Turnover

It’s no secret that recruitment and training take up an enormous amount of resources, time and money. Where possible, implement excellent training programs so that your staff are well trained. Training can also take place via videos or online so that staff can learn at their own pace.

Reducing turnover also requires that you provide the right resources and conditions to retain staff. Whether it’s allowing flexible working, issuing praise, providing competitive salaries, or fostering an environment that supports their growth and development, keeping staff happy and motivated is key to reducing turnover.

Measure Your Time

In terms of preventative measures, auditing or quantifying your time will go a long way in terms of evaluating where you can reduce costs. For example, take stock of how much time it takes you or your team to issue payments, correct mistakes, keep records, or stay on top of new rules and regulations. By figuring out where your time is mostly spent, you can then decide how and where you can reallocate tasks and reduce the number of hours. This may involve automating certain processes or hiring someone new to take these on.

Direct Deposits

Direct deposits save both time and money. This is due to the human hours required to write out, produce, and issue paper checks. It is estimated that companies with 100 employees could save up to $7,000 by using direct deposits over checks. By switching to direct deposits, you could be saving your business a lot of cash while also reducing the risks associated with fraudulent checks. The reduced labor will also mean your staff have to work fewer hours, resulting in lower overall costs to your business.

Consider Outsourcing

Outsourcing can be a fantastic way of improving efficiency and reducing costs. Payroll outsourcing cost can be lower than what you’d be paying for in-house staff, so it’s worth looking into. Many businesses are opting to outsource their HR and payroll processes because it can be simpler, it can reduce stress, and it allows your energies to be spent on the revenue-generating areas of your business.

Get Rid of Redundancy

Redundancy can become an issue if you have two people doing similar roles. This, of course, costs you a lot more money in the long run, so it’s worth taking stock of whether there are any redundant tasks or people in your organization. Redundancy doesn’t necessarily have to lead to layoffs, either. Assess whether job roles need to be changed around or varied and see if there are ways to ensure that specific tasks are allocated correctly.

Reducing the costs of your payroll department are entirely possible if you plan and implement a few strategies. Heed the above tips, and you’ll be on your way to being more efficient and cost-effective in the long term.