What is payroll outsourcing? definition, considerations, and best practices

outsource payroll

This type of data is valuable to criminals and they are always looking for insecure points of entry. To reduce the risk of a security breach when you outsource, make sure the partner you choose has strict security measures in place. For example, they should comply with data protection laws such as the GDPR. Choose an efficient payroll management solution like Remote and avoid any major issues. Meeting your payroll requirements will be a breeze, and you can support team members anywhere in the world. However, if you’re planning to leverage the many benefits of hiring in different countries, you may want to opt for a payroll provider that can easily accommodate that.

outsource payroll

Why outsource your payroll to ADP?

This has historically been one of the main incentives for any kind of outsourcing, and payroll functions are no exception. The process of managing employee payroll is often time-consuming—unless, that is, another company is hired to take care of it instead. Payroll outsourcing can lead to big cost savings and provide access to payroll management experts, but doing so also comes with unique challenges and risks. Forbes Advisor’s 2024 guide takes you through accounting coach debits and credits the ins and outs of how payroll outsourcing works and how your company can best evaluate a possible outsourcing strategy.

You'll also need to consider employee benefits, overtime, and security. Payroll requires sensitive employee information, and this needs to be protected. Before optimizing your payroll systems, be prepared for potential challenges. For example, payroll accuracy and maintaining tax compliance should be a priority.

Compliance across borders

By outsourcing payroll, small businesses can save money on the cost of setting up and managing their own payroll system, and then paying an employee such as a payroll specialist to manage it. However, Bambee is better suited for small companies with simpler payroll cadences since it does not support employee self-service, time-tracking, or HR software integrations. You’ll likely need a more advanced platform with custom automations and support for international employees as your business grows and diversifies. But Bambee is an affordable starter solution, with automatic tax and HR support to reduce risk. Perhaps the most comprehensive HR and workforce management provider in the list, Rippling is a juggernaut in the industry (and rightly so). When you’re dealing with payroll across different countries, rules can vary massively, including regulations tied to wages, overtime, taxes, social security, and data protection.

How To Determine If The Cost Is Worth It

Most payroll service providers stay up to date with the latest technology because it allows them to take their service to the next level and provide the best for their clients. This includes automation and AI capabilities, which allow payroll professionals to focus on optimizing your payroll system, ultimately making it more efficient and reducing human error. For organizations, inaccurate data is the financial accounting for local and state school systems top barrier to effective payroll operations. A payroll provider's sole responsibility is to ensure payments are made correctly and tax laws are followed.

Global payroll providers use specialist software and are able to automate many processes, creating efficiencies and cost savings that just bench accounting review and ratings aren’t possible if you’re running your global payroll manually, in-house. Payroll co-sourcing is a type of payroll outsourcing in which a third-party payroll provider and employees of the business share payroll processing responsibilities. That way, a small business is getting the best of both worlds, allowing them to selectively decide what aspects of payroll they do themselves and which they’d rather have done by the experts. A lot goes into choosing the right payroll outsourcing partner. Doing business with someone you trust is important, so find a payroll company with a good reputation.

  1. A New York- or San Francisco-based company that keeps payroll in-house, for example, must pay “big city salaries” to attract the right employees for managing payroll, just like the rest of its internal workforce.
  2. If your business is growing, you need a payroll provider that can grow with you.
  3. Some companies do it weekly, while others prefer biweekly or monthly.
  4. No, outsourcing is usually the more affordable option — especially for small businesses.
  5. We’ve focused on just a few, to highlight some of the most common (and most commonly needed) answers to HR and payroll pain points.

Many employers start the outsourcing process by conversing with their workers about what they want from a payroll company. Employers are ultimately responsible for paying payroll taxes, even if they outsource payroll to a third-party provider. The payroll company can streamline your operations to make them more cost-effective, and it can take on the responsibility of tax withholdings and deposits. However, any IRS penalties for mistakes will be levied against the primary business.