subject: How Small Businesses Can Improve Their Performance By Outsourcing Payroll [print this page] As businesses look for ways to reduce the burden that administrative costs can place on the bottom line, payroll services is one of the best functions to consider for outsourcing. Some small business owners tend to underestimate the expense of processing the company's payroll and might not consider this function as a cost-cutting measure before looking at other administrative areas.
However, the decision to outsource the payroll function is smart business that can help to improve a company's performance. A payroll service costs much less than hiring a full-time employee to manage employee payroll. Further, the amount of money that is saved can be invested in other areas of the company to boost performance.
The use of an outsourced company provides access to payroll experts who know how to accurately complete the required paperwork. These specialists will keep the company in compliance with taxes and other financial concerns associated with managing the payroll properly. It is the business of payroll services to stay abreast of the changes in legislation and business taxes that are related to payroll. A small business is usually insulated from legal errors when a professional payroll service is used.
Ultimately, the amount of time a small business spends on payroll each year amounts to approximately a few hours. This includes distributing paychecks and reviewing the monthly and quarterly tax reports that the service files on the company's behalf. Many payroll services will calculate and file payroll taxes. Any issue with noncompliance is the responsibility of the payroll service company.
The use of payroll services also gives small businesses access to the latest technology without having to make a large capital investment. Many payroll processing companies use the best solutions to handle multiple clients and want to provide high quality service. In the meantime, a small business that has outsourced its payroll is free to explore market opportunities that will lead to greater profitability and growth.
The internal staff has more time to focus on projects that will develop the business. For the small business owner who typically wears multiple hats, using outsourced payroll services is liberating. Owners have the freedom to focus on the aspects of the business that improves competitiveness. A business is more productive when time and resources are dedicated to what is important. At the same time, a small business benefits from the expertise of a professional payroll staff to ensure that all employees are paid on time.
Particularly for small businesses that have less than 20 employees, more is to gain by using outsourced payroll services. The cost of payroll administration goes beyond the man hours that it takes to ensure timely processing. Businesses must also factor in the cost of paycheck printing and distribution, which can add to the operational budget quickly. Ongoing bookkeeping and tax documents are additional administrative tasks that have to be calculated in the total cost for a company. Many payroll processing services will offer these additional tasks at a cost that is less than it would be in-house.