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Day: September 14, 2016

Payroll is a time-intense small business task that has to be done right if employers want their employees to stick around. It’s not a task that can be delayed, or done improperly. Normally not a favorite task among small business owners, payroll is sometimes best left to the experts.

Here are three big advantages of outsourcing payroll that will save you time and money:

big advantages of outsourcing payroll

  1. Access to expertise and knowledge. Employers have to deal with almost 10,000 federal, state and local taxing jurisdictions across the United States. They also heavily rely on technology to operate more efficiently.  As a business grows, employers have more employee records to keep and also need more reporting.  The lack of technology becomes a hindrance to scaling for growth of the business. When you’re doing payroll in-house, you’re more likely to make mistakes that not only upset employees, but the government as well. Payroll service providers may be less likely to make big mistakes, and when they do, it’s easier to approach them about it than if the same mistake were made by one of your own employees.
  2. Minimize costs and risks. Outsourcing payroll can also cut costs and reduce risk. On average, businesses are overpaying employees by about 4% because of differences between the employee’s time and an accurate time record. Larger businesses often have the means to employee an entire accounting/payroll department, but businesses with fewer than 20 employees often find that outsourcing payroll saves them money. A quick way to determine if outsourcing payroll would save your business money is to figure out how many hours your employees are devoting to payroll-related activities, calculate how much you’re spending and compare the amount to the plans offered by several payroll-services providers. (Vyde offers plans around $75/month–if you’re spending more than that, you could be saving money!) Also, be sure to factor in the money your business spends on tasks like printing and distributing checks, creating tax documents, and the like.
  3. More focus on your core business. Doing payroll yourself can take a lot of time and focus from the money-making aspects of your business. Payroll may not directly increase sales, but done incorrectly, it can put your business in a world of hurt. To be in accordance with the laws and legal requirements of payroll takes a considerable amount of time and detail. Outsourcing payroll will help you save time and allow you to spend more money on the profitable parts of your business.

Struggling with in-house payroll? Discover the woes small businesses face, from errors to compliance challenges. Enter the solution: hiring an expert. Outsourcing your small business payroll to professionals ensures accuracy, compliance, and frees up valuable time. As you seek the best, consider Vyde—the most trusted accounting and bookkeeping firm in the US, providing seamless payroll services for your business success. Make the smart move today.

Outsource Your Small Business Payroll

FAQs about Outsourcing Small Business Payroll

Why outsource payroll?

Outsourcing ensures access to expertise, reduces errors, and simplifies compliance with diverse tax jurisdictions.

How does outsourcing minimize costs?

It cuts expenses on overpayments, staffing, and ancillary tasks like check printing, resulting in significant savings.

Can small businesses benefit from outsourcing?

Absolutely. For businesses with fewer than 20 employees, outsourcing payroll saves money and allows focus on core operations.

What risks does outsourcing payroll mitigate?

Outsourcing reduces the risk of errors in tax filings, legal compliance, and employee payment discrepancies, fostering smoother operations.

How does outsourcing enhance business focus?

By delegating time-consuming payroll tasks, businesses can redirect their attention and resources to revenue-generating activities, fostering growth.

If your small business is one that gets especially busy during the holiday season, you can plan for success early by hiring seasonal employees. You might be surprised at how a little extra help can boost sales, increase profits, and make your life as a business owner less hectic during an already busy time of year. Here are a few rules that apply when hiring seasonal employees:

  • All labor laws still apply. Laws that cover harassment, discrimination, and workplace health and safety apply to seasonal workers just as they do to any other employee. If you’re not familiar with these, this Employment and Labor Law Guide for small businesses is a good reference point.
  • Consider hiring seasonal employees as contractors. If you’re running an online business and need some help managing your blog or social media accounts, you can hire an independent contractor without actually making them an employee. A contractor normally works as a less  supervised member of your team. Keep in mind, you hire a contractor to do a job for you, but they are not technically your employee. As such, you aren’t required to provide benefits, withhold tax/Medicare/Social Security, or pay unemployment taxes. You also can’t dictate the hours the contractor works. However, you are required to report compensation of $600 or more to the IRS (more on this here). Be sure to outline the details and length of the contract before work begins.
  • You still have to withhold taxes. Despite popular opinion, seasonal employees should not be paid “under the table,” even if you’re just paying them to hang Christmas lights. Part-time and seasonal employees are subject to the same tax withholding rules as the rest of your employees. For details on your tax reporting responsibilities, refer to IRS regulations on part-time or seasonal help.
  • You may want to use a talent management company. These companies can save you big time and money by screening potential employees, taking care of the HR work, and making sure you hire the right fit for your company, even if it’s only for a season.
  • Use the same HR process as your other employees. Don’t be tempted to hire an employee in haste and throw them out on the sales floor on November 15th. Take some time to onboard the employee by offering early training and opportunities for them when things are slow. Additionally, it’s best to follow the same HR hiring process with a seasonal employee as it is a long-term employee.

Whether you’re running a brick and mortar shop, an online business, or offering services of some sort, the holidays are normally a busy time of year. Start the process of hiring seasonal employees early to ensure a seamless start to the holiday season.

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