According to a recent survey, an astounding 97% of employees said they would like to continue working remotely at least part of their time. Despite the popularity and obvious benefits, working from home is not always as simple as working in a local office space. For example, streamlining payroll management in a remote setting can pose several complications. However, it is possible to implement an efficient remote payroll management system for small and mid-sized businesses. Here are 6 best tips for managing payroll for remote employees.
1. Establish Standard Remote Working Policies
The first step in efficiently managing payroll for your remote staff is to develop the policies and procedures that will guide the entire operation. Payroll processing can be difficult, especially when teams are distributed around the globe. Your company may be using separate systems for things like global payroll, time, and attendance — all of which are subject to change as you grow.
You can establish remote working policies by implementing time-tracking software, include off-site working policies in your company handbook, and require employees to sign an employment contract. You can also try to increase productivity by providing your staff with clearly-defined goals and timeframes for completing their work.
Create a manual that will guide the payroll process to prevent such situations. Formulate regulations for remote workers that cover matters like how they record and report their work hours, how they use timekeeping software, how overtime is handled, and other related issues.
2. Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration
Face-to-face communication may not be feasible in a remote work environment. So a great alternative is to utilize technology to enable efficient collaboration between the payroll, HR, and finance staff members wherever they are.
Your best action is to create a group communication channel for the participating departments to consolidate communication. They may then quickly work on any problems or complications since everyone will be on the same page.
3. Synchronize Pay Dates
Depending on whether you pay your personnel hourly, weekly, or monthly, you can have multiple pay schedules. Having international branches that each use their own local systems could lead to additional difficulties. Multiple pay intervals may be important for the business, but handling more than one payroll schedule will take more time and work.
Look for ways to shorten pay cycles to help reduce the likelihood of mistakes and process duplication. You should try to stick to a uniform pay date for every employee in the company. When online payments are delayed in a remote worker's location, it is a good idea to let them know exactly when to expect their delayed payments. Regardless of department or location, paying your employees on the same day can maximize the effectiveness of your payroll administration system.
4. Use a Reliable Payroll Management System
When you decide to start hiring global, remote workers, you probably need to change or update your payroll management software. You want to make sure that the teams involved can access data from any location, make modifications, and work together in real time.
Automation is one of the main benefits of using payroll software. Pay distribution, tax worksheet distribution, and report generation are all repetitive tasks that can be automated. A global payroll management system may significantly enhance your regular payroll processes, streamline departmental communication, save time, and reduce the chance of errors. Most importantly, you should put in place a payroll management system that can easily adjust to constantly-changing employment and tax legislation.
There are a variety of payroll apps and software that can help small and medium businesses manage their payroll efficiently. In addition to other features, these apps can aid with tax compliance, payroll and bonus calculations, holiday compensation, and other expenses.
5. Consider Outsourcing Payroll
Depending on the size of your company, foreign labor policies, and the expertise of your HR team, you may need to delegate some payroll duties to third-party contractors to relieve you of some hassles. By outsourcing your global payroll to a third-party payroll management company, your business can save a lot of time and money.
Another advantage of outsourcing is that you'll avoid the difficulties of constantly-changing payroll legislation — your partner will take care of that. In addition, it offers you more time to concentrate on the main aspects of your business and find strategies for growth.
6. Digitize Self-Service Processes
There are some self-service solutions available with cloud-based payroll systems, which frees up HR time by collecting data that is already digital. To be verified by the HR department, employees can submit proofs and reimbursement requests online from any location to facilitate expense reimbursement.
Additionally, post-payroll tasks like payslip distribution and payroll accounting can be automated by digital technologies. This can speed up the payroll process, lessen requests to the HR desk, and allow HR leaders to focus on other important tasks.
Conclusion
Making payroll on schedule is essential as your company undergoes global expansion. With RemoFirst, you can successfully implement an efficient remote payroll management system for your global employees. We are a remote-first company with a thorough grasp of the challenges employers encounter, and we are committed to helping you solve these issues at the most affordable price point.
Want to learn more about how to hire and manage your global team via our easy-to-use HRIS platform? Request a demo today to learn how RemoFirst can help you easily manage your global remote payroll system.
