Last Call for Making a Payroll and HR System Switch for January 1, 2022 Start Date

2021 continues to present unanticipated operational challenges for organizations. Some carry on with delivering virtual programs and events to their constituents. Many are trying to keep their staff and donors engaged without in-person gatherings. Most are forced to operate entirely without paper and collaborate in a remote or hybrid environment.

While these last couple of years have been challenging for some to change their processes, especially those with outdated systems, they have shown how resilient individuals and organizations have to be to function in this new reality. Efficient and reliable software is no longer “nice to have” but “a must-have”. HR administrative procedures such as payroll, benefits enrollment, and filling out mandatory paperwork should take little time. Staff should also be able to complete these procedures in a remote or hybrid setting.

Start with a Needs Assessment

If your organization is struggling or looking to improve, we recommend starting with an HR needs assessment. Although it is very common to follow recommendations and reviews, a platform that may have done a marvelous job for your colleagues may not be the right tool for you.

A needs assessment will enable you to identify what HR features are essential vs. the ones that would be nice to have. It is important to include features that your administrators may want and areas that would improve your users’ experiences. While performing the assessment, you may realize how much time your team is spending trying to make processes work, like timesheets or time-off requests. You may also find out that clunky systems may be the reason why few people enroll in benefits by the deadline or why many payroll errors are identified when you conduct an audit, to name a few.

After you capture your critical requirements, you are in a good position to evaluate your options, including determining if a professional employer organization (PEO) is the right fit for your organization’s needs. When you are clear on your requirements and pick the tool that delivers that functionality, implementation starts. Once you make a decision, 30-90 days is needed for the system to be up and running. The timeframe would depend on the size of your team, current processes, and the selected system.

When is the ideal time to make a payroll or HR system switch?

While our team can perform a needs assessment and platform implementation at any time of the year, a January 1st start date is ideal, particularly for systems that integrate with payroll. January lets you start fresh without needing to coordinate balances, taxes, and other yearly max accumulators between providers. You also avoid managing different vendors’ tax filing responsibilities, which may overlap when you make the change during the same calendar year.

Reach out to Solana or Kiwi Partners' HR Services team if you think switching payroll or HR systems may be a good solution for your organization. For a January 1 start date, contact us now.