When starting up a new business, there are many things to consider. Hiring the right people, implementing the suitable infrastructure, and engaging the right clients are all priority. You need to scope out the competition you’ll be facing, and research the appropriate rules and regulations surrounding trading in the relevant industry. However, one crucial element is often forgotten – payroll.  

As soon as you employ just one person, processing payroll automatically becomes a necessity for your business. If you’re starting up, implementing a payroll solution as soon as possible has tangible impacts on how your business will progress. Here’s why:  

Trust is key to employee retention 

Employee retention is an ongoing battle for many businesses. Research conducted by PwC found that Australia is falling way behind in the race to retain good talent. Out of 11 developed countries researched, Australia sat last with 23% of staff turnover experienced in a year. The Netherlands were the best performers, with only 4% annual turnover of staff. Employee retention is considered a key driver for business success. Each time a new employee needs to be hired, significant resources go into recruiting, onboarding, and training that new staff member. A high level of turnover therefore leads to increased overheads not experienced in businesses with high employee retention. 

According to research by The Workforce Institute, payroll errors (late or incorrect wages) could be a large contributor to high employee turnover figures. Employees need to be paid correctly, and on time. The Workforce Institutes’ research found that 25% of employees consider seeking new employment after one payroll error is made. That figure jumps to 49% after a second error. Payroll errors are about more than just money. There is a trust between employer and employee – the employee will work hard, and the employer will correctly remunerate them for their efforts. When paying an employee incorrectly, or a week late, there is a break in that trust. Your employees have their own financial commitments to meet, and if they aren’t being paid the right wage on time, it’s unlikely they’ll stick around. If you’re starting up a business, and you’ve employed talented staff that you want to keep around, a payroll solution is a must! 

You can ready more about payroll errors and employee retention here. 

Errors are costly, and easy to make 

Payroll may seem straightforward. Your employees do their work, and you put money in their account – right? Unfortunately, payroll is far more detailed than this. Your startup likely employs staff under varying awards. Fair Work Australia lists 122 modern awards, each with around 30 clauses and additional schedules. The wage of each employee will differ depending on their age, status as casual, part-time or full-time, and if they’re a trainee or apprentice. There are pay-rate changes based on the time-of-day worked, and day-of-the-week worked. Tax deductions, varying forms of leave, superannuation contributions, and allowed expenses also need to be calculated. Hence, if you’re not a payroll expert, payroll mistakes are all too easy to make. 

Not only will mistakes encourage employees to jump ship, but they will be very costly should bodies such as Fair Work or the ATO detect the errors. Now that Single Touch Payroll reporting requirements have been confirmed, the ATO will have access to every pay slip you generate. Hence, they will have ample ability to detect incorrect payments and issue applicable fines. Just because you’re a small startup business does not mean you will be exempt from fines! You can read more about Single Touch Payroll here, and modern awards here. 

Time is money 

Processing payroll when you aren’t an expert at taxation requirements or modern awards is very time consuming. The phrase ‘time is money’ is even more true for startups, and the time spent trying to figure out how much to pay your staff could be more constructively used connecting to new clients, or bettering your product.  

Choosing a payroll solution for your startup 

Payroll might not be as shiny and fun as landing a new client, or hiring an ace new team member. However, it’s mission critical to your startup. As soon as you begin thinking of starting up a business, you need to invest in a payroll solution. There are even software on the market that are complete HR solutions, saving your business even more time and money. If you would like to read more about choosing a payroll solution, read our guide here.  

Roubler offers the complete payroll solution for all business sizes, including startups. Our award-compliant, accurate and efficient service is backed by advanced technology and over 10 years’ experience in the industry. Furthermore, Roubler offers the complete management package, including recruitment and onboarding tools, rostering, time and attendance, and payroll all in one application. Plus, Roubler is integrated with Xero so you can look after all your finances in the same place. If you want your startup to get ahead, get in contact today.