Year-end payroll requires meticulous timing, thorough technology

By Sean van Wyk for CRS Technologies
Johannesburg, 05 Dec 2016

HR & Payroll Compliance Consultant Sean van Wyk

As many companies prepare for year-end shutdown and employees look forward to a well-deserved break, the last month of the year is 'crunch time' for the payroll department. As HR and HCM experts at CRS Technologies explain, timing and a reliable technology system are absolutely essential to meet all requirements and expectations.

Year-end for payroll means having to provide for sufficient time to pay salaries and bonuses, and this means having to move the payroll input date deadline considerably closer to the beginning of December.

"Timing is imperative in payroll at any time of the year, but even more so at the end of the year. If the correct planning has not been implemented, it could result in late payments and very unhappy employees," says HR & Payroll Compliance Consultant Sean van Wyk.

Van Wyk emphasises the importance of timing and says this is essential, irrespective of the level of technology that has been integrated to smooth over the payroll administrative process.

"Payroll systems are usually the best tool, but planning is the operative word," says Van Wyk.

If preparation is the chief cog in the payroll administration engine, then communication is the oil, according to CRS Technologies.

The company describes communication as the stepping stone to holistic understanding between entities.

As Van Wyk attests, effective payroll administration involves the communication of deadlines to HR and payroll departments, as well as communication of pay dates to employees. This alleviates unnecessary queries to the payroll admin department and removes a significant amount of pressure.

This is very important, especially at this time of the year when the payroll department is under enough pressure without the burden of having to deal with mounting queries and questions from unsure employees.

"The payroll department is the heart of the business. It is often believed that sales would be the obvious choice; however, if no one gets paid, no one works. Remembering the hard work and dedication of each payroll person is very important," Van Wyk adds.

CRS HR & Payroll Solutions

CRS HR & Payroll Solutions is a provider of services and solutions to the human resources and payroll markets in Africa in general and South Africa in particular.

Established in 1985, the company has served as the premier provider of HR systems, solutions and remuneration products to business across expanding market segments.

CRS's product portfolio encompasses everything the decision-maker in business requires to support the roll-out of an effective HR and payroll strategy.

The company's foremost reputation as a reliable service provider and trader in rapidly expanding market segments and to blue chip companies is underpinned by its affiliation and partnership with a number of respected, industry-regulatory bodies.

CRS is a signatory to the Information Technology Association (ITA) and a member of the Payroll Authors Group of South Africa.

It is also a member of the South African Payroll Association, South African Rewards Association and the Institute of People Management.

Its expertise and business acumen within these mission-critical aspects of business management have ensured it remains an ultra-competitive, secure and unrivalled market performer.

CRS provides a service to numerous countries throughout Africa, including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique.

The continent is viewed as being a thriving, high-growth market and one that the company will continue to add value to.

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Year-end payroll requires meticulous timing, thorough technology

If the correct planning has not been implemented, it could result in late payments and unhappy employees, says Sean van Wyk, HR & payroll compliance consultant at CRS Technologies.