In House Payroll vs. Outsourcing: What's Better for Your Business?

In 2020, the IRS assessed more than US$6 billion in penalties for payroll errors and tax non-compliance. A wise choice of in-house payroll vs outsourcing can help ensure regulatory compliance, time & cost savings, and operational efficiency.

Global HR

Julienne Raboca

March 11, 2024

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Key Takeaways

In-house Payroll vs Outsourcing

According to Cybercrew, 61% of British businesses use outsourced payroll services. 

Running payroll in-house and outsourcing each have their benefits, and the one you choose depends on your specific business needs and preferences. Understanding the pros and cons of in-house payroll vs outsourcing can help business owners choose the right payroll solution.

Understanding In-House Payroll

In-house payroll entails managing payroll functions internally. A business hires a payroll expert or team to run payroll using company resources. These are usually bookkeepers, accountants, or HR personnel working in finance or HR departments.

Pros of In-House Payroll Cons of In-House Payroll
Full control over payroll processing with the ability to customize procedures as needed. Costs include wages, software installation and maintenance, and training. Median annual salary for an accountant is $78,000 (excluding benefits).
Direct storage and access to sensitive employee data like social security numbers and bank details. Payroll processing is time-consuming, with estimates of around 5 hours spent every pay period.
May be cost-effective for businesses with employees knowledgeable in payroll calculations. Prone to errors and compliance risks, with businesses receiving nearly 3x as many fines for errors and non-compliance.

Exploring Outsourcing Payroll

With outsourced payroll services, you partner with a payroll service provider to manage administrative and compliance payroll tasks on your behalf. You can choose to delegate the entire payroll process or specific tasks.

Pros of Outsourcing Payroll Cons of Outsourcing Payroll
Outsourcing payroll frees up time and resources for other revenue-generating activities. Loss of direct control over the payroll process and operations.
Access to experts in tax laws and labor regulations, ensuring a compliant payroll process and reducing non-compliance fines. Dependency on the service provider for storing and managing employee payroll data, making it hard to change providers.
Easy scaling to new features as your business grows, fitting changing payroll requirements. Potential communication delays and security risks due to lack of direct control over data security and issues with provider communication.

Factors Influencing Choice of In-house Payroll vs Outsourcing

There are several factors that businesses should consider when deciding between in-house payroll and outsourcing. The top ones include:

  • Company size
  • Complexity of payroll requirements
  • Budgetary constraints
  • Industry regulations and compliance requirements
  • Long-term growth and scalability plans

To make an informed decision:

  • Establish clear objectives and criteria: List the things you aim to achieve with your payroll system, like regulatory compliance, task integrations, time & cost savings, control over the task process, etc.
  • Conduct a cost-benefit analysis: Weigh the long-term financial benefits of in-house payroll and outsourcing against the direct and indirect costs, time, and effort that go with each option.
  • Assess internal resources and expertise: Evaluate whether you have employees in your team with the expertise to manage payroll in-house.
  • Evaluate service providers: When outsourcing, compare payroll providers based on their reliability, payroll features, customer service, security measures, and more.

In-house Payroll vs Outsourcing Implementation Strategies

Whether you choose to run payroll in-house or outsource to a payroll service, you should have an implementation strategy to avoid unwanted surprises.

Transitioning to In-House Payroll

  • Choose an industry-specific payroll software that fits your needs
  • Train your payroll team to take advantage of all features
  • Put measures in place to minimize payroll errors and ensure regulatory compliance

Onboarding Outsourced Payroll Services

  • Select a payroll vendor that offers the services and features you need
  • Ensure smooth data migration/integration of existing processes and the new system
  • Establish a clear communication and collaboration framework with your provider to ensure transparency and efficiency

Taking Advantage of Playroll’s Solutions

Playroll is an employment platform that offers global payroll management to help streamline payroll operations for your business.

Our payroll experts can help you decide which payroll option is best for your business. Request a demo now.

In-house Payroll vs Outsourcing HR FAQs

What are the top benefits of outsourcing payroll for businesses?

Cost and time savings are the top benefits of outsourcing payroll. It also helps ensure regulatory compliance and is easy to scale as your business grows.

What are the key challenges associated with in-house payroll management?

The key challenges associated with in-house payroll include time-consuming, errors, and compliance risks. It also comes with several direct and indirect costs that can add up.

How can businesses determine whether to choose in-house payroll or outsourcing?

In-house payroll is great for businesses that want more control over the payroll process and have internal resources and expertise. If you want to save time, cost, and effort that goes into payroll processing, outsourcing is better.

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