Will a Payroll Consultant Help Achieve Your Payroll Goals?

Is your payroll in the middle of a crisis? Do you need someone to step in and take over your payroll immediately? Are you looking to ensure your company is compliant with new payroll regulations? Are your procedures as efficient as possible? Ready to implement a new payroll system?

If you answered yes to any of these questions and need a Payroll Consultant but do not know where to start when hiring one, continue reading, we can help guide you along the way.

It may be time for your company to hire a contractual payroll consultant, but what do you look for in the selection process? It can be daunting and overwhelming, trying to find the right fit when your company is in the middle of a payroll crisis, an implementation, or checking for compliance and department efficiencies. We will give you some tips and pointers when looking to find a consultant who can get your payroll department back on track and set you up for future success!

Payroll Knowledge

If you are unsure if it is necessary to hire a payroll consultant, let us take a closer look at what a payroll consultant does and how they can help your payroll department succeed.

First of all, a payroll consultant needs to be functional. We mean, they can take over any payroll system, no matter how large or complex, and run it without any mishaps, from processing payroll to reconciling the GL.

Consultants can tackle many different types of issues, big and small. Small everyday problems can slow down your payroll process; a consultant has the expertise to come in and refine your payroll processes to make for a smoother run department. A consultant also can overhaul your entire payroll process and implement a new one with knowledge and precision.

Consultants have an in-depth understanding of the industry, and because of this, they can help any size payroll department fix any size payroll issues. They will help you understand your payroll from a new and deeply educated standpoint.

Prepared

A good payroll consultant will take the time to get to know your business. They must review your company's culture and function before starting any payroll project. Informal discussions and assessments will help the consultant determine issues that need to be resolved in your payroll department. The best way a consultant can help you is by being honest about your payroll department's current issues. To guarantee success, you must be willing to accept these assessments and be honest with your consultant about the problems in your payroll department, big and small. Consultants will do the work needed to get your payroll up and running smoothly, not just make suggestions from a distance.

The best consultants are engaged and available. Remember, they have the tools, resources, knowledge, and ability to run a payroll, overhaul the entire department if necessary, and meticulously deal with even the smallest payroll issues.

Committed and Responsible

Consultants are strict yet compassionate. They know the mountain you are up against and are here to help you. They will be honest and keep the project moving forward by encouraging team members who need training in their respective roles. A consultant will also hold you and your payroll department accountable for your commitments and responsibilities to get you through to the successful end. They are also very adaptable. They are used to new projects, new people, and new cultures and quickly get the job done. Their soft skills, technical skills, and functional payroll skills allow them to quickly and easily take on their roles.

Skilled and Experienced

Consultants are confident in their skills and expertise and their ability to help your company. Ever-evolving industry standards and implementation are at the forefront of their minds so that they can set you up to succeed. Because of their industry knowledge, payroll consultants are trustworthy. They will work hard and work smart for you and your company.

A functional payroll consultant will guide you through the necessary changes needed to fix your payroll system or department once they have run your payroll and analyzed the data. They do this by combining your strengths and their expertise.

Competence, Credibility, and Chemistry

So, how do you find a consultant you can trust? Do your research. Search for a payroll consultant in the same way that you would search for a candidate to fill a top position in your company. Reach out to the consultant’s former clients and ask about their performance. It will also help you keep the three “C’s” in mind- competence, credibility, and chemistry.

Competence- are they able to do the job that you need done, from start to completion? Be specific about all the issues your payroll department is facing.

Credibility- ask for a list of references and reach out to make sure they are legit.

Chemistry- do you get along with the consultant? Do they get along with you? Be sure the consultant you are looking to hire can blend well with you and your team. If they do not, look for a different candidate.

Contact Us

Hiring a payroll consultant may not be on your mind until your employees are unable to overcome issues that arise in the payroll department. Knowing what to look for in a payroll consultant can help when deciding to hire one. We have experts with 20+ years of payroll expertise at Cornerstone Payroll Consulting. Think your company could benefit from the skills of a payroll professional? Contact us today to see how we can help with all of your payroll consulting needs, big or small.