Whether your business peaks in the summer months or the run up to Christmas, most businesses have a time of year when they’ll need casual workers. Hiring temporary workers can be great for businesses, allowing them to get extra support at peak times, without the commitment of hiring a permanent member of staff. However, one challenge that can face businesses is how to ensure temporary workers are paid properly, and how to stay legally compliant when hiring. Here are some ways you can make the process of hiring temporary workers easier.
Paying workers directly
While some businesses use temp agencies to hire seasonal staff, it can be much cheaper to hire them directly. If staff are freelancers, you can pay invoices directly, but most will need to be set up as PAYE even if they’re only working a short time. Getting the right software allows easy payroll processing for bureaus, so it’s easy to deal with short term staff. This can include payroll tasks such as:
- Setting up new people on the system
- Getting their tax code added ASAP – so they aren’t stuck paying emergency tax
- Ensuring the right tax and NI is paid
- Calculating pay for hourly paid staff
- Ensuring their leaving is processed quickly at the end of their contract
Traditionally, using short term staff was inconvenient, which is why companies used temp agencies who did all the admin such as payroll. But with the right software, you can easily hire people directly.
Staying compliant
When you hire short term staff, it’s important to stay legally compliant. The days of paying cash in hand are gone, and it’s important that you meet guidelines for minimum wage. Temporary workers also have an increasing number of rights, especially those who work with you for 12 weeks or more. Primo Payroll offer software that makes payroll for accountants, bureaus and businesses easier, and allows them to calculate holidays, sick pay, and other entitlements, ensuring your seasonal staff are well looked after.
Weekly payments
For short term contracts, many employers choose to pay temps weekly, and having up to date accountancy payroll software makes it easier to carry out regular pay runs. Extra employees mean extra strain on your payroll team, as they’ll need to continue their normal payroll for your permanent staff. It’s important that they have a system that’s organised and easy to use, so everyone gets paid the right amount on time.
Deductions
When paying temporary staff, it’s important to note that there are still deductions that need to be made. Whether it’s student loans or a childcare voucher scheme, there’s more to running payroll for temps than simply calculating tax. That’s why it’s more important than ever to have the right software at your disposal.
If you want to make your payroll easier, call Primo Payroll on 0845 456 7181 today. Based at Unit 2A, Bourne Court, Unity Trading Estate, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8HD, they work with companies of all sizes across the UK.
