HeadCount takes on payroll pressures for Hughes Electrical

HeadCount Services Ltd, a fast-growing outsourced human resources services provider has finalised a contract with Lowestoft-based Hughes Electrical to manage their payroll system.

The three-year contract worth 80,000 involves Hughes transferring the hosting of their in-house based TeamSpirit software system to HeadCount, a payroll outsourcing company within the TeamSpirit Holdings group. In a ground-breaking arrangement, HeadCount will run the payroll and manage tax and legislative administration on a system hosted on HeadCount servers, based on data directly inputted by Hughes staff into the system which will be accessible through an encrypted Virtual Private Network link over the Internet.

This approach defined as a ësemi-hostedí solution frees Hughes of the need to support dedicated internal IT systems, as payroll and HR data can be submitted securely over any corporate PC. As well as cost savings and increased efficiencies, a key member of Hughesí payroll team is leaving, which potentially exposed the company to the risks of reliance on individual staff members for such a key function as payroll.

Nick Heffer, personnel director for Hughes Electrical, commented:

ìWeíve happily been using TeamSpirit software in-house for a number of years. As changes are happening in our internal payroll team, switching part of our payroll to TeamSpiritís outsourced services arm, HeadCount, creates additional flexibility, efficiency and brings clear risk management advantages.

HeadCount is easy to negotiate with, they make both their and our responsibilities clear and the process is reassuringly professional.î

Maria Mason, sales manager for HeadCount, responded:

ìWe are delighted to have an arrangement where Hughes has transferred the requirement for in-depth payroll expertise and the pressure of physically running a payroll to HeadCount. Managers and HR staff at Hughes can interact with the payroll system whenever they need to through any PC connected to the corporate network, to directly enter staff details and get the information they need to manage their business.î

Hughes Electrical is renowned across East Anglia as a leading independent electrical retailer, employing 550 staff across its business which includes 35 retail outlets and six service centres.