Rid yourself of this money-draining process today

Forget the poor innocent trees, the expense of printed documents can seriously cut into your bottom line. Fortunately, an environmentally friendly practice is also a great way to curb costs.

Paperless payroll systems can eliminate the cost of paper forms, printers and consumables, not to mention the headache of stolen checks and the distribution process. But a “green” payroll system is a major undertaking for any company.

Here are some steps to help you make a smooth transition to a paperless payroll system.

• Collect payroll data. Most likely, you’ll need to get additional financial info (employees’ financial institution, checking or savings-account routing numbers, etc.) from employees before going paperless. Also, for employees without bank affiliations, you’ll need to come up with alternate payment options — i.e. paycards. Obtaining all employees’ e-mail addresses will also be necessary, so payroll-related documents like W2 forms can be sent out electronically.
• Find a provider. Thanks to the growing trend in paperless payroll, there’s no shortage of providers. Companies like Pay Plus Solutions and TALX specialize in helping companies make a painless transition to a “green” payroll.
• Test, test, test. Changing an entire payroll system leaves a lot of room for problems. So be sure you and your provider go through rigorous tests to work out the kinks in the system. To limit start-up issues, it may be best to begin using the system on a handful of volunteer employees before trying it out.
• Ask for feedback. Once the system is in place, actively seek out employee opinions on what they like, what they don’t and, most importantly any suggestions they can offer.