blogs > Outsourcing

In-House vs Outsourced Payroll

Outsourced Payroll vs In-House

Choosing whether to outsource your payroll or manage it internally might be a common business decision, but it’s not one that should be taken lightly. This comprehensive blog examines both options through the lens of cost, compliance risk, and scalability...

Payroll outsourcing for accountants

Why accountancy practices are partnering with payroll providers (and why you should too)

As an accountancy practice, your clients expect you to handle their payroll. It’s part of the service, part of being their trusted adviser. But payroll has become a beast that’s quietly eating away at your practice’s profitability and your team’s...

ISO 27701 privacy GDPR

The privacy standard you’ve never heard of (but should be asking your payroll provider about)

Since the UK GDPR and the new Data Protection Act came into effect in 2018, every business has claimed to be compliant. It’s expected. It’s promised. But can it actually be proven? That’s where ISO 27701 comes in. It is...

Managed Payroll Horror Stories

When outsourced payroll turns into a horror show

The warning signs you ignore at your peril Outsourcing your payroll should make your life easier. That’s the whole point. You hand over one of the most compliance-heavy, time-consuming parts of running a business to experts who eat, sleep and...

Why staying with a struggling payroll provider is risking your business

Why sticking with a struggling payroll provider is riskier than you think

It starts small. An email takes a day longer to get answered. Your regular contact has “moved on to new opportunities.” You get introduced to someone new – again. They seem capable enough, but you can tell they’re still getting...

Care sector - retention through payroll

Care sector – retention through payroll

Why getting payroll right is your best staff retention strategy The care sector is haemorrhaging talent. With turnover rates spiralling and agency costs crushing margins, providers are scrambling for solutions. However, while most focus on recruitment drives and retention bonuses,...

Why service excellence creates believers

Why service excellence creates believers

At Ascend, we’ve always believed that the way we serve our clients matters just as much as the services themselves. It’s not just about processing payroll; it’s about how we make people feel throughout their entire journey with us. Recently,...

Blog - payroll tips for new businesses

Payroll tips for new businesses

Payroll Tips from Ascend Starting your own business is exciting, but hiring staff also means stepping into the world of payroll. And let’s be honest, it’s probably not the bit you were most looking forward to. Payroll might not be...

Pensions - Helping with pension problems blog header. Ascend payroll

Pensions – the payroll onboarding problem hiding in plain sight

It’s been more than a decade since automatic enrolment came into effect, yet workplace pensions remain one of the biggest stumbling blocks we encounter when onboarding new payroll clients You might expect that, after 10+ years, most employers would have...

When managed payroll isn’t really managed at all – know the signs!

When you signed up for a managed payroll service, you probably envisioned a hassle-free experience where experts take care of everything, leaving you with more time to focus on your business. This is often the promise they sell you, but...