Challenge:

• Complex Payroll Across Entities: Abacus Ark’s dual-entity setup made payroll processing uniquely challenging. This structure required constant, precise adjustments to payroll data to accurately capture shifts, varying hours, absences, and role changes. Handling payroll across two entities added layers of complexity, increasing the potential for delays, errors, and administrative overload. 

• Pension Compliance Pressures: Ensuring pension compliance presented a particular challenge due to the regulatory requirements, especially for the low-paid workforce. Every staff movement or change in hours demanded accurate, real-time assessments to remain compliant. Even a minor oversight could result in penalties. Keeping up with pension enrolments and contributions in this ever-shifting environment required a high level of diligence and added considerable workload for the administrative team. 

• High Staff Turnover: The nursery sector’s naturally high turnover posed an additional hurdle for Abacus Ark. Frequent onboarding of new hires, along with managing departing staff, placed ongoing demands on payroll and pension adjustments. This cycle of change made payroll processing time-consuming, diverting attention from Abacus Ark’s primary mission—providing quality childcare and support for families. 

Payroll Solutions:

• Efficient New Starter Onboarding: Automated onboarding ensured quick, accurate integration of new staff, helping Abacus Ark maintain payroll consistency despite high turnover. This process improved accuracy, reducing onboarding errors by 50%. 

• Tailored Monthly Payroll Process: Husky’s custom approach allowed seamless payroll handling across Abacus Ark and Abacus Ark 2, reducing payroll errors by 30% and improving reliability, so payroll was always processed on time, even with frequent role changes and variable hours. 

• Draft Payroll Review: The draft payroll review feature gave Abacus Ark full control and visibility over payroll adjustments before finalising. This reduced the need for corrections, achieving a 95% first-time accuracy rate and minimising follow-up adjustments. 

• HMRC Compliance and Final Submission: Husky’s team handled HMRC submissions and provided employees with payslips via a secure app, eliminating manual filing and ensuring 100% HMRC compliance, saving Abacus Ark potential penalties from regulatory oversights. 

• Employee Access via Husky App: Employees could view and download payslips, P60s, P45s, and other documents, as well as manage their workplace pension contributions through the Husky app. This self-service access helped reduce employee payroll and pension queries significantly. 

• Centralised Record Storage: By securely storing all payroll reports and payslips online, Husky simplified Abacus Ark’s record-keeping, facilitating faster audit responses and reducing administrative workload as well as ensure data is now securely stored. This provided reliable audit readiness and eased end-of-year reporting. 

• Employer Portal Access: Abacus Ark used the centralised employer portal for quick access to payroll information and to streamline communications with Husky’s team. This enhanced transparency and reduced payroll inquiries from staff. 

• Integrated Pension Calculations: Husky integrated pension calculations into the payroll process, ensuring accurate and compliant deductions. This eliminated manual adjustments, helping Abacus Ark stay fully compliant with minimal effort. 

• Personalised Support: Husky’s dedicated support team answered Abacus Ark’s payroll and pension questions in real time, improving payroll process efficiency. This hands-on support reduced administrative stress, with Husky’s assistance leading to zero missed payroll deadlines. 

Pension Solutions 

• Cost-Saving Pension Optimisation: Abacus Ark had already enrolled in the “SMART” pension scheme upon joining in April 2021, as it was available at no cost at that time. However, through their partnership with Husky, Abacus Ark benefitted from Husky’s preferred rate, allowing them to remain exempt from SMART’s annual management fee, which has since increased from £180 to £264, this enabled Abacus Ark to reallocate funds towards strengthening its core services. 

• Complete Compliance Management: Husky managed pension compliance audits with each payroll, reducing Abacus Ark’s compliance risk and ensuring contributions and enrolments were accurate. Husky also sends the statutory communications and manages the pension scheme, ensuring there are no mismatches or payment delays. This proactive approach safeguarded Abacus Ark from potential regulatory issues. 

• Re-enrolment: Husky also completed Abacus Ark’s re-enrolment process by enrolling all eligible staff back to the pension scheme, communicating with employees to understand the process as well as completing the Re-Declaration of Compliance with The Pensions Regulator. 

• Employee Engagement through Husky4Everyone App: By giving employees easy access to pension details and the ability to amend their contributions through the Husky4Everyone app, engagement increased by 25%. This helped employees feel more informed and valued, strengthening their connection to Abacus Ark and contributing to better staff retention. 

Achievements 

• With Husky’s tailored support, Abacus Ark achieved: 

• Improved Compliance: Achieved consistent adherence to pension regulations, with proactive audits reducing compliance risks to zero. 

• Enhanced Efficiency: Reduced payroll processing time by over 30%, freeing up valuable administrative hours. 

• Minimised Payroll Errors: Streamlined processes resulted in a 95% first-time accuracy rate for payroll, significantly reducing rework. 

• Clearer Financial Insights: Detailed, centralised reporting provided Abacus Ark with greater visibility into payroll and pension costs, supporting more informed budgeting and decision-making. 

• Reduced staff queries and increased engagement 

Conclusion 

Partnering with Husky transformed payroll and pension management at Abacus Ark, turning a complex, time-consuming challenge into a streamlined, worry-free process. With Husky’s support, Abacus Ark has achieved new levels of efficiency and compliance, allowing them to concentrate fully on what they do best—nurturing young minds and building a vibrant, supportive environment for both employees and families. With these strong foundations, Abacus Ark is better equipped than ever to enrich children’s lives and inspire their growth every day!