ZION Bar & Restaurant Reduces Payroll Processing Time by 70% with Talexio

About the Company

ZION Bar & Restaurant is a catering business employing between 35 and 39 people. Payroll is managed in-house, alongside other HR responsibilities.

Until 2023, all payroll and HR processes were done manually. This was time-consuming and inefficient, so the company set out to find a modern solution that could centralise employee management, streamline payroll, and give both management and staff better visibility.

Why They Searched for a New Payroll System

The main objective was to reduce the time and effort spent on routine tasks. Manual work not only slowed things down but also made it harder to check entitlements and clarify employee questions around leave or bonuses. ZION Bar & Restaurant wanted a solution that could manage payroll and HR in one place, automate calculations, and make processes more reliable and efficient.

With Talexio, they can now onboard and terminate employees directly in the system, process leave requests through the platform, and complete the full payroll cycle from start to finish.

The Challenges Before Talexio

Before adopting Talexio, all payroll tasks were carried out by hand. Every month, finalising payroll took around six hours, sometimes stretching to a full day. Answering employee questions about leave balances or bonuses required digging through files and calculations, which was time-consuming.

There was also heavy reliance on external support. For example, ZION Bar & Restaurant needed their auditor’s help every month to close payroll and submit FS5s, adding extra steps and delays.

The team wanted a single system that would remove these bottlenecks, reduce manual effort, and provide visibility on leave balances to employees.

Choosing Talexio

When evaluating software options, ZION Bar & Restaurant looked at different providers. Some tried to sell additional tools such as POS systems, which ZION Bar & Restaurant already had and didn’t need. Talexio stood out because it offered exactly what they were looking for: a dedicated HR and payroll system, backed by a helpful team ready to guide them through the setup.

For ZION Bar & Restaurant, the ability to manage HR and payroll in one platform was a must-have. Streamlining processes and saving time were top priorities.

Since they hadn’t used payroll software before, there were some concerns about how the transition would work. Talexio’s onboarding support team addressed these quickly, helping them prepare their data and configuration.

Implementation and Roll-out

The onboarding process was straightforward. With guidance from Talexio’s support team, ZION Bar & Restaurant input employee data and configured settings in advance. Their target was clear: to be fully operational on Talexio from January 2023.

They met this target successfully. The first payroll was processed on the platform that same month, with no issues.

The Impact

The difference was immediate. Payroll that used to take around six hours per month is now completed in just two. Employee questions, which once required lengthy manual checks, are now answered quickly using the system.

Key features have become essential to their daily workflow, with Leave Management being particularly valuable. Employees submit leave requests, the team only needs to approve them, and the hours to be deducted from entitlement and the leave balance are automatically calculated. Entitlements are updated automatically each year in line with law or budget changes, removing the need for manual updates.

The system also handles complex cases automatically. For example, when an employee is onboarded mid-year, entitlements are calculated on a pro-rata basis. This used to require manual calculation, but now happens instantly.

Accuracy has improved as well. Double-checks confirm that calculations are correct, giving the payroll specialist peace of mind and reducing reliance on auditors for monthly submissions.

Compliance Made Easier

With Talexio, compliance tasks are far simpler. FS3, FS5, and FS7 reports are generated directly from the system. Previously, ZION Bar & Restaurant had to depend on their auditor each month for FS5 submissions. Now, everything can be done in-house, with the auditor only needed for end-of-year reconciliation.

This has saved both time and cost while giving the team more independence and confidence in their processes.

Staff Feedback

Employees appreciate the transparency Talexio brings. They now have direct access to payslips, entitlements, and balances through the self-service portal. Everything is explained clearly, and questions can be resolved quickly.

When new employees join, the team shows them how to access payslips and track their leave in Talexio. While some prefer to have HR submit requests on their behalf, staff generally value the visibility and control they now have. It has strengthened trust by making information easy to access and reliable.

Advice to Other Businesses

For ZION Bar & Restaurant, Talexio has transformed payroll and HR processes. Their advice to others is clear:

Just go for Talexio, you will not be disappointed; it’s a very reliable software, and the support is quick and very helpful.