Saving Greig City Academy from a Payroll Nightmare
From nightmare payroll to a dream
Timely, accurate, and efficient payroll
Expert support from a knowledgeable team
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Greig City Academy is a co-educational secondary school in London, serving over 1,000 pupils. Committed to equipping children academically, spiritually and morally to take their place in the modern world, Greig City Academy uses IRIS Payroll Services to optimise payroll management, ensuring accurate, timely payments for staff while maintaining compliance with the latest regulations. This allows the school to focus on delivering an exceptional education for its students.
Getting rid of payroll nightmares with IRIS Payroll Services
Colin Woollard, Head of Finance at the Academy, recalls the difficulties they had with their previous payroll provider, telling us, “Payroll went from being a small part of my role to a full-time job.” Despite staff being paid on time, issues with pension submissions arose, such as employees being placed in the wrong price bands, leading to underpayments into their pensions and incorrect employee contributions. “The problem is, these things have long-term effects, and we’re still having to sort these issues now. It caused an awful lot of stress and anxiety,” he adds.
Recognising the need for a new solution, the Academy turned to IRIS Payroll Services after hearing positive feedback. Colin admits that he was initially worried about repeating the same stressful experience, but after evaluating IRIS, he was impressed by both the service and the team. “It seemed really impressive, as did the team, so we made the move,” says Colin. Since switching to IRIS Payroll Services last year, the Academy has experienced a much smoother payroll process, alleviating the stress and complexities they had previously faced and saving valuable amounts of time.
Exceptional service and professionalism
Colin has been thoroughly impressed with the service provided by his payroll executive, who he has been working with since he joined IRIS Payroll Services. “She has been a breath of fresh air,” he says. “She always responds to my queries in a timely manner and always meets the monthly deadlines. Her payroll reports have always been accurate, despite the sometimes complex adjustments that need to be dealt with.”
A recent example was the February payroll process, which included numerous employee pension adjustments due to issues with their previous provider. The payroll executive handled all of them with her usual speed and efficiency. “Credit where credit is due. It is sometimes difficult to impress me, but we are so impressed,” Colin tells us. “Her input and professionalism have been outstanding, and all that stress and anxiety I felt over payroll has now gone.”
A trusted solution for schools
When asked if he would recommend IRIS Payroll Services to other schools, Colin, Head of Finance at the Academy, responded, “Absolutely. Having had both a great and a terrible experience with payroll, I now know how important it is that it’s done correctly. Based on our experience, I would highly recommend IRIS Payroll Services. Clearly, the team at IRIS understands the importance of ensuring the payroll and pensions team know what they’re doing and maintaining open communication with the schools they are working with. That’s really all we’re asking for.”
Colin’s positive experience highlights the value of IRIS Payroll Services in providing reliable, efficient, and well-supported payroll management. IRIS Payroll Services offers a fully managed payroll and pension solution specifically designed for schools and trusts. With expertise in handling complex payroll needs, such as multiple roles, pay spines, and various pension schemes, IRIS ensures that all submissions and returns are processed accurately and on time. Users also get access to powerful reporting tools, giving them complete oversight of payroll trends and efficiencies.
