Payroll teams face an ever-changing work environment and increasing employee demands. The 9 to 5 office job is no longer an industry standard, and employees expect their payslips and other important documents to be delivered digitally, securely, and efficiently.
According to the most recent payslip statistics comparison report by the Chartered Institute for Payroll Professionals (CIPP), back in 2008, a whopping 67% of organisations sent physical payslips directly to their departments for distribution. Fast-forward to 2020, and that figure has dropped to a mere 5%.
Remote working and digital transformation are two crucial trends accelerating the use of epayslip portals and online communication methods. Employees value accessibility and flexibility, two characteristics that an epayslip portal can provide.
In this blog, we cover:
- What is an epayslip portal?
- The benefits and challenges of an epayslip portal
- The benefits and challenges of an app
- The requirements for both
- Final thoughts
What is an epayslip portal?
An epayslip portal is a secure online platform that employees can use to access their electronic payslips and often other payroll documents like P60s, timesheets or P45s.
Unlike a mobile application that must be downloaded and installed, an online portal is easily accessed from any browser. Employees can view their digital payslips from their desktops, laptops, mobile phones, or iPads, in just a matter of minutes.
Epay is Datagraphic’s market-leading employee communications and online payslip portal. It offers employees secure access to HR, payroll, reward, and pension documents.
Furthermore, it’s easily accessible from various devices, giving employees access to essential payroll documents 24/7. Epay also offers automated printing and mail services for organisations that prefer a multichannel experience.
The benefits of an epayslip portal
- 24/7 availability and accessible from any connected device
- Digitally inclusive and suitable for a broader range of devices
- Increased flexibility, catering to the demand for more choice from employees
- Users can bookmark a portal link on their device home screen for access in seconds
- It can be made available to all employees, including temporary workers, office staff, remote staff, students, and pensioners
The challenges of an epayslip portal
- Internet access and connectivity is a requirement
- Must be mobile-first and desktop optimised
The benefits of an app
- Documents can be accessed on the go from any internet-enabled mobile or tablet
- User-friendly and easily accessible for smartphone and tablet users
- Extra features can enhance employee interaction, such as real-time notifications
The challenges of an app
- Needs to be mobile-first, but unlike a portal, the app does not need to be desktop friendly
- Some employees prefer accessing work-related documents from their laptops or desktops, not their devices, especially if printing a copy document.
- Added security risk if employees access the app from a public network instead of a private wifi connection
- Users are required to update the app regularly
- Creating an app that is compatible with all mobile devices can be complicated
- Bug fixes and/or changes to the app will require regular upkeep
- It may not have the same functionality as an online portal
Requirements for both
- Must be mobile-first
- Must be accessible from any location
- Must give a seamless experience
- Must be compatible with a wide range of devices
- Organisations must take responsibility for the safe and secure distribution of employee communications
- If employees wish to receive documents via print, this preference should also be catered for
- Data security features are essential as both platforms deal with sensitive and personal information
Final thoughts
As employee characteristics and workplace technologies evolve, so does the way that organisations distribute their payroll communications. Now more than ever, organisations have to communicate seamlessly and efficiently with their employees.
Although email used to reign as the universal method of workplace communication, this is not a secure way to present employees with their payslips. Both apps and interactive web portals have their respective challenges, but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Datagraphic’s Epay, a secure electronic payslip portal, allows organisations to distribute communications through a multichannel experience. Employees can access sensitive documents from any device, at any time, and anywhere in the world.
It even caters for employees who prefer to receive their documents in physical form by offering automated printing and mail services. You can start enjoying Epay’s features and benefits in record timing as the platform works with data from your current payroll systems and doesn’t require any lengthy software changes.
If you’d like to learn more about our Epay portal, don’t hesitate to contact one of our experts, who will be more than happy to talk through options that suit your needs or request an Epay demo today.
