April's Edition

Welcome to the first edition of The PeopleHR Playbook: your go-to source for HR insights, payroll tips, and practical tools that help you stay one step ahead.

As rising costs and evolving employee expectations reshape the world of work, we're diving into the strategies and tech that empower you to adapt with confidence. From new research on benefits and retention to hands-on payroll tips and product updates, this issue is packed with resources to help you build a more connected, efficient, and people-first workplace.

Ready to simplify processes, boost engagement, and drive better outcomes across HR and payroll? Let’s get into it 👇

Fostering a culture of continuous feedback is essential for employee development and engagement. Instead of relying solely on annual reviews, encourage regular check-ins between managers and team members. 

Quick Best Practices: 

• Regular One-on-Ones: Schedule consistent meetings to discuss performance and goals. 

• Peer Feedback: Promote opportunities for colleagues to provide feedback to one another. 

• Leverage Technology: Use PeopleHR’s performance management tools to facilitate feedback collection. 

• Be Specific: Ensure feedback is clear and focused on actionable behaviours. 

By integrating continuous feedback, you empower employees to grow and align their contributions with business objectives, driving overall performance and satisfaction. 

🚀 Meet Copilot: Your AI Assistant for Effortless Productivity

Say hello to Copilot! Your intelligent sidekick designed to make everyday tasks feel effortless.

Whether you're drafting emails, crafting reports, or brainstorming ideas, Copilot is here to boost your creativity and efficiency in real time.

✨ Imagine this: Compose the perfect email with just a few prompts. Get instant suggestions to elevate your writing style. Remove the mental load of repetitive tasks...instantly.

With Copilot by your side, you’ll:

• Streamline your workflow
• Save valuable time
• Focus on what really matters: your goals and your people

Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to a faster, smarter, more engaging way of working.

Let Copilot turn your everyday moments into magic moments. 🌟

Discover How Yu Energy Transformed Their HR Strategy 

Did you know that Yu Energy achieved a 60% adoption rate on their new benefits platform within just four weeks? Or that their engagement scores have consistently improved for five consecutive years? 

Curious to know how they did it? 

🎥 Watch the video below to see how Yu Energy harnessed PeopleHR to streamline processes, enhance employee engagement, and unlock their growth potential. 

Following on from the latest updates from PeopleHR, we’re turning the spotlight to Paycircle and all things payroll! 

This section of the newsletter is your monthly source of practical insights, product updates, and useful resources designed to help you simplify payroll, stay compliant, and support your wider people strategy. 

Let’s look at what’s new and relevant this month 👇 

📊 New Report: Navigating Rising Costs: How Employee Benefits Can Help Offset NI and Wage Increases 

Employee engagement has never been more important, and this new report reveals what UK employees are really thinking. 

Based on responses from more than 2,000 employees across various industries, the Engage NI Report uncovers key trends shaping the modern workplace, from what employees value in their benefits packages to what makes them stay or leave. 

For HR and payroll leaders, this is more than a research piece, it’s a roadmap to building a stronger employee experience. You’ll find actionable insights on how to tailor rewards and benefits, enhance communication, and foster a workplace culture that supports retention and performance. 

👉 Read the full Engage NI Report 

📰 Latest Blog “Top Payroll Challenges for SMEs” 

Payroll plays a critical role in every business, but for SMEs, running payroll can quickly become complex and time-consuming. From navigating ever-changing legislation and compliance demands, to dealing with fragmented systems and manual processes, the challenges are significant. 

In this article, we explore the five biggest payroll pain points affecting small and mid-sized businesses today, along with practical advice on how to solve them. Whether you're struggling with managing multiple pay structures or want better integration between payroll and HR, this blog offers real-world strategies to streamline operations and reduce risk. 

📖 Read the full blog 

📅 Events & Webinars 

Stay informed with our latest sessions, designed to help you get ahead of key industry changes and make the most of your payroll tools: 

🎥 Just wrapped: Navigating Rising NICs: How to Maximise Savings with Salary Sacrifice  As National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase, salary sacrifice schemes offer an opportunity to reduce costs for both employees and employers. In this session, we explored how businesses can implement and manage salary sacrifice effectively, the types of schemes available (including pensions and EVs), and how payroll technology supports it all. 

👉 Watch on demand   

🎥 Now available: Payroll Year-End Webinar:  Year-end payroll can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. In this on-demand webinar, our payroll specialists walk through key year-end responsibilities, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to use Paycircle and PeopleHR together to simplify the process. Ideal for anyone managing year-end tasks or looking to improve their approach next time. 

👉 Watch the recording   

📌 Coming up in May: Bridging the Gaps: Outsourced Payroll + HR Integration  If you’re considering outsourced payroll, or already work with an external provider, integration with your HR system is key to keeping things running smoothly. This upcoming webinar will cover how to get the most from outsourcing, what to look for in a provider, and how integration with systems like Paycircle and PeopleHR can enhance accuracy, visibility, and compliance. 

👉 Register here 

💡 Paycircle Power Plays: 3 Hacks for a Smoother Payroll with Paycircle 

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimise your current setup, these tips can help you run a more efficient, accurate, and secure payroll each month: 

• Create new employee records in PeopleHR first  If you're using Paycircle alongside PeopleHR, start by adding new employees directly into PeopleHR. This ensures data syncs automatically and accurately into Paycircle, reducing duplication and potential errors. 
• Enable Auto-Run Payroll (ideal for static payrolls)  If your payroll setup doesn’t change much month to month e.g. same pay dates, consistent employee details), auto-run can save you time and effort. Once enabled, payroll will run automatically on a set schedule, generating reports and notifications without needing manual input each cycle. You’ll still be able to review and make changes ahead of time if required. 
• Download reports in bulk and apply password protection  When emailing reports such as payslips, journals or summaries, always bulk-download and password-protect them to safeguard sensitive data. It’s a small step that helps ensure GDPR compliance and builds trust with your employees. 

🎯 Book a Demo – See Paycircle in Action 

Paycircle helps HR and payroll teams work smarter, not harder, by removing manual admin, improving compliance, and creating a seamless link between HR and payroll data. 

If you're looking to modernise your payroll process, reduce the risk of errors, or simply get a clearer view of what's happening each month, we're here to help. 

👉 Book a free demo and discover how Paycircle can support your business. 

🔚 That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for joining us for this month’s edition of The PeopleHR Playbook. From the latest insights on employee benefits to practical payroll tips and powerful product updates, we hope you’re leaving with ideas and tools to make your people processes even stronger.

📌 Here’s your next step: Whether you’re refining your onboarding flow, exploring payroll integrations, or simply staying ahead of industry changes, remember, we’re here to help.

✅ Book a demo ✅ Catch up on webinars ✅ Explore the Engage NI Report

Got questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

The PeopleHR & Paycircle Team