Starick

Payroll System Optimisation

What they said.

Zest brought both technical expertise and a genuinely collaborative approach to our payroll optimisation project. They took the time to understand our operating environment and worked alongside our team to simplify the system configuration, strengthen payroll processes, and improve automation. Their practical support, thorough testing and clear handover documentation have resulted in a more efficient payroll system with less reliance on manual processes. Just as importantly, the project has given our team greater trust in the system and confidence in their ability to manage it effectively.

Maddy Ledger

Head of People and Culture

The Need

Starick operates in a complex community services environment with a workforce that includes varied working arrangements and services operating across extended hours.
As part of its ongoing focus on strengthening systems and improving internal processes, Starick identified an opportunity to simplify its payroll configuration, increase automation and reduce reliance on manual payroll processes.

Starick engaged Zest to provide specialist payroll system optimisation support.

The Solution

Zest worked collaboratively with Starick’s payroll team to review and streamline the configuration of its payroll system.
The project focused on:

Rationalising and restructuring payroll rules.
Improving the automation of overtime and penalty-rate calculations.
Aligning work types and pay categories.
Improving the configuration of more complex working arrangements.
Reducing unnecessary manual processes and workarounds.
Strengthening timesheet and approval processes.
Improving payroll documentation and internal controls.

Zest worked collaboratively with the payroll team to rationalise and restructure payroll rules, improve overtime automation, reconfigure penalty rates, and align work types and pay categories. Recall-to-work configuration was rebuilt and tested against complex shift scenarios, reducing the team’s reliance on manual workarounds.

Zest also supported Starick in strengthening payroll governance, aligning leave payment methodologies, tightening processing controls, and improving timesheet and approval processes. The engagement concluded with end-to-end payroll testing, stakeholder walkthroughs and handover documentation, giving Starick a validated system and a clear record of how outcomes were achieved.

Highlights

A more streamlined payroll system: Payroll rules and system settings were rationalised to reduce unnecessary complexity and support more consistent processing.
Improved automation: The project increased the automation of overtime, penalty rates and complex working arrangements, reducing the payroll team’s reliance on manual calculations and workarounds.
Practical implementation support: Zest worked alongside the payroll team to configure, test and implement the improvements rather than providing recommendations alone.
Stronger payroll processes: Timesheet, approval and payroll control processes were strengthened to support greater consistency and clearer accountability.
Internal capability and sustainability: System walkthroughs and handover documentation gave the payroll team a clear understanding of the updated configuration and the confidence to manage it independently.

Challenges

Simplifying payroll rules that had accumulated over time.
Reconfiguring payroll automation without disrupting live pay runs.
Testing changes across varied working arrangements.
Balancing system improvements with operational requirements.
Ensuring the improved configuration was clearly documented and could be maintained internally.

Wins

Rationalised and streamlined payroll rules and configuration.
Improved the automation of overtime and penalty-rate calculations.
Reduced reliance on manual payroll processes and workarounds.
Strengthened timesheet, approval and payroll control processes.
Improved internal understanding of the payroll system.
Delivered a tested configuration supported by clear handover documentation.
Established a more efficient and sustainable payroll process for the future.

More Work.

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