We recently spent some time with IPS President and Vice-President John and Pete Feaman, who shared their reflections on a challenging 2021 and the renewed focus on employee experience in the workplace for 2022.
As we enter the last month of the year, what accomplishments stand out for IPS?
John: I would say how well we managed and assisted our clients through the recent legislation that resulted from the pandemic, including the Payment Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness, Employee Retention Credits, and Covid Sick Earnings. Legislation changed rapidly over these many months – sometimes on a weekly basis. I feel our team did an unbelievable job of handling and understanding what was changing and conveyed that well to our clients. I’m extremely impressed with their continued commitment to ensure everything is always as seamless as possible.
What, if anything, has surprised you most about IPS in that time?
Pete: I’d say we learned how efficiently we can work with a remote workforce. In 2021, we decided to embrace a mobile workforce with close to half of our staff working remote. Despite the change, we remain fully accessible for our clients and offer the same exceptional customer service – a standard they have come to know and expect.
What do you forecast will be the biggest story/issue in payroll for the new year?
John: With the ‘great resignation,’ we know that employers are looking for more opportunities to cater to their employees. I feel the focus will continue to evolve toward the employee and employee-centric features, such as combining payroll (paystubs) and HR features like electronic time off requests, electronic onboarding, document retention, to name a few. Another important shift is revamping how employers communicate with their employees and team members.
Are there any exciting developments on the horizon?
Pete: We are enthusiastic about our new Adaptive Employee Experience or AEE. As John mentioned, we see the industry continually evolving toward a focus on the employee experience. With Adaptive Employee Experience, employees will have greater functionality across all communication platforms, such as mobile devices, tablets, and desktops. It’s definitely a high point of the offerings available in the New Year.
What’s in store for IPS in 2022?
John: We’ll continue to expand our footprint of product offerings. We’re also looking at several HR enhancements in Human Resources that we’ll be bringing to the table. It’s shaping up to be an exciting year.