Discount retailer Home Bargains completes phase one of payroll overhaul project with help of Zellis

Home Bargains reports that it has wrapped a payroll transformation project. The project was completed in partnership with Zellis without disruption to pay following the sudden withdrawal, due to unforeseen circumstances, of support from Home Bargains’ previous provider.

“This was a project with no margin for error,” says Tom Morris, Senior Technology Innovation Manager at Home Bargains. “What made the difference was trust, adaptability, and a shared mindset. Payroll is critical for us and with Zellis, it wasn’t just about the technology. It was about the people. That alignment created an exceptional partnership we’re proud to build on.”

“This payroll transformation was prioritised above other major company projects. It shows just how critical payroll is to our business and how much we value getting it right for our employees,” Morris adds.

“The onboarding process, which used to take an average of 23 hours per week, now takes just 30 minutes - a 98% reduction,” says Kelsey Lea-Smith, Payroll Manager at Home Bargains. “Manual data entry has also been reduced by nearly 40 hours per week thanks to bulk upload capabilities. Plus, we’ve moved from a standalone payroll machine to a fully online process that can even be run remotely if needed. That flexibility is a huge leap forward.”

James King, Strategic Director at Zellis, says: “This project was an outstanding example of teamwork and focus. We embedded our experts directly into the Home Bargains team, which we knew would prove vital to delivering such a critical system on time. We’re proud to support their growth with a solution that’s built for scale.”

Phase two of the project, which will be launching this autumn, will focus on process optimisation. Zellis consultants are working with the payroll team to identify automation opportunities and further reduce manual work during the high pressure Monday–Wednesday payroll cycle.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Transformation projects will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now closed for entries with our finalists and shortlists being announced last week, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.