6 Ways Sage People Can Help Reduce Admin

In a world where HR teams are being asked to do more with less, reducing administrative workload has become a priority. HR professionals often spend hours each week on manual processes like leave tracking, data updates, and reporting time that could be better spent on strategy, employee engagement, or workforce planning.

Sage People, a cloud-based HR system, offers a range of automation features designed to ease that burden. Below, we explore six practical ways Sage People can help UK organisations streamline HR admin and free up valuable time.

1.  Streamlining Attendance and Leave Management

Managing annual leave, sickness and other absences can be admin-heavy, especially if requests are still handled through emails or spreadsheets. Sage People’s attendance and leave management tools offer self-service functionality for employees, and simple approval flows for managers. Calendars update automatically, reducing the need for manual tracking.

The benefit for HR teams is fewer interruptions, no manual calculations, and clearer visibility of absences across the business. With this visibility, time spent maintaining records can instead be used to support workforce planning and policy development. Phase 3’s work with Sage People includes configuring these features to reflect the specific needs of each organisation.

2. Connecting HR and Payroll to Avoid Repetition

Manually transferring HR data to payroll systems is time-consuming and increases the risk of errors. Sage People integrates with a range of payroll providers, including Sage Payroll, so updates to employee data, like salary changes or leave balances, can be synchronised automatically.

For HR, this reduces duplication and removes the need for repetitive data entry. It also improves accuracy, ensuring payroll deadlines are met with fewer last-minute checks.

3. Supporting Employee and Manager Self-Service

Routine queries like checking leave balances or updating contact details can take up a surprising amount of HR time. Sage People provides self-service access to employees and managers, allowing them to manage their own information from desktop or mobile devices.

This reduces the volume of day-to-day requests that HR needs to handle and empowers individuals to take ownership of their own data. As a result, HR can shift focus away from administrative tasks and toward more strategic initiatives. This self-service approach also contributes to improved employee engagement, something explored further in Phase 3’s blog on HR software and engagement.

4. Automating Common HR Processes with Custom Workflows

HR teams often manage processes like onboarding, contract changes, and policy acknowledgements using manual checklists and email chains. With Sage People, these tasks can be managed using configurable workflows that guide users through each step, complete with automated notifications and approval requests.

This approach reduces the risk of steps being missed and ensures a more consistent experience for employees. For HR, it means less time spent chasing tasks and more time available to focus on continuous improvement and team development.

5. Reducing Admin Around Pay and Reward

Pay and reward decisions often require coordination across multiple systems and stakeholders. Sage People brings these processes into one place, supporting standardisation and reducing manual effort. Whether managing annual pay reviews or one-off adjustments, the platform helps HR teams handle changes with more control and fewer spreadsheets.

By reducing administrative complexity in this area, HR teams are better positioned to focus on fairness, transparency, and overall reward strategy, instead of the mechanics of implementation.

6. Simplifying Reporting and Reducing Spreadsheet Use

Compiling data for HR reports can take hours each month, especially when information is stored across multiple platforms. With real-time dashboards and in-platform reporting tools, Sage People gives HR teams access to accurate data without manual collation.

This means quicker insights, faster responses to leadership requests, and better-informed decision-making. For more detail on this topic, Phase 3 has explored the benefits of data-driven HR decision-making in a dedicated blog.

Next Steps

Reducing admin isn’t just a matter of efficiency – it’s a strategic enabler. When HR professionals spend less time managing repetitive tasks, they can dedicate more energy to shaping culture, supporting people managers, and leading organisational change.

Sage People provides the tools to make that shift possible. If you’re reviewing your current processes or considering how to get more from your HR tech, Phase 3 can help you assess and optimise your approach.