Payroll and human resource software provider Blue Bison is launching a cloud-based platform and redesigned website to meet rising local demand for automated payroll-processing solutions.

Blue Bison software subscriber/clients employ more than 8,000 people in Bermuda across all sectors including more than 70 per cent of the island’s hotel industry. The software also processes more than 20 per cent of Bermuda’s workforce payslips.

The firm said their new cloud-based, software as a service application, Blue Bison in the Cloud, allows clients to reduce infrastructure costs, outsource maintenance and support, and access the system around the clock from anywhere.

Blue Bison is offering incentives for Bermuda-based businesses to sign up for its cloud-based offering before April 1, the start of the new tax year.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend a live webinar to demonstrate the software on March 21. To register, e-mail sdurrant@bluebisonsoftware.com.

Blue Bison is spearheaded by father-and-daughter team Graham Pearson, executive director, and Sophie Pearson, director of sales and marketing.

She said: “The more complicated the employment landscape becomes, the more demand we are seeing for payroll automation.

“In particular, the complexity of the progressive payroll tax bands and the minimum wage requirements that took effect last year, present payroll-processing challenges to employers.”

Ms Pearson expects the trend of rising complexity to continue, for example with regard to potential reform of the social insurance system to support the sustainability of the Contributory Pension Fund.

“Changes being considered by the Bermuda Government, subject to an ongoing consultation, include replacing the current flat weekly rate payroll deduction with contributions based on percentage of income, as well as gradually introduced increases to the retirement age,” she said. “HR teams will be challenged to innovate to navigate the changing social insurance landscape.”

She said that when Bermuda’s first minimum hourly wage of $16.40 took effect last June, Blue Bison built functionality to automatically enforce these requirements in line with the guidelines provided by the Government.

“This was particularly valuable to clients in the service industry, where compensation includes gratuities and service charges,” she said.

Ms Pearson teamed up with her father in November 2022 and has since led the firm’s growth beyond its initial territories of Bermuda, Cayman and the Bahamas, into other islands, including the British Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos, Roatán and Dominica.

She said their rebranded website launch marked a new era of growth for them throughout the region.

“This strategic move follows the business's remarkable success in Bermuda, where it has established itself as a trusted name in HR and payroll,” she said.

“The new brand image is designed to resonate with a diverse audience, embracing the vibrant culture and spirit of Bermuda and the wider Caribbean region.”