What It’s Like Working with Givver — From a People Lead's Perspective

By Yoko, People Lead

I’m Yoko, People Lead, and I wanted to share a bit about our experience moving to Givver — and why it’s made such a difference to how we run payroll.

When you work in People Ops, payroll is one of those things that just has to work. It’s not flashy, but it’s critical. And when it goes wrong, it causes real stress — not just for the People team, but for the whole company.

We’ve used a couple of payroll providers over the years. We started with Xero, then moved to Moorepay. But as we grew — with headcount increasing 60% in under a year — we realised we needed more than just software. We needed a payroll partner who could scale with us, support more complexity, and help us get things right.

That’s when we found Givver.

Getting Benefits Right

This year we introduced new employee benefits like gym flex and salary sacrifice. I’m not a payroll expert, so having Givver walk us through the implications, help compare providers, and explain how to handle each one in payroll was incredibly helpful.

They didn’t overcomplicate anything. They gave us the context we needed to make confident decisions — especially when we moved from P11Ds to payrolling benefits. We got a clear plan, no jargon, and support that actually moved things forward.

Support That’s Actually… Supportive

Here’s what’s made the biggest difference for me: with Givver, I’m always speaking to the same person. They know our setup, understand our team, and there’s no repeating ourselves or starting from scratch. That kind of continuity is rare — and incredibly valuable.

Even better, the people supporting us are senior payroll professionals. They’ve done this before. They understand the technical detail, can talk through compliance, structure, and edge cases — and offer real insight. This isn’t a generic support desk. It’s a team of actual experts.

With previous providers, replies could take 3–5 days. With Givver, I get:

• A reply in under 30 minutes

• Same-day resolutions for most issues

• The option to book a video or phone call, usually the same day

Whether I need clarity on parental leave pay or help with something urgent, I know I’ll get a fast, informed, and thoughtful response.

What’s impressed me most is the combination of their deep understanding of our company culture and policies — and their speed, precision, and agility.

A Partner That Works With You

You don’t start working with a provider and instantly trust them. But it became clear very quickly that Givver’s customer service stood out. They don’t just respond to problems — they proactively help us plan, improve our processes, and stay ahead of changes.

Whether it’s postgraduate loan refunds, pension thresholds, or rolling out new benefits, they’re collaborative and solutions-focused. It feels like a genuine partnership.

And again — the continuity makes a difference. We always speak to the same person, so every conversation starts with full context.

And the Results?

Since moving to Givver:

• We’ve cut payroll admin time by 40%

• We’ve had 100% payroll accuracy for the past 6 months

• Employee queries have dropped by 70%

• We get fast, expert support — every time

• And we speak directly to someone who knows payroll — and knows our payroll

It’s made payroll feel lighter. More under control. Less stressful.

Final Thoughts

If your company is growing fast and payroll is starting to feel like a blocker, I can honestly say: Givver has been one of the best decisions we’ve made.

They’re not just a software company. They’re payroll experts — and it shows in every interaction.

You get real support, from people who know what they’re doing — and who know your business.