People-first tech for a people-first mission: Te Pā’s seamless shift to smarter HR and payroll

Meet Te Pā

Te Pā is not just another community organisation – it’s a lifeline. Built on the principle of second chances, Te Pā supports individuals returning from prison or deportation under Section 501. Their work focuses on restoring dignity, reconnecting whānau, and helping people rebuild lives from the ground up.

Reintegration is one of the most complex challenges in the social sector. It requires compassion, resilience, and systems that can support high-touch, human-focused work. For Te Pā, creating meaningful change starts on the inside – with a team empowered by the right tools. That’s why they turned to Employment Hero.

Disconnected tools, derailed workflows

When Shahana joined Te Pā as an HR leader in March 2024, the team was working against a broken system. The existing HR platform was poorly implemented and widely underutilised.

“We had another HR platform, but it wasn’t working… the system had never been fully embraced,” Shahana explained.

The HR processes were heavily paper-based – contracts were printed, signed, scanned, and physically stored. Payslips and leave requests often turned into time-consuming paper chases. Without digital automation or self-service options, administrative overheads drained time and energy from frontline priorities.

One of Shahana’s first missions? Find a new HRIS that could keep up with the urgency and integrity of Te Pā’s work.

A seamless switch to a smarter system

After evaluating several options, Employment Hero stood out immediately.

“The first call answered all our questions,” Shahana recalled. “It was intuitive, simple, and didn’t need an army of consultants to get started.”

What followed was one of the smoothest implementations Shahana had ever experienced. With just a few 15-minute training sessions, staff self-registered, downloaded the Employment Hero Work app, and began using the system with confidence. No IT department required. No headaches.

“It was the easiest and fastest onboarding I’ve ever been a part of.”

Even the leadership team, often the hardest group to convince, was impressed. The interface was clear. Nothing was buried. Every function just made sense.

Real results right away

Though the rollout is still fresh, the transformation has been immediate. Payroll, once paper-heavy and labour-intensive, is now streamlined and transparent. Employees can access payslips, apply for leave, or update their details directly from their phones.

“Now they don’t have to chase someone in payroll during a busy week,” said Shahana.

For the HR team, the reduction in repetitive tasks has opened space for strategic focus. Instead of troubleshooting admin delays, the team is now planning for long-term growth.

Employment Hero hasn’t just improved efficiency – it’s created headroom for deeper, more impactful work.

Foundations for the future

For Te Pā, this is only the beginning. The team is already rolling out new modules – from recruitment to the Learning Management System – empowering them to build a robust, future-ready HR ecosystem.

“We’ve never had these functionalities before. Employment Hero is helping us build a modern HR system that matches the integrity of our work.”

Flexible support channels, from AI chat to live human assistance, have also helped build trust.

“Sometimes I just want to type in a quick question and get the answer. That flexibility makes a big difference.”

Want to experience Employment Hero for yourself?

For an organisation that gives people a second chance at life, having a partner like Employment Hero brings the same clarity and consistency to their internal operations, so their team can stay focused on what truly matters.

Employment Hero is an all-in-one Employment Operating System for HR, payroll, and recruitment built to simplify compliance, automate admin, and empower your people. From onboarding to offboarding, we streamline every step of the employee lifecycle so you can spend less time on processes and more time making an impact.

Want to see how companies like Te Pā are transforming their HR operations and driving real business impact?