AMS has a strong track record with central government and health sector organisations. Its solutions now pay around 25% of New Zealand’s Public Service employees and 50% of the Public Health workforce – more than 50,000 people. Its Outsource operation alone pays close to half a billion dollars in salaries and wages each year.

Noel Reid, the chief executive of AMS, says the agreement with MPI also provides scope for innovation and continuous improvement. Together the ministry and AMS are reviewing a number of HR processes, with the objective of automating administrative work, increasing efficiency and reducing cost.

“AMS is driven to provide greater efficiencies and benefits to the public sector. Modern systems and solutions are about more than just automating payroll. Today’s tools help an organisation with things such as simplifying workforce planning, engaging with people during performance management and professional development, compliance reporting and empowering management with decision making.”

AMS also has its eyes on opportunities across the Tasman following Mr Reid’s attendance at SSON (Shared Services and Outsourcing Network conference) in Melbourne in May.

“Australian payroll costs, as revealed in the Hackett report at SSON, indicate there’s an enormous opportunity for us to provide our outsourced solutions to Australian organisations faced with complexities,” Mr Reid says.

“At SSON, shared services entities were talking about a hybrid model where they outsource responsibilities to specialists,” he says. “AMS definitely fits the criteria.”