5 Essential Auto-Enrolment Tips for Irish Small Businesses

Auto-enrolment in Ireland has been delayed until Jan 1st, 2026, but there’s no time to let your foot off the pedal! We’ve got a few tips to make sure that your growing business is in good stead for the changes coming down the line. Here’s our top five tips for preparing for auto-enrolment. 

Make sure you’re up to speed on your responsibilities as an employer. This includes knowing your staging date, understanding the minimum contribution rates, and identifying which employees are eligible for automatic enrolment. Staying informed now means fewer surprises later. 

Auto-enrolment will require regular, accurate contributions from both you and your employees. Make sure your payroll software is ready to handle these changes. This includes calculating contributions, maintaining records, and integrating with the State’s Central Processing Authority (CPA). Preparing your systems now will save time and reduce compliance risks down the line. 

Auto-enrolment will be a change for your staff, so make sure you explain what it means for them. Talk to your employees about how it works, why it’s beneficial, and what (if anything) they need to do. Clear communication builds trust and reduces confusion. 

You’ll find that you have further communication requirements towards your employees, particularly when onboarding staff and notifying staff of changes in contribution rates or other elements of auto-enrolment which may affect them.  

Make life easier by choosing payroll software that supports auto-enrolment integration. Automating enrolments and contributions reduces manual work, cuts down on errors, and helps ensure timely compliance with your obligations. Integrated software will be your best friend when it comes to saving headaches down the line!  

Once you’ve got systems in place, don’t just set them and forget them. Regularly review your auto-enrolment processes to make sure everything’s running smoothly. Stay proactive to fix small issues before they grow.