Premise: From Procurement to Go-Live in under 6 Months

At Digital Directions, we specialise in delivering complete HR tech transformations—helping organisations not only choose the right systems, but also implement and integrate them in a way that drives immediate impact. That’s exactly what we delivered for Premise, a leading Australian professional services firm with 350 employees across the country. Premise engaged Digital Directions to support them end-to-end: from evaluating and selecting a modern HRIS and Payroll solution, through to full implementation and integration using our middleware. And we delivered it all in under six months.

Insights from Premise

“We engaged Digital Directions Consulting Pty Ltd to assist us to find a suitable HR and payroll system for our business. Jack and his team were efficient; they listened to our needs and facilitated a seamless transition whilst providing support every step of the way. A big thank you to the team!”

Jill Dolphin – Chief People Officer

Client

Meet Premise: Infrastructure Experts, Powered by People

Premise is an Australian professional services firm offering engineering, environmental, and urban development consulting across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. With a mission to deliver practical solutions that improve the way communities live and interact, Premise has built a strong reputation for technical excellence and long-term thinking. With a geographically dispersed workforce and a growing national footprint, Premise recognised the need to modernise their internal people systems to better support their growth, ensure compliance, and create a better experience for employees and managers alike.

Headquarters

Brisbane, Australia

Org Size

350

HR Need

HR + PR Transformation

The Challenge: Disconnected Systems and Growing Complexity

Premise’s people and payroll operations were being managed through legacy platforms that no longer supported the business’s complexity or pace of change. Key challenges included: 

  • Manual Data Handling: Key people processes—like onboarding, changes, and payroll updates—relied on manual handovers between systems, increasing risk and inefficiency. 
  • Outdated Technology: Existing platforms lacked flexibility, automation, and integration capabilities, limiting the HR team’s ability to operate strategically. 
  • No Integration Between HR and Payroll: The lack of connection between systems meant duplicate data entry and limited visibility across the employee lifecycle. 
  • Growing Compliance Requirements: With state-based variations and a diverse workforce, ensuring accuracy and compliance was becoming increasingly difficult. 

Premise needed a new solution—but they also needed a partner to guide them through the entire journey, from procurement through to go-live. 

The Solution: From Vendor Selection to Go-Live in Less Than 6 Months

Digital Directions was engaged to lead the full transformation—helping Premise evaluate best-fit vendors, negotiate contracts, and implement their chosen HRIS and Payroll systems with full integration in place by day one. 

  1. Vendor Evaluation and Procurement

We worked closely with Premise’s executive and HR leadership to run a structured evaluation process. Based on their needs, workflows, and growth plans, we helped shortlist, assess, and select best-fit HRIS and Payroll platforms—ensuring strong alignment across functional, technical, and commercial requirements. 

  1. Contracting and Commercial Support

Our team provided detailed contracting and commercial guidance—ensuring favourable terms and value for money across both platforms, while avoiding common pitfalls in system licensing and scope. 

  1. Simultaneous System Implementation

Once selected, we led the parallel implementation of both systems—HRIS and Payroll—across 350 employees nationally. This included full platform configuration, data migration, workflow setup, training, and change management support. 

  1. Seamless HR-to-Payroll Integration

Using our middleware solution, we delivered a custom integration between the two platforms—ensuring real-time data flow across onboarding, job changes, terminations, and leave—removing admin overhead and reducing risk. 

The Outcome: A Modern, Integrated People Tech Stack Built to Scale

In under six months, Premise successfully transitioned to a new, fully integrated HR and Payroll ecosystem—streamlining operations and creating a future-proof foundation for growth. 

Key results included: 

  • Fully Integrated HR & Payroll Systems: A seamless data flow across both platforms ensures one source of truth for employee data, and significantly reduces manual work. 
  • Modernised Employee Experience: Employees and managers now interact with intuitive, user-friendly systems—driving stronger adoption and engagement. 
  • Improved Compliance & Accuracy: Automated workflows and system rules support state-based compliance and reduce payroll risk. 
  • Operational Efficiency: HR and Finance teams have significantly reduced admin time—freeing them up for more strategic work and planning. 

A Holistic Partnership from Start to Finish

What made this project successful wasn’t just the technology—it was the end-to-end partnership. By working with Digital Directions from vendor selection through to go-live, Premise ensured that every decision, process, and configuration was aligned with their business needs and growth goals. Together, we delivered a seamless HR and Payroll transformation—on time, on budget, and built to last.

Insights from Premise

“We engaged Digital Directions Consulting Pty Ltd to assist us to find a suitable HR and payroll system for our business. Jack and his team were efficient; they listened to our needs and facilitated a seamless transition whilst providing support every step of the way. A big thank you to the team!”

Jill Dolphin – Chief People Officer

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do—we go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results, ensuring they always feel supported and valued.

Jack Hewitt Founder

Jack Hewitt

Founder

Planning a HR and Payroll Overhaul?

Whether you’re evaluating systems, preparing to implement, or looking to connect your people platforms—Digital Directions brings the expertise, structure, and speed to help you deliver results. Let’s talk today about how we can support your transformation from selection to integration—and everything in between.

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