Celebrating 14 Years of HRIS & Payroll Expertise

Posted onJanuary 22, 2026

Fourteen years is more than a milestone — it reflects resilience, trusted delivery, and a long-standing commitment to helping organisations unlock value from their people, systems, and processes.

As Tugela People celebrates its 14th anniversary, we reflect on a journey shaped by growth, innovation, and close partnership with HR and Payroll teams across multiple industries and geographies. From our early days in cloud HR technology to becoming a trusted HRIS, payroll, and HR consulting partner — and, more recently, joining the Impact HR family — our focus has always been on delivering solutions that work in the real world.

A History of Expertise and Innovation

Tugela People began as the inaugural implementation partner for Fairsail, a cloud-based HRIS designed to improve employee experience and operational efficiency. When Fairsail was acquired and rebranded as Sage People, we deepened our expertise, becoming one of the leading consultancies supporting Sage People implementations globally.

Alongside our Sage People expertise, we expanded both the range of solutions we offer through strategic technology partners and the scope of our services to include HRIS and payroll consultancy, system implementation, optimisation, and managed services, supporting HR and payroll teams end-to-end.

Our consultants bring deep international HR and payroll experience, guiding organisations through system transformation, process optimisation, and ongoing operational support. This combination of system expertise and operational insight ensures our solutions are practical, scalable, and effective.

Our ethos remains:

“We are a safe pair of hands… small enough to care, big enough to deliver.”

Delivering Solutions that Work for HR and Payroll

At Tugela People, we focus on solving real HR and payroll challenges, ensuring technology supports organisational goals and people outcomes — not the other way around.

Aventum first engaged Tugela People for HR consultancy and system selection, helping them evaluate processes and choose the right HRIS solution. This partnership has since evolved into ongoing managed services and project-based Sage People configuration, ensuring their systems continue to meet business needs and regulatory requirements as they grow.

HRIS Managed Services remain a core part of our customer-for-life philosophy. Organisations such as Build-A-Bear and Vitrolife rely on our ongoing Sage People Managed services, supporting everything from complex compensation planning and country-specific reporting to system optimisation, configuration support, and advisory input. These partnerships allow internal HR teams to focus on strategic priorities while maintaining confidence in their systems as their businesses grow and evolve.

Our Sage People Payroll expertise has enabled organisations such as ABL Group to bring HR and payroll closer together, improving data consistency, reducing manual intervention, and increasing confidence in payroll outputs. By aligning HR and payroll processes within a single ecosystem, we helped create more reliable reporting and smoother payroll operations.

On the payroll side, we’ve delivered managed payroll services for organisations including Advantage Travel Partnership and SATEBA, supporting payroll continuity during periods of organisational change and providing reliable, compliant payroll operations. This level of ongoing support enables internal teams to focus on the wider business, knowing payroll is being delivered accurately and consistently.

Our work doesn’t end at go-live — we maintain close partnerships with our clients, offering ongoing support, training, optimisation, and guidance as their organisations evolve. This ensures systems continue to meet changing business needs, regulatory requirements, and employee expectations long after implementation.

Expanding Client Capabilities Through Strategic Partnerships

Partnerships expand what HR and Payroll teams can achieve. It’s not about tools — it’s about the capabilities these partnerships bring to our clients.

Here’s a selection of some of the partners we work with:

Lano: Supports global payroll compliance and contractor payments across multiple jurisdictions.
TalentLMS: Embeds learning and development data into HR systems like Sage People for compliance, skills, and performance tracking.
Deputy, Brain Payroll, flair HR: Flexible solutions tailored to different operational models, from complex shift-based teams to streamlined HR environments.

Coupled with our consultancy-led approach, these partnerships ensure clients benefit from integrated, flexible HR and payroll ecosystems that evolve as their organisations grow and change.

Joining the Impact HR Family

In December 2025, Tugela People became part of Impact HR, one of the UK’s fastest-growing HR and health & safety consultancies. This move strengthens our ability to deliver end-to-end solutions, combining HR technology, payroll expertise, and strategic consulting under one roof.

For clients, this means access to broader HR consulting expertise alongside our established HRIS and payroll services, while maintaining the same trusted team and approach. Together, we provide solutions that connect systems, processes, and people strategy, ensuring HR and payroll operations continue to support organisational growth.

Looking Ahead: Your Go-To Partner for HRIS, Payroll, and HR Consulting

As we celebrate our 14th year, our focus remains on helping HR and Payroll teams transform systems, optimise processes, and unlock value from their people operations.

Whether you need:

HRIS selection, implementation, and optimisation
Payroll implementation, managed services, and ongoing support
Strategic HR and Payroll consulting and advisory services

Tugela People — now part of Impact HR — is your trusted partner for solutions that are practical, tailored, and transformative, supporting your organisation today and as it grows tomorrow.

👉 Get in touch to explore how we can help your HR and payroll operations reach their full potential.

Your Questions Answered

What services does Tugela People offer?

Tugela People provides end-to-end HRIS and payroll solutions, including consultancy, system implementation, optimisation, and managed services to improve efficiency, compliance, and the employee experience.
How is Tugela People different from other HRIS and payroll consultancies?

We combine deep expertise with a consultancy-led approach, focusing on practical solutions that support organisational goals. Our ethos: “small enough to care, big enough to deliver.”
Which HRIS systems does Tugela People specialise in?

We are a leading consultancy for Sage People (both for HRIS and Payroll), with global experience in implementation, optimisation, and ongoing managed services.
Can Tugela People support international payroll operations?

Yes. We work with global payroll partners, such as Lano, to ensure compliant payroll and contractor payments across multiple jurisdictions
How can Tugela People help HR and payroll teams work more efficiently?

We streamline HR and payroll processes, improve data consistency, and reduce manual effort, allowing teams to focus on strategic priorities
What size or type of organisations does Tugela People support?

We primarily work with mid-sized global organisations and established companies with complex HR and payroll operations.
Who are some of Tugela People’s clients?

Clients include Aventum, Build-A-Bear, Vitrolife, ABL Group, Advantage Travel Partnership, and SATEBA. We help these and other organisations optimise operations and improve efficiency as they grow.
Which technology partners does Tugela People collaborate with?

We partner with organisations such as Lano, TalentLMS, Deputy, Brain Payroll, and flair HR to create connected, adaptable HR and payroll ecosystems.
How has joining Impact HR strengthened Tugela People’s services?

Joining Impact HR allows us to provide broader HR consulting expertise while maintaining our established HRIS and payroll solutions and services. Clients benefit from integrated systems, advisory, and a trusted team
How can my organisation get support from Tugela People?

Organisations can reach out to us directly to discuss their HR and payroll challenges. We tailor solutions to meet client needs, improve efficiency, and maximise the value of HR and payroll systems.