Overview
Booking.com is a leading digital travel company that connects travellers with a wide range of accommodations, transportation, and experiences. They operate in a highly dynamic and varied payroll environment — managing processes across 16 countries and 23 different legal entities. With payroll spread across multiple countries and regions, dependable vendor support and strict local compliance become not just valuable but essential, particularly in high-regulation markets like Singapore.
As companies expand into new regions, ensuring payroll is compliant, timely, and aligned with local practices can be a major operational hurdle. For Booking.com, having the right payroll partner in Singapore was a crucial part of their APAC growth strategy.
To understand how this partnership has contributed to smooth and stress-free payroll operations, we spoke with Irene Kamphuis, Regional Payroll Manager for APAC at Booking.com. Her insights reflect not only the importance of accurate payroll processing but also the real-world benefits of having a flexible, responsive service provider.
The Challenge
When Booking.com expanded into Singapore, the team was entering an entirely new regulatory environment. While the company had experience managing payroll in various markets, Singapore presented its own unique challenges, including statutory contributions, employee tax frameworks, benefit structures, and monthly reporting cycles.
“Our biggest concern was really about how to do payroll in Singapore — and that's what you guys really helped us with to set that up.” – Irene Kamphuis, Regional Payroll Manager APAC, Booking.com
Without prior experience in Singapore’s payroll system, Booking.com required a payroll outsourcing partner with in-depth local expertise, who could guide them through both setup and ongoing operations with confidence. The right partnership would ensure compliance, reduce risk, and allow the team to avoid costly errors — all while remaining aligned with internal payroll processes across the region.
The Solution
From the start, Booking.com chose to outsource their Singapore payroll to PayrollServe, trusting us to guide them through every step of the process. This included support with initial setup, statutory compliance and seamless monthly execution.
Our team worked closely with Booking.com to ensure that Singapore’s specific payroll requirements were correctly interpreted and implemented, while aligning with the company’s internal payroll structure. As part of their global operations, Booking.com uses Payslip.com, a centralised payroll platform for consolidating payroll across multiple countries. We adapted our processes to integrate with this system, demonstrating our flexibility in supporting their established workflows and ensuring consistency across their global payroll operations.
“We’ve always been outsourcing our Singapore payroll to you, and it’s just been a very smooth process. No major issues or escalations — it’s been an ease of work for us.”
This smooth day-to-day execution meant that the Booking.com team did not need to constantly monitor or troubleshoot payroll in Singapore - it became a trusted, hands-off process.
The Impact
By outsourcing to a reliable, knowledgeable payroll partner, Booking.com significantly reduced the internal bandwidth needed to manage Singapore payroll. This freed up valuable time and energy for Irene’s team, enabling them to better focus on higher-priority regions and more complex cases across the APAC portfolio.
“Having trust in the vendor and not having to pay much attention to the Singapore payroll allows the team to focus on other countries and employees.”
In a multi-country environment where the payroll team is responsible for operations in numerous markets — each with its own laws, tax systems, and employee expectations — removing even one area of complexity has a real and measurable impact on performance and efficiency.
Why It Works: Flexibility & Responsiveness
In the fast-paced world of HR and payroll, not everything goes according to plan. Last-minute changes, sudden resignations, and urgent visa-related updates are common — and having a payroll partner that can respond swiftly makes all the difference.
“Sometimes we have last minute leavers, we have visa issues, that we sometimes all of a sudden need to make changes to payroll, and you guys are always very flexible. ”
This ability to adapt quickly and respond with solutions, not just processes, is a core part of why the partnership has helped sustain a trusted relationship for over 15 years — one built on responsiveness, consistency, and shared goals.
A Relationship Built on Trust
Over time, companies evolve, and so do their teams. At Booking.com, Irene noted that while multiple team members from PayrollServe have managed their Singapore payroll account over the years, the quality of service has never wavered.
“Very friendly, very prompt with response, very trustworthy. We’ve had multiple people on our account and the quality has always remained the same. Having that back and forth, and a very natural relationship.”
This consistency and continuity is a hallmark of strong vendor relationships. It provides reassurance that the payroll process remains steady, even as team members change.
Advice to Other Businesses
For any business considering payroll outsourcing in Singapore, Irene offers a clear recommendation based on her team's experience.
“It’s a good choice you know. You can expect good service, a partner that will think along with you, that is always there to answer the phone, answer the emails, give you advice, and give you peace of mind.”
The benefits go far beyond operational efficiency. Working with the right payroll provider means having a true partner — one that can provide local insight, stay proactive about changes in legislation, and act as an extension of your internal team.
Conclusion
Since partnering with PayrollServe in 2007, Booking.com has benefited from a dependable, responsive, and accurate payroll solution tailored to Singapore’s unique regulatory environment. As Singapore’s leading payroll and HR service provider, PayrollServe delivers what global companies need: local compliance, secure processes, and peace of mind.
Booking.com’s story is a powerful reminder of how strategic payroll outsourcing can free up capacity for growth, improve operational accuracy, and ease the burden on internal teams. With PayrollServe as a trusted partner, the Singapore payroll function has become a smoothly managed and worry-free operation, enabling the broader APAC payroll team to focus on what truly matters: supporting their people across the region.
For over 15 years, we’ve supported Booking.com with accurate, flexible, and trusted service, and we remain committed to powering their journey, one payroll cycle at a time.
Contact us today to learn how we can support your HR and payroll growth with our services.
