TECHNOLOGY
Putting AI to work – the brave new world of smarter payroll
Modern slavery detection Spot patterns like shared addresses, unusual overtime or identical bank details that could indicate exploitation.
AI doesn’t remove the human element. It enhances it. It reduces repetitive work, allowing teams to focus on empathy, coaching and creating better experiences for employees. Where AI meets reality in payroll Let’s take a closer look at some practical examples:
entry to dialogue. Payroll professionals should become data translators, using AI to bring clarity and narrative to numbers. Why this matters: the emotional intelligence factor AI is often misunderstood as cold and clinical. But when used wisely, it can build emotional intelligence into your organisation. By freeing up time and enabling faster, smarter decisions, AI enables HR teams to focus on what truly matters: supporting people. Imagine seeing, instantly, that women in your organisation earn 30% less than men in similar roles. You can visualise the issue, validate the data and make an evidence-backed case for change. Or, if you discover that a junior staff member is earning more than a senior expert, you can quickly ask why. These aren’t just metrics. They’re moments of impact. And the best part? AI gives you the ability to act in real time. HR’s new superpower In the age of AI, payroll is evolving from a reactive function to a strategic partner. By using AI to ask better questions, visualise insights and automate the mundane, HR teams can lead the way in building fairer, more transparent and more human workplaces. This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about empowering them. AI is here to make payroll smarter, faster and more emotionally intelligent. But the key to unlocking its full potential? That starts with the questions you choose to ask. n
Expense validation AI can triangulate home addresses, destinations and expense types to identify suspicious claims. These are no longer hypothetical ideas. These tools are real, usable and ready to be deployed, helping payroll and HR professionals make better, more ethical decisions. Smarter questions, better outcomes With these capabilities at our fingertips, the real skill becomes asking the right questions. AI responds best when it’s prompted well. That’s why the future of payroll won’t just be about what data you have, it will be about how you interact with it. Do you know how to ask your AI to surface anomalies from last month’s payroll? Can you request it to compare average bonuses across departments, or model next year’s salary forecasts based on retention data? The shift here is significant: from data
Visual insights Want to know how pay distribution compares across genders? Ask your AI tool to show you the discrepancies. You’ll immediately see if action is needed.
Real-time financial health Use payroll data to detect signs of employee distress and intervene with meaningful and timely support.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 113 | September 2025
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