Conclusion
There are many conclusions that can be drawn from this year’s report on the burning issues influencing the future of payroll.
As the complexity of legal and regulatory requirements increases, it’s plausible that more organisations will start to encourage and support their payroll staff in professional development and training. Recognising that the world of payroll rarely sits still, most of those polled feel under pressure to implement changes more quickly. Payroll professionals should be aware that these shorter timeframes could cause problems in terms of the number of errors made, as well as potential impacts on individual wellbeing. As always, this report aimed to represent the payroll profession as a whole, seeking views from a mix of in-house and payroll service providers, with teams of varying sizes from organisations in a variety of industries. Our 2024 report has highlighted the central topics of AI, continuous change in the profession, wellbeing and the future of payroll careers, giving us insight into what’s on the horizon. We would like to thank everyone who took part in this year’s survey.
Technology was a key focus among those participating in the 2024 survey. Respondents were largely positive about the use of AI within businesses and specifically within the payroll function, although progress in this area seems relatively slow, with just a minority currently using it. In terms of ensuring their businesses were safe from cyber security attacks, reassuringly around three-quarters had measures in place, suggesting that employers / agents were prioritising the protection of their systems and data. Technology is also having a huge effect on the way people are being paid, with EWA in some cases being part of the financial wellbeing support being offered by employers / agents. The report also highlighted the growing importance of payroll qualifications, recognising that while only a small percentage identified qualifications as key recruitment criteria, a large number would give preference to candidates who had them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, legislation was top of the list of skills necessary for payroll professionals, with organisational skills, technological knowledge and communication also making the top four.
We are constantly watching and monitoring developments and trends in our industry, so watch this space for the Future of Payroll Report 2026 .
18
FUTURE OF PAYROLL REPORT 2024
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker