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U.S.-specific requirements. It also exposes which “temporary” workarounds quietly became permanent risks. For global payroll leaders, these insights are invaluable. They inform system design, vendor strategy, data governance, and decisions about where local expertise must live within global frameworks. Organizations that manage U.S. payroll successfully—especially from outside the country—do so by recognizing that local expertise must be embedded within global structures, that year-end success reflects year-round discipline, and that payroll communication is a core function. Looking Ahead Year-end is simply the moment when payroll teams confirm whether their interpretations and controls held up under a full year of scrutiny. This is why U.S. payroll professionals focus so heavily on documentation, controls, and reconciliation. These aren’t abstract best practices. They are essential in a regulatory environment that expects accuracy and audit readiness at all times. For those of us working in U.S. payroll, it’s a reminder that while the calendar resets, the learning never really stops.
much as technical accuracy, and the employee experience is tested. The best U.S. payroll teams emphasize clear reporting and post- year-end communication. Payroll is not just administering pay—it’s helping employees navigate a tax system they are personally responsible for reconciling. Year-End as a Diagnostic, Not a Deadline One of the reasons I encourage payroll teams not to rush past year- end is that it provides an unusually honest view of system health. Year- end reveals where upstream data dependencies broke down, which processes relied too heavily on manual intervention, and where global models strained against
Year-end reveals where upstream data dependencies broke down, which processes relied too heavily on manual intervention, and where global models strained against U.S.-specific requirements.
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GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE ISSUE 20
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