Skip to content

UKG Inc., a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions announces entering into a definitive agreement to acquire Immedis. Read More

How Touchless Payroll is Reshaping the Future of Global Payroll

Ursula Dempsey
Ursula Dempsey

Content and Customer Marketing Manager, Immedis

Feb 4, 2021 2 mins

Today we are chatting with one of our in-country partners, Links International. For over 20 years, Links International has delivered HR services in Asia. Currently, Links is servicing Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Shanghai, Zhuhai, Taiwan, Macau, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Philippines, and Cambodia.

We spoke with the Managing Director of Links International, Scott Thomson, who offered insights into the benefits of a single source of truth and what he believes will be the future landscape of global payroll.

Why is integration so critical for a global payroll platform?

Technology is revolutionizing how companies operate, and HR is an area at the forefront of this transformation. Paying employees across multiple countries correctly and on time is essential for fast growing businesses as incorrect payroll can lead to staff turnover, compliance risk, and a damaged employer brand. Ensuring you have a single source of truth HR system with integrated payroll avoids errors and time delays caused by manual processing and is the only effective way for companies to pay large volumes of employees accurately and on time.

What does touchless payroll mean to you?

Touchless payroll means aiming for full automation of payroll processing and minimal human intervention and manual manipulation of data. Payroll-related information is updated and handled once in a company’s single source of truth HCM and flows through to payroll calculation.

Is it truly a game-changer? How so?

Reducing the need for manual manipulation of data significantly decreases the chances of mistakes and data errors. Payroll errors can be detrimental to a business’s reputation and cause employees to lose confidence in the company. With so many risks to manage, organizations should not let manageable issues like payroll hurt business morale.

What would you say to organizations not utilizing integration/RPA to streamline and improve the efficiency of their payroll processes?

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed companies under pressure to streamline their business and reduce expenditure. Utilizing integration to improve payroll process efficiency is an excellent way for companies to minimize re-work, cut costs, and have a sustainable payroll model.

What are the benefits of touchless for organizations?

Apart from improving accuracy and efficiency, it is essential for business future-proofing. A robust payroll model will allow organizations to scale up to meet business demands easily. This is particularly important for fast-growing enterprises that are expanding to multiple locations.

Editor’s note: For more information on this, please read  Why Global Payroll Consolidation is Critical for Hypergrowth Companies

 

What is the role of an in-country partner within the global payroll ecosystem?

In-country support is one of the most critical requirements when companies choose payroll vendors. Countries have different labor laws. In-country support from a local expert with ground knowledge is essential to ensure accurate payroll and compliance. The legislation is constantly changing, and without updates, businesses can easily be caught out by compliance issues that impact their employer brand or cause reputational damage.

What do you see as the key ingredients to a successful partnership?

Transparent communication and proactive advice are two essential ingredients for establishing a strong relationship.

 

What is the next step for the future of global payroll?

The next big steps we see becoming mainstream are:

  • Payroll on-demand - whereby employees will be able to request their payroll anytime, regardless of pay date resulting in a better employee experience
  • Payroll analytics – companies using their payroll data and a single source of truth HR data to predict employment trends, performance, and flight risks.