FEATURE What does the rise of AI mean for payroll?
After the Zellis HCM AIR launch, we sat down with top analyst Anita Lettink to get her view on the future.
How pivotal will AI become in the future of work? Have we even scratched the surface yet?
"We’re still trying to understand what AI means for the future of work and so we don’t yet fully comprehend everything that lies ahead.”
With every new technology and innovation we expect it to make major changes to the way we live and work in the short term.
What we need now is more creativity and imagination with regards to its long-term implications and benefits.
Where do you see AI making the biggest impact in payroll and HR over the next five years?
Many of my industry colleagues would say GenAI chatbots, and I don’t disagree, but given the sensitive nature of payroll and HR, I’d emphasise that we need to leverage this technology in the right way.
The biggest potential for AI right now is in the back office where it can be used to automate administrative tasks.
This creates more time for payroll teams to spend on strategic HR initiatives that provide business leaders with the critical insights they need to make the best people and compensation decisions.
Where do you see the biggest gains for employees?
There are certain circumstances in which an employee may find it easier to talk to a bot rather than a person. You can’t offend a chatbot by asking a tough question, and you can ask the same question multiple times without causing frustration.
As AI is used more and more for standard employee queries, the role of the payroll admin will shift towards managing complex queries that bots can't resolve, putting people at the centre.
We also asked Anita:
What should people teams be doing to prepare themselves for the integration of AI?
How quickly do you think realtime payroll will become the norm?
Read the full interview
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Anita Lettink, payroll, HR and future-of-work expert
