I still clearly remember getting my first paycheck as a high schooler working over the summer at the local movie theater. The amount was shockingly low, there was some sort of loop hole where we were getting paid below minimum wage, but getting that handwritten check from the manager was exciting and a milestone moment for me nonetheless.
Flash forward 5 years and I'm actually running payroll for the commercial real estate firm I'm working at as part of my property manager duties. It wasn't a huge group, but two dozen people began relying on me to make sure they got paid accurately and on time each month. That's when it hit me how critical it is to get payroll right and that a misstep in processing has a very real impact on people's lives.
Technology has come a long way from the early 2000's Quickbooks software I was running. Payroll is evolving from a back office administrative function to a strategic pillar that enables organizational agility through data and insights. Payroll platforms are also leading the charge on building out holistic compliance suites that extend across the HR spectrum beyond just payroll. That's why I'm excited to have payroll industry expert and analyst, Pete A. Tiliakos, join me to discuss the evolution of payroll and its expanding strategic importance.