The advent of big data and big data analytics is changing business at bedrock level, and this will have an impact on the payroll environment. Business leaders are looking to a combination of in memory business intelligence and big data to empower them to offer what the market wants, when it wants it and where it wants it.
This is one of the core messages to emerge from the Payroll Interactive Forum, hosted recently by Accsys.
The company is a national supplier of people management software and hardware solutions within the HR, payroll and time and attendance space and member of the BCX Group.
Teryl Schroenn, CEO of Accsys, officially opened proceedings with a reminder to delegates that the customer of the future will always be connected and willing to engage on digital platforms.
“So how we generate, record and utilise information to be more effective in our operations is a key issue,” says Schroenn.
The event offered delegates a unique opportunity to discuss the notable challenges that continue to impact the workplace environment – including sustainable transformation, payroll fraud and cloud computing.
David Brown, group MD at Profile Holdings, discussed how fraud is affecting the payroll environment.
“High unemployment has created more motive than ever before as spouses may be out of work, employees may be working harder than ever without raises or bonuses, and feel “entitled” to a little extra from the company kitty,” he says.
Dr Liam Terblanche, Technical Director and CIO of Accsys, says that cloud computing has been the word over the last few years and the next step is mobile computing and the adoption of mobile applications.
“Cloud is going to change rapidly in the near future. The purchase of smart phones and other mobile devices is exceeding PC’s. This indicates clearly that the future is mobile. Companies will need to follow trends to be relevant,” he says.
The Accsys Payroll Interactive Forum promised a full agenda with numerous pertinent topics for discussion – and it did not disappoint.
After each presentation delegates were treated to meaningful discussion at their hosted tables about several issues including the future of HR and how it relates to Payroll in the 21st century, from Alan Hosking, editor of HR Future, as well as e-recruitment, the POPI bill and sustainable transformation, and the financial implications of the new BBBEE.
The delegate participation added enormous value to the forum, as ideas were shared, and discussed at each table.
A presentation by Matthew Cook of the Business Connexion Group detailed the insurgence of social media and the effect on HR-related processes. The presentation spoke of social media being the new competitive environment where new rules apply to the old game of recruitment.
Angela Raine, knowledge manager at Siyakha Consulting, says that in accordance with the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, companies are required to participate in all seven of the broad-based scorecard which includes direct empowerment, human resource elements and the indirect empowerment objectives.
There were several key takeaways for attendees of these sessions, including the assertion that people, policies and processes be linked and aligned to systems that can accurately capture and report on activity, and transformation will only be sustainable if there is clarity on organisational strategy to achieve transformation outcomes.
Moreover, in the foreseeable future, HR will be more business-driven, there is likely to be skills transfer from boomers to next-generation leaders, HR will be more involved in societal issues and there will be more clearly defined standards.
Magda Jacobs of Cashbuild and Stephen Sekgobela, CIO of Coca-Cola Shanduka Beverages, presented well received case studies based on the strategic support services they receive from Accsys. Stephen described how a reliable, effective time and attendance solution can make a difference within a company in terms of cost control and management, with a quick return on investment.
Representing Deloitte’s legal division Dean Chivers unpacked the POPI Bill and the impact on cross border business in terms of countries which are not legally aligned to the confidentiality of personal information.
This presentation also covered the duties and responsibilities of various levels of a business, with the additional message that the growth of data and application across the world had definite implications for payroll administration.
Kettie Phiri representing CEB Maintenance, who attended the event, commented, “It was exciting having table discussions – keep it up!”
Accsys’ Payroll Interactive Forum achieved the objective of conveying to delegates the message that payroll professionals have the potential to change the world of work.