Nobody can predict the future; However, modernising payroll gives the space to contemplate a company's unique workplace evolution.

We are overwhelmed by predictions of the future workplace. Workforces will be more flexible.  Employees will assert their independence. Hybrid and remote working will become the norm. The 9-to-5 grind is coming to an end—or not. There is evidence pointing towards and away from these predictions.

Some companies are trialling 4-day work weeks while others try to lure employees back to the office. Some business models work very well remotely, while others struggle when they don't have people present. The more we try to unpack the potential futures of the workplace, the more scenarios appear.

"The only thing we can say with confidence is that nobody has the answers," says Sandra Crous, Managing Director of PaySpace by Deel. "What works for one business doesn't work for another, which is not what business leaders want to hear. One day, we'll have the answers. But we're the ones who need to come up with those answers and put them to the test."

The certainty of flexibility

With so many contradictions, what is the best way forward? There is a clear answer—automate the tasks that stop HR departments from applying their minds to these crucial questions.

Consider when you go shopping. Which approach is more effective: making a shopping list beforehand or trying to figure it out while you shop? A shopping list is much more efficient and gives you the space to consider other options, such as price differences or taking advantage of a special.

"Our brains can only handle so many things at a given point. If you try to do everything at once, you don't do anything well. So, are there things that occupy your mind that don't need to be there? I think this is the real definition of flexibility: it's not just about choice but removing unnecessary choice," says Crous.

HR staff are like a busy shopper floundering between necessary and unnecessary choices. They wear many hats, interact with employees and owners, juggle policies and culture, and manage the workforce's demands. They are also expected to help inform and cultivate a workplace's future. In order for them to focus on those questions, they need more flexibility and space. How can we create that space?

Flexibility through payroll

The answer lies in automating and streamlining routine yet crucial employee and business touchpoints, and payroll modernisation is the most obvious place to start, says Crous:

"Payroll encompasses a lot: the main examples are remuneration, benefits calculation, leave allocation, budgeting for salaries, and employee loans. Indirectly, payroll relates to talent management and employee wellbeing. On a strategic level, payroll is a big cost to business and a nerve centre between employees and employers. Some payroll tasks are simple yet important, such as providing payslip information so an employee can do things like open bank accounts. Other things become very complicated, like changes to employment laws or managing staff across multiple regions."

Can payroll help HR prepare for the future workplace? Just like shopping without a list, payroll tasks can overwhelm HR and other departments with routine yet crucial tasks pulling their attention in different directions. However, when payroll services start removing the clutter and demands of payroll through automation, self-service, and enriched integration, it gives HR professionals the flexibility to apply their skills to the changing workplace.

"Nobody can predict what the future of offices will look like," Crous explains. "Every business must figure that out for their circumstances. But if your HR people are constantly dealing with payroll issues, they don't have the scope to envision long-term scenarios and feel the pulse of company workforces."

Nobody has conclusive answers on what tomorrow's workplace looks like. But we can empower the right people to apply their minds to those questions by removing things that shouldn't consume their bandwidth. Payroll is an obvious place to start.