[Global] Organisations struggling to unlock value of payroll and HR tech investments

New research has revealed that, despite sustained investment in modern HR and payroll technologies, many enterprise organisations are struggling to unlock their full value, Yahoo reports.

This means that manual workarounds, legacy processes and parallel systems are still a common feature of payroll and workforce operations.

Strada's Workforce Possibility Report 2026 found that 77 per cent of large employers implementing or operating a major HCM platform continue to depend on manual checks, parallel systems or legacy backups to manage payroll and workforce operations. 

The report was based on a global survey of senior HR, finance, operations and technology leaders. 

Its findings reportedly highlight a broader confidence gap where systems are in place but not yet fully optimised to operate independently. This leaves teams exposed to ongoing operational risk and limits the value of transformation programmes.

According to Strada, across core payroll and HR outcomes, fewer than three in ten organisations had made significant progress. 

Only 23 per cent reported a meaningful reduction in manual payroll tasks, while only 21 per cent report a marked improvement in compliance confidence, suggesting a persistent gap between system capability and day-to-day performance.

Jenni Flaherty - Director of Payroll Product Strategy - said, "We're seeing strong and sustained investment in HR and payroll technology, but many organisations are still in the process of realising its full value. Our research shows that manual checks and legacy processes persist where systems are not fully optimised or integrated.

"When these workarounds are embedded, they point to opportunities to better connect systems and improve how they operate day to day. Organisations that focus on optimisation and continuous improvement are the ones unlocking greater efficiency, confidence and long-term value.”

Source: Yahoo

(Quote via original reporting)

New research has revealed that, despite sustained investment in modern HR and payroll technologies, many enterprise organisations are struggling to unlock their full value, Yahoo reports.

This means that manual workarounds, legacy processes and parallel systems are still a common feature of payroll and workforce operations.

Strada's Workforce Possibility Report 2026 found that 77 per cent of large employers implementing or operating a major HCM platform continue to depend on manual checks, parallel systems or legacy backups to manage payroll and workforce operations. 

The report was based on a global survey of senior HR, finance, operations and technology leaders. 

Its findings reportedly highlight a broader confidence gap where systems are in place but not yet fully optimised to operate independently. This leaves teams exposed to ongoing operational risk and limits the value of transformation programmes.

According to Strada, across core payroll and HR outcomes, fewer than three in ten organisations had made significant progress. 

Only 23 per cent reported a meaningful reduction in manual payroll tasks, while only 21 per cent report a marked improvement in compliance confidence, suggesting a persistent gap between system capability and day-to-day performance.

Jenni Flaherty - Director of Payroll Product Strategy - said, "We're seeing strong and sustained investment in HR and payroll technology, but many organisations are still in the process of realising its full value. Our research shows that manual checks and legacy processes persist where systems are not fully optimised or integrated.

"When these workarounds are embedded, they point to opportunities to better connect systems and improve how they operate day to day. Organisations that focus on optimisation and continuous improvement are the ones unlocking greater efficiency, confidence and long-term value.”

Source: Yahoo

(Quote via original reporting)