Skip to main content
Contact Sales Support Careers
United States (English)
Americas
  • United States (English)
  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • Mexico (Español)
Europe, Middle East & Africa
  • United Kingdom (English)
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland (Deutsch)
  • Nederland (Nederlands)
  • Other EMEA Locations
Asia/Pacific
  • India (English)
  • Australia (English)
UKG logo UKG logo
Search
Get started Get started
    • Solutions
      Solutions by Need
      People icon
      Human Resources
      Payroll icon
      Payroll
      Talent icon
      Talent
      People connected icon
      HR Service Delivery
      Clock with Person
      Time & Attendance
      Calendar day icon
      Scheduling
      Document check shield icon
      Compliance
      Chart bar statistics icon
      Reporting and Analytics
      Product Suites
      UKG Pro

      A culture-driven HCM suite designed to support your enterprise organization's needs.

      UKG Dimensions

      Workforce Management solution helping you redefine the work experience for your people.

      UKG Ready

      HR solution to help small and mid-size organizations focus on growth and making a difference for your people, every time.

      View all products
      Find the product that best fits your needs.
      Get started Get started
      get started
    • Customer Experience
      The UKG Promise

      With over 70 years of expertise with BOTH people systems and systems of work, no one knows people and how they work better than UKG.

      Our Promise
      Customer Experience

      We think you’re pretty special when you’re a UKG Customer. That’s why we build products designed to inspire your people — and your organization — to grow and thrive.

      Partner for Life
      Implementation
      Support Experience
      UKG Community
      Working Smarter Café
      Customer Stories
      Belle Tire

      UKG Pro streamlines and automates administrative and HR tasks, so that field teams and managers can spend more time with customers, and coach, train, and listen to their people.

      Eventide Senior Living Communities

      Eventide Senior Living Communities uses UKG to drive employee engagement and streamline workforce management and HCM, including cutting PBJ reporting time by 99%.

      See all customer stories
      Collaborate, learn, and get support for your UKG solution!
      Visit UKG Community Visit UKG Community
    • Resources
      • Research & Insights
        Research & Insights
        • By Business Need
        • By Type
        See all
        Growth icon
        Human Capital Management
        People icon
        Human Resources
        People connected icon
        HR Service Delivery
        Payroll icon
        Payroll
        Talent icon
        Talent
        Chart tree people icon
        Workforce Management
        Clock with Person
        Time & Attendance
        Calendar day icon
        Scheduling
        Document check shield icon
        Compliance
        Chart bar statistics icon
        Reporting and Analytics
        Lightbulb icon
        Product Info
        Video player icon
        Product Tour
        Article featured icon
        Analyst Report
        Document icon
        White Paper
        Book icon
        eBook
        Organization icon
        Industry Brief
        Chart bar icon
        Infographic
        News people icon
        Article
        Video player icon
        Webinar Replay
        Interactive
      Research & Insights
      • By Business Need
      • By Type
      See all
      Growth icon
      Human Capital Management
      People icon
      Human Resources
      People connected icon
      HR Service Delivery
      Payroll icon
      Payroll
      Talent icon
      Talent
      Chart tree people icon
      Workforce Management
      Clock with Person
      Time & Attendance
      Calendar day icon
      Scheduling
      Document check shield icon
      Compliance
      Chart bar statistics icon
      Reporting and Analytics
      Lightbulb icon
      Product Info
      Video player icon
      Product Tour
      Article featured icon
      Analyst Report
      Document icon
      White Paper
      Book icon
      eBook
      Organization icon
      Industry Brief
      Chart bar icon
      Infographic
      News people icon
      Article
      Video player icon
      Webinar Replay
      Interactive
      Events
      Tradeshows
      Conferences
      Webinars
      See all events
      Blogs
      The People Purpose Blog

      Your source for the latest life-work trends and ideas from UKG experts and leaders. Stay informed and put people first in all you do.

      Workforce Institute

      Think tank that helps organizations drive performance by addressing HCM and workforce management issues.

      Workplace Resources
      Great Place To Work
      Pay Equity Resources
      Human Insights
      UKG Developer Hub
      UKG Pro Ranks Highest in 2022 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Cloud HCM Suites for the North American Midmarket Use Case
      Get The Report
      Get The Report
      Reference Image
      UKG Ranks Highest in 2022 Gartner Critical Capabilities for Cloud HCM Suites

      Read the Gartner® Critical Capabilities analysis for UKG Pro®.

    • About Us
      About UKG

      Learn more about UKG and how our HR solutions inspire workforces and businesses around the world to drive people-focused results.

      About Us
      Why UKG
      UKG Leadership
      Newsroom
      Awards & Recognition
      UKG Ambassadors
      Culture
      Our ESG Program
      Partners
      UKG Marketplace
      Analyst Reports
      Careers

      Look to your future. If you're interested in working for a company that truly invests in their people to create a culture of belonging and innovation, we want you on our team.

      Careers at UKG
      Early Career & Internships
      Benefits
      Life at UKG
      Featured Locations
      FAQs
      Experience awesome at work.
      Search jobs at UKG Search jobs at UKG
    Contact Sales Support Careers
    United States (English)
    Americas
    • United States (English)
    • Canada (English)
    • Canada (Français)
    • Mexico (Español)
    Europe, Middle East & Africa
    • United Kingdom (English)
    • France (Français)
    • Deutschland (Deutsch)
    • Nederland (Nederlands)
    • Other EMEA Locations
    Asia/Pacific
    • India (English)
    • Australia (English)
    Find the product that best fits your needs.
    Get started Get started
    get started
    Search Get started Get started
    People icon
    HR

    What complete disruption has taught us about HR and payroll

    August 4, 2020
    Drawing a light bulb what HR and payroll learned from complete disruption
    • Share
    See all blog stories See all blog stories
    Stay up to date with The People Purpose Blog
    Subscribe via email Subscribe via email
    Subscribe via RSS

    Written By

    Julie Develin
    Julie Develin
    HCM Strategic Consultant

    Julie is part of the HCM Strategic Advisory team at UKG. A long-time HR practitioner, she is passionate about using HR strategy and technology to improve the employer/employee experience.

    Teresa Smith, Senior HCM Strategy Consultant
    Teresa Smith
    Director, HCM Strategic Advisory

    Teresa leads our HCM Strategic Advisory team at UKG. As a veteran HCM business consultant and IT professional, she loves connecting with technology's human side.

    Topics

    HR Technology HR Technology Human Capital Management Human Capital Management

    It’s been said that in the face of adversity, we discover who we really are. That rings true for businesses as well as individuals. But in the everyday grind of life at work and at home (and let’s face it, those things are not as separate as they once were), these valuable lessons sometimes get lost in the shuffle. This is especially true in the HR and payroll space where there's so much to do it can be easy to get stuck in administrative processes and lose sight of the powerful impact we have on the lives of everyone we work with.

    These lessons aren't so much formally taught as they are gleaned from small and large feats and triumphs that human resources and payroll professionals conquer every day. Reflecting on the past several months of trials during a time of disruption can help us strive toward better business outcomes in the future.

    In this blog, we're taking a second to pause and reflect on what we've learned about HR and payroll professionals in the first half of 2020. And clearly the lessons abound.

    Lessons for HR

    HR professionals have had to think on their feet, get proactive, and rely on technology more than ever as the disruption we've all experienced has continued to build. Here are some key takeaways that HR should focus on as they begin moving forward:

    1. Employees can adapt to the situation at hand

    Consider the relative calmness of life in January and February 2020. With everything that has happened in the world, it's probably difficult to remember!

    Yet, as soon as it became clear that the global situation with COVID-19 was going to cause things to change in a drastic, life-altering way, many businesses went into “go mode.” Practically overnight, companies set new rules for employees — PPE, mask mandates, hand washing, social distancing, and temperature checks, to name just a few things. This became the new normal at work for many people. Although there might have been some resistance, employees have largely embraced the new social norms of work—norms that won’t be going away anytime soon.

    As we've adjusted to life with COVID-19 in the mix, it's become apparent that workers have a strong penchant for resilience, and they can adapt to conquer barriers placed in their way. As employers, ensuring that change management plans are in place and that employees are regularly surveyed about their experience on the job goes a long way towards a positive employee journey that workers seek. The moments that matter at work really do count, and that's something business leaders need to keep front of mind and build into the HR technology they use.

    2. Remote work is no longer considered a benefit — it's expected

    In keeping with the resilience theme, many employees not on the front lines have had to adapt to working from home for several months. Balancing work and life simultaneously has become another type of new normal for many people, and the freedom to make appointments, work their way, and watch their kids is not something that many will let go of easily once offices reopen.

    Prior to the pandemic, remote work was considered a benefit in many businesses, but it can no longer be considered so. Where companies used to attract top talent by touting remote work options, doing so today may seem downright silly, considering what normal has become. Expectations of increased flexibility have shifted.

    Complete disruption has taught us many things relating to remote work, including that many jobs once thought to be tethered to a physical office space can be done effectively from home. Micromanagers might have a tough time with letting go, but flexibility and freedom to work their way is what employees will expect moving forward.

    Considering that reality, some questions that beg answering during this time are: why force someone to commute to an office when they can get the same job done from home? How much productivity will workers achieve if they are forced into an environment that causes anxiety? What is the collective psyche of the workforce in terms of them wanting to return to the office? Are contact tracing tools available in case of an outbreak?

    Consider these and other potential scenarios in your return to work plans so you can put your best foot forward with your employee experience, whether physical or remote.

    3. Effective communication and collaboration are dependent on technology

    Perhaps one of the biggest lessons HR has learned from the disruption that has occurred is just how important communication and collaboration mechanisms are within an organization. Not just any communication and collaboration methods work effectively—the right ones promote ease of use, are reliable, and are widely accepted by employees and managers alike as a source of truth.

    Companies that had effective HR technology solutions in place were much better suited to weather the disruption of COVID-19, and those that did not learned quickly that these solutions are no longer a luxury — they are a necessity. Ensuring employees have a safe and easy way to log their hours, request time off, switch a shift, or complete a training online via their mobile device has become vitally important during the pandemic.

    Also vital is two-way communication. Oftentimes companies prioritize getting messages out, but do not have a way for employees to send messages back to managers and human resources representatives. With the rapidly changing employment landscape, this has become more important than ever.

    Lessons for payroll

    A critical function of human resources, payroll is complex and the scope of this complexity is only heightened further during disruption. However, many organizations have adopted new strategies and modernized their payroll decisions. Here are some things we've learned:

    1. Modern payroll practitioners support both compliance and corporate culture

    Payroll professionals know the importance of keeping up with changing regulations. With disruptions like the current global health crisis, keeping up with new national laws like the CARES Act and managing state and local regulations around things like paid family and medical leave can be challenging because they occur on short notice. However, we've learned that payroll professionals are becoming more strategic in how they're managing these changes. In fact, they're redefining how they spend their days. More organizations are investing in efforts to track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and using tools to gauge the business impact of internal payroll processes, putting payroll at the forefront of organizations’ compliance strategies.

    In addition to compliance, payroll is playing a key role in supporting rapidly changing corporate culture, including strategies that empower employees through options like self-service, education, and a modern approach to payroll that meets the needs of the employee and the business.

    2. Time is money, and payroll pros see the benefits of integrating with timekeeping processes

    While there are many new regulations payroll professionals must follow, we've also learned that other factors are equally important. With so many employees working remotely these days, it's more important than ever that organizations are closely monitoring and keeping records of the hours their employees are working and that correct wage rules are being applied. In addition, payroll professionals must properly account for non-working employees, including personal/vacation/sick time and both traditional and new forms of extended leave.

    As a result, payroll professionals are turning to unified technology for both workforce management and payroll processing to build automated methods of paying their employees accurately and on time. We've learned that the benefits of a unified solution go well beyond ensuring compliance. It helps organizations safely capture time through things like mobile and face recognition technology, monitor and identify employees potentially exposed to COVID-19 with contact tracing tools, and accurately calculate payroll even with new complexities in wage and hour regulations. In addition, payroll professionals are both providing better employee experiences and monitoring and spotting labor cost trends that impact their bottom line.

    3. With payroll's digital transformation comes a need for speed

    Our recent disruptions have been a real eye-opener for payroll professionals around the importance of getting access to timely and accurate payroll data. Many are finding that their current systems are making it difficult to stay up on recent regulations and gather the right data together. They're spending too much time manually appending data in order to get payroll calculated and processed accurately and on time.

    As a result, payroll professionals are considering their commitments to the employees they support and are taking a more streamlined, digital approach to their payroll process. They are moving away from older and disparate systems and are turning to a unified cloud-based solution.

    Conclusion: HR and payroll professionals can weather the toughest storms

    While recent disruptions have led to numerous challenges, we have seen HR and Payroll professionals be consistently resilient. They have adopted and adjusted business plans, processes and technology to help them adjust to today’s world of work and prepare them for any long-lasting changes that may impact the business down the road.

    If you've not yet invested in a unified HCM solution, it isn't too late and you shouldn't stop looking because of the disruptions we've faced. Especially now, your technology choices can give you the time and space you need to try new, more efficient processes and make decisions based on data, letting your HR and payroll teams deliver critical insights that boost your organization’s success and create positive change.

    Download the HCM Buyer's Guide

    • The People Purpose Blog
    • What complete disruption has taught us about HR and payroll

    Related Stories

    data controller vs. processor
    The People Purpose Blog

    Data Controller vs. Processor: Understanding the Key Differences

    Understanding the roles and responsibilities of a data controller vs. processor is critical in the era of digital transformation. 

    5 Expert Strategies to Overcome HR Challenges and Create a Great Company Culture
    The People Purpose Blog

    5 Expert Strategies to Overcome HR Challenges and Create a Great Company Culture

    Feeling disenchanted about improving your workplace culture? Turn HR challenges into opportunities to foster a better company culture and more successful business.

    UKG at HR Tech
    The People Purpose Blog

    Your Guide to HR Tech 2023: 6 Tips to Maximize Your Experience

    Don’t miss the action at HR Tech 2023. We’re sharing our top six tips for getting the most out of this year’s show.  

    UKG logo

    Footer menu

    • Human Capital Management
      • Human Resources
      • Payroll
      • Talent
      • Reporting and Analytics
    • Workforce Management
      • Time & Attendance
      • Scheduling
      • Compliance
    • Product Suites
      • UKG Pro
      • UKG Dimensions
      • UKG Ready
    • Customer Experience
      • Implementation
      • Support Experience
      • UKG Community
      • Customer Stories
    • About Us
      • Why UKG
      • Culture
      • Our ESG Program
      • Leadership
      • Newsroom
      • Careers
      • Privacy and Security

    Sub Footer

    • Modern Slavery Statement
    • Accessibility
    • Cookie Choices
    • Cookie Notice
    • Terms of Use
    • Trademarks
    • CCPA Notice
    • Licenses
    • Privacy Notice
    © 2023 UKG Inc. All rights reserved.

    Kronos SaaShr, Inc., a UKG Company (NMLS ID#1698726) provides money transmission services on behalf of UKG Inc. customers and in connection with certain UKG products.