The Future of Payroll: Gen Z is Here
As we celebrate National Payroll Week 2025, it’s the perfect time to honor the professionals who ensure paychecks are accurate, timely, and compliant. It’s also a good time to look ahead at the ever-evolving workforce and workplace.
Born between 1997—2012, Gen Z is entering the workplace with fresh expectations, digital fluency, and a desire for purpose-driven work. And whether they’re receiving their first paycheck or entering the payroll profession, Gen Z is changing the way payroll is expected, delivered, and experienced.
Gen Z Employees: Redefining Payroll Expectations
As the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age, Gen Z assumes and expects fast, mobile-first experiences. Here’s what that means for the payroll landscape:
- On-Demand Pay & Flexibility: Valuing financial control and flexibility, many Gen Z employees expect on-demand access to earned wages and flexible pay schedules. Did you know that with UKG Wallet™, employees can access earned wages instantly and use financial wellness tools to manage their money? Listen to this podcast to learn more about what UKG Wallet can do for your people.
- Mobile-first Access: With information always at their fingertips, Gen Z employees want to view paystubs, tax forms, timecards, and updates from their phones. The UKG Pro® and UKG Ready® Mobile Apps give your teams information at their fingertips, helping them stay productive and connected at work, in the field, and on the go.
- Transparency and Simplicity: Preferring visual, jargon-free communication, Gen Z expects clear breakdowns of deductions, benefits, and taxes. Financial Wellness Support: Cautious with their finances, payroll teams can support Gen Z with tools that encourage saving, budgeting, and planning. Partnering with HR to offer financial wellness programs and digital budgeting tools can make a big impact.
Gen Z Payroll Professionals: A New Generation of Talent
Gen Z isn’t just changing payroll from the outside. They’re joining the profession, too.
- Tech-Savvy and Automation-Ready: Comfortable with cloud-based systems, AI, and automation, Gen Z is ready to streamline and innovate. They see technology not just as a tool, but as a strategic advantage that can improve their experience.
- Purpose-Driven Work: 86% of Gen Zers say a sense of purpose is key to job satisfaction, and many seek roles that align with their values. They’re drawn to organizations that demonstrate ethical leadership and social responsibility, and in the payroll profession, this translates to a desire for fair compensation practices, financial transparency, and employee well-being.
- Collaborative & Curious: Thriving in environments that encourage learning and idea-sharing, mentorship, cross-functional projects, and growth opportunities help Gen Z employees succeed. Gen Z professionals are actively shaping mentorship and onboarding structures. They prefer formats like peer-to-peer mentoring, reverse mentoring, and group learning, which foster collaboration and mutual respect.
Advice for Today’s Payroll Professionals
Payroll professionals have a unique opportunity to lead the way as Gen Z continues to enter and reshape the workforce. Here’s how to stay ahead:
- Generate Innovative Communication: Use clear, visual formats to explain pay, benefits, and changes. Think infographics, dashboards, and short-form content. Gen Z prefers instant messaging and succinct, casual communication. UKG solutions support this with smart pay summaries and real-time notifications, helping employees stay informed and engaged without jargon or complexity.
- Support Financial Wellness: Partner with HR to offer resources that help employees manage their money and plan. For payroll professionals, this means adapting not only how pay is processed, but how it’s communicated and supported. It’s a chance to elevate payroll’s role as a strategic, employee-centered function.
- Mentor the Next Generation: Welcome Gen Z payroll professionals with structured onboarding, learning paths, and opportunities to contribute.
Celebrating You: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond
National Payroll Week is about honoring the professionals who make sure every employee gets paid accurately and on time. But it’s also about embracing change and preparing for the future.
Gen Z is bringing new energy to the workforce, and with it, a chance to evolve the payroll profession for the better. Whether you’ve been in payroll for decades or are just starting, your role is more important than ever.
Thank you for all that you do. Happy National Payroll Week!
