Rethinking Global Payroll: The Move from Automation to Intelligence

On March 20, 2025, Neeyamo hosted its N’gage event in Bengaluru. The event brought together global payroll leaders, HR executives, and industry analysts to discuss the transformation of payroll from a traditional back-office function into a strategic driver of business efficiency. It explored industry-wide shifts, emphasizing how Neeyamo differentiates itself in the market and fostering discussions that challenged conventional approaches.

While most payroll providers focus on automation and compliance, Neeyamo addresses a more complex challenge—payroll for the long-tail workforce. Unlike other solutions prioritizing high-volume, large-market payroll processing, Neeyamo has built a platform to manage payroll for employees in low-density, remote, and emerging markets. This focus is crucial for multinational organizations grappling with fragmented payroll solutions across multiple geographies.

At N’gage, CEO Rangarajan Seshadri articulated this vision, underscoring Neeyamo’s approach to hyperlocal compliance, AI-driven automation, and end-to-end payroll orchestration. The company’s road map integrates real-time insights, proactive compliance management, and AI-driven decision-making. This strategy is not yet widely adopted across the industry. Additionally, this approach directly addresses enterprise concerns about AI displacing roles, positioning technology as an enabler rather than a disruptor.

The event highlighted the transition toward AI-powered payroll ecosystems, with Neeyamo showcasing its vision for autonomous payroll processing. The company’s solutions aim to eliminate manual interventions, ensuring real-time compliance and error-free payroll execution. The following were some of the most notable innovations presented at N’gage:

• • Neeyamo NXT: It is an AI-driven payroll engine that dynamically manages compliance updates, ensuring payroll execution remains aligned with the latest global regulations. It automatically adjusts regional compliance rules, responding to legislative changes such as the recent LATAM labor reforms or the APAC data privacy laws.
  • ScreenXchange: It is a decentralized background screening platform that enables faster, on-demand verification across global jurisdictions, serving as a crucial differentiator in today’s remote work era.
  • Localized p : Unlike generic global payroll models, Neeyamo offers country-specific payroll solutions that seamlessly integrate time tracking, absence management, and compliance monitoring into a single ecosystem.

One of the most compelling insights from N’gage 2025 was the need for payroll to become predictive rather than reactive. While many providers are investing in automation, Neeyamo is taking the next step by integrating predictive analytics and generative AI to forecast payroll discrepancies before they occur.

Enterprises increasingly demand real-time workforce insights from their payroll providers—insights that go beyond accurate processing to enable better strategic decision-making. Neeyamo’s ScreenXchange background screening platform and localized payroll compliance modules extend the capabilities of traditional payroll technology, offering a more integrated and proactive approach to workforce management.

Speakers at the event discussed how AI could preempt compliance risks, flagging potential violations before penalties arise and adjusting salary disbursements in real time based on currency fluctuations, tax updates, and labor law changes. This level of intelligence represents a significant departure from the industry norm, where compliance remains a reactive process. The discussions included the following:

• • AI and the future of payroll: The panel explored how machine learning and intelligent automation (IA) will redefine the role of payroll professionals.
  • The compliance conundrum: A panel featuring leaders from Siemens, Hitachi Rail, and Acuity Knowledge Partners addressed the challenges of navigating global regulatory frameworks.
  • Real-world case studies: These offered insights into the long-standing Siemens–Neeyamo partnership, which has successfully unified payroll operations across more than 50 countries.

Payroll is no longer just an operational function but a critical component of employee experience. Enterprises must assess how payroll technology impacts talent retention, engagement, and financial wellness, particularly as employees increasingly expect flexible and transparent salary payments. Discussions at N’gage 2025 advocated a paradigm shift in payroll, positioning it as a strategic enabler rather than a support function. The following are the key industry trends highlighted at N’gage:

• • Hyperautomation: The focus is on moving beyond rule-based automation to self-learning systems that dynamically adjust to regulatory changes.
  • Decentralized compliance management: Using AI-driven compliance monitoring tools enables the mitigation of global payroll risks in real time.
  • Employee-centric payroll solutions: These shift the focus from employer-driven payroll to on-demand salary access, automated tax adjustments, and personalized payroll experiences.

For enterprises managing a global workforce, payroll is not just about automation but also intelligence, adaptability, and strategic alignment. The discussions at N’gage 2025 signal a shift in the payroll industry that will soon become the standard. Organizations that fail to adapt to this new model risk falling behind as payroll technology evolves into a predictive, compliance-aware, and employee-centric function.

By Aditya Jain, Research Leader, Avasant