Automation is among the most popular buzzwords sweeping through the HR industry. Robotic Process Automation (RPA), specifically, is a highly relevant and easy-to-implement automation methodology that could transform several routine HR tasks. RPA works via automated scripts, software agents, and bots conducting activities at an exceptional rate of accuracy and speeds. RPA addresses common human errors and mistakes that creep in because of work fatigue. In a segment where error-free operations and data accuracy is so important, i.e., payroll, RPA has all the more potential for instituting change. Unlike most enterprise-grade solutions, RPA is relatively more cost-effective and simpler to implement. So, is RPA-led payroll the new normal for the HR industry? Let’s unravel this further.
As per 2016’s Shared Service & Outsourcing Network’s (SSON) RPA Survey, payroll administration wasn’t very conducive to RPA adoption. One of the roadblocks cited was that manual payroll activities may not be adequately documented, down to ‘if/then’ levels of granularity. Unlike AI, RPA isn’t capable of intelligent decision-making. Therefore, the absence of exhaustive documentation across payroll in a variety of scenarios, employee types, and organizational levels first needed to be addressed.