Deciding on whether to Work From Home (WFH) or Return To Office (RTO) is up to you. Exercising your choice is up to your payroll and HR software.
Remote work has become culturally ingrained over the last five years, even though there is pushback through Return To Office mandates.
A recent poll from the Global Payroll Association (GPA) revealed that three-quarters of people are likely to decline a role that doesn’t offer hybrid or remote working. While critics say WFH reduces productivity, the US non-profit National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that remote work reduces daily commutes by an average of 72 minutes. For many people, that amount of time is much higher.
With more than a third of South Africans engaged in some level of remote work, many organisations are trying to figure out how to operate with this new norm.
In today’s landscape there’s an expectation for more workplace flexibility. It is now true that there are some roles that work better if they have flexible hours and locations. Considering that our digital world enables remote and flexible working, it is no wonder why it’s becoming a norm. Businesses need to consider where it’s appropriate and how they create working systems to manage different work styles.
Adapting To Remote Work
Workplace flexibility can be complicated. The ability to work remotely depends on employee roles, personality types, business projects, managerial styles, customer expectations, and even how this flexibility is presented. For example, is time and location flexibility a standard feature or is it better offered as a perk?
Work location flexibility is simply not an option for some roles or industries that require physical presence. The truth is that flexible models can swing careers one of two ways; by either stagnating or elevating them. Flexible models can result in lowering pay or increasing bonuses. Some jobs are made more productive and others less so, whereas in some cases, it has no impact at all. If your company wants to calibrate remote working to your requirements, you will need systems that support flexibility. In this regard, Payroll and human resources systems have the biggest impact.
With modern payroll and HR platforms, flexibility is made possible for companies – through data insights, employee enablement services, and integration with other business areas. A good platform establish the processes that enable a business to adapt and adopt different work modes as required. For example, a modern payroll platform automates the management of variable pay structures and reduces the related administration of taxes, benefits, time tracking, and invoicing.
Cloud-native payroll platforms are transforming how businesses manage their teams. They don’t just handle payroll (they streamline workforce management, automate routine tasks, and give employees self-service tools like easy leave requests and instant payslip access). Better yet, they stay ahead of changing employment laws by automatically applying updates.
For payroll, HR, and finance managers, these systems are designed with remote work in mind. Secure access from anywhere through smart devices means work doesn’t grind to a halt outside the office. And when paired with collaboration tools like Slack or Teams, they unlock smooth, dynamic workflows across locations.
Modern payroll platforms also make it easier to manage today’s blended workforce, whether that’s office-based teams, freelancers, or gig workers. Even in fully on-site environments, solutions like Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace, deliver lasting improvements to operations.
The real strength comes when payroll connects with HR, finance, and project management. That’s where businesses benefit from automation, self-service, and real-time insights; all working together to modernise operations and boost efficiency.
Controlling Remote Work through Payroll
Remote work and flexible workforces are becoming the norm. Individual businesses decide when, where, and how these modalities apply to their requirements. But they need to be prepared. Investing in modern cloud-native payroll and HR platforms is the best and most effective way to achieve that plus gain immediate improvements for their current workforce.
Should you allow remote work or not? That’s something only you can answer. The first question you want to address is how you will be capable of choosing. Modern payroll and HR platforms create that capacity, and they save you time and reduce errors with your current workforce management. You gain the managerial control, efficiency, and insight to know what the right fits are for your requirements.
Take control of workplace flexibility. Discover how modern payroll and HR systems empower you to manage hybrid teams, streamline operations, and stay compliant. Request a demo today and see how easy it is to transform your workforce management.