The challenge
With more than 550 employees distributed across South Africa, PUMA's local division was operating on outdated HR systems that couldn't keep pace. Processing payroll required duplicating data across platforms. HR workflows relied on manual updates. Employees had limited visibility into their own information — every request had to route through HR or IT.
“The system we were using felt antiquated. It was critical to us that we find a payroll system that would integrate directly with our HR platform.”
As the business expanded, the inefficiencies compounded. The HR team needed a platform that could scale with them — reducing administrative friction while keeping the business fully compliant with South African legislation.
The solution
PUMA South Africa selected Deel Local Payroll for its built-in integrations, intuitive experience, and mobile capabilities. With real-time cloud sync and automatic compliance updates, the HR and payroll teams no longer needed to chase down data or manage spreadsheets.
“We've definitely seen a decrease in processing time. You just click, click, click, and there's the report.”
By integrating with PUMA's Workday-based HR stack — as a Workday Global Payroll Connect-certified solution — Deel Local Payroll eliminated manual IT updates and gave employees the ability to self-manage their own data. The standout feature for the team was Pacey: a WhatsApp-powered interface that gives warehouse and store employees instant access to leave requests, payslips, and tax documents directly from their phones. No logins. No new tools to learn.
“The word easy comes to mind. It's super user-friendly. You don't need days of training to get going.”
The result
PUMA South Africa eliminated manual IT updates, reduced payroll processing time, and gave employees the ability to self-manage their data — lifting the administrative burden from HR. The team can now onboard new employees faster, stay aligned with local legislative changes, and adapt operations as the business grows.
“We know that when we go into the Deel Local Payroll system, it has the most recent and most updated legislative information, which gives us peace of mind.”
Whether it's scaling teams, managing compliance, or rolling out new policies, the HR and finance teams now have the visibility, agility, and support to grow with confidence.
“There are no headaches for our IT team. We don't have to schedule manual updates or worry about compliance changes being missed. It all happens automatically—in real time.”— Alison Boruchowitz, Head of People and Organization, PUMA South Africa
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