Whitepapers

Payroll rarely attracts attention when it works. In most Australian organisations, it sits quietly in the background, expected to deliver accuracy, compliance, and consistency without interruption. Yet few functions operate under the same level of regulatory prescription, or touch as many parts of the business, as payroll does.

More than 70 per cent of Australian organisations have invested in HR technology over the past five years, yet the skills required to govern and audit these systems remain largely absent from traditional HR development pathways. 

Your payroll system might just be your next ally in navigating Australia’s climate compliance landscape. With mandatory climate reporting now underway for the country’s largest organisations since 1 January 2025, a surprising player has stepped into the spotlight: payroll.

Imagine a world where your HR team is freed from repetitive administration, employees receive instant answers to their questions, and managers can approve leave with a single message on their phone. This world is much closer than you think, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in HR. Leading this revolution is chatHR, a conversational HR assistant that's transforming how organisations manage their people.

Wage theft is no longer a fringe issue, or a problem confined to a few bad actors in the hospitality or retail sectors. In 2025, it is front and centre of national employment policy, and the consequences for employers are serious. From 1 January, deliberate wage underpayment became a criminal offence, punishable by fines of up to $7.8 million or 10 years imprisonment for individuals found guilty.

Employee engagement is more than a corporate catchphrase; it’s the engine that drives productivity, innovation, and retention. In Australia and worldwide, the shift to hybrid and remote work has made engagement both more challenging and more critical. 

Australian organisations are operating in an environment of constant change, where workforce expectations, regulatory demands, and operational pressures are colliding. In this high-stakes landscape, one question quietly underpins the employee-employer relationship: are you getting payroll right?

For years, Australia’s workforce has been undergoing a quiet transformation. Between 1991 and 2021, the share of workers aged 55 and over, more than doubled, from 9% to 19%¹. What was once a long-term demographic trend, has now accelerated into a pressing workforce reality. In the wake of the pandemic, a notable number of older Australians have returned to the labour market. 

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic fantasy. It’s a reality transforming HR right now. From chatbots to predictive analytics, AI is helping organisations work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. But not all AI solutions are created equal. chatHR, from Frontier Software, stands out as a true game-changer.

The world of work is changing faster than ever before. In Australia and globally, hybrid work, digital transformation, and the rise of distributed teams have redefined what it means to manage people.

Australia’s payroll industry is undergoing a transformation as profound as it is overdue. The convergence of compliance complexity, digital innovation, and shifting workforce expectations is reshaping the way organisations manage one of their most critical functions. 

Australia’s employment outlook in 2025 paints a complex picture. With unemployment holding at 4.1% and labour force participation at an all-time high of 67.0%, the nation’s job market appears healthy at a glance. Yet, dig deeper and you’ll find workforce challenges intensifying, chronic skills shortages, elevated turnover, and a growing mismatch between candidate expectations and traditional employment offerings.

Millions of Australians now find work through the gig economy, yet a complex classification maze is leaving many without superannuation, and employers facing unexpected penalties. As the gig economy fundamentally reshapes how Australians work, a critical gap remains in worker protections. 

The numbers tell a stark story. While there are no payroll-specific hiring statistics available, broader finance and administrative recruitment data suggests it now takes around 26 days on average to fill these types of roles in Australia, up from 24 days the previous year.

Picture this: It's 3:00 AM in a Perth mining operation, and Sarah Chen, the operations manager, is staring at her laptop screen. The quarterly board meeting is tomorrow, and the directors want answers. Why are labour costs spiralling? Which departments are burning through overtime budgets? Where are the hidden inefficiencies that could sink the project.

Because global economic ripples don't always announce themselves with fanfare. Sometimes, they arrive quietly – lapping gently at first around your ankles, before you suddenly find yourself standing in deeper water than you ever anticipated.

In Australian businesses, payroll is often regarded as an essential but sometimes overlooked function. Payslips are processed, Fair Work regulations are met, and timely payments are made. But how confident are you that your payroll practices are truly accurate? Could taking a more thorough approach help safeguard your business from costly mistakes or even fraud?

When Washington DC welcomed its new administration this January, there was a familiar sense of whiplash. The rhetoric hadn't changed, but the global context had. Australia, like many US allies, watched closely — not out of fascination, but because experience has shown that US political shifts don't stay contained.

Australia's payroll landscape has undergone a significant transformation in 2025. With wage theft now criminalised, organisations face fines of up to AUD 8.25 million or imprisonment for deliberate underpayment. Simultaneously, enhanced pay transparency requirements and an ongoing shortage of payroll professionals create a perfect storm of challenges for Australian businesses. 

With the Fair Work Ombudsman ramping up enforcement, wage compliance has become a board-level concern. To help, we've built a definitive list of payroll metrics that should be on every Australian executive's dashboard. These aren't just numbers for your payroll manager—they're strategic indicators that require your attention.

As December approaches, payroll teams across Australia face unique challenges that require careful planning and attention to detail. 

As the year draws to a close, HR professionals face unique challenges that require careful attention and planning.

The Australian superannuation landscape is on the brink of a significant transformation with the introduction of Pay Day Super, set to take effect on 1 July 2026.

The workplace landscape is transforming with the emergence of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, who are poised to significantly influence the workforce. 

These days, employees often see themselves as global citizens, so it's not uncommon for employees to seek flexibility in their work arrangements, including working from abroad for short periods.

These days, employees often see themselves as global citizens, so it's not uncommon for employees to seek flexibility in their work arrangements, including working from abroad for short periods.

Middleware serves as a bridge that connects various software systems and applications within an organisation. It enables seamless communication and information sharing between different programs.

Let's explore the intricacies of LSL provisions across Australia and how these variations can cause concerns for even the most diligent payroll systems and teams.

The recruitment landscape in Australia is constantly changing, and businesses of all sizes need to stay updated. This is particularly true in Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA), where unique industry strengths and changing skill requirements influence hiring trends. 

It’s almost the end of the financial year (EOFY) in Australia, and payroll teams are preparing for the annual rush. Meeting tight ATO deadlines, navigating complex legislation changes, and ensuring flawless year-end processing create a high-pressure environment.

In the ever-changing realm of Human Resources (HR) and Payroll management, the ability to effortlessly integrate systems is paramount.

The smooth operation of your payroll system is crucial for maintaining employee satisfaction and ensuring your organisation remains compliant with regulations. 

These days, work often occupies a central role in our lives, shaping not just our careers but also our sense of identity and overall well-being.

The recent report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) reveals both progress and persistent challenges in the fight for pay equity.

Positive Duty regulations took effect in December 2022 as a revision of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), marking a pivotal moment in tackling workplace discrimination. 

Positive Duty regulations took effect in December 2022 as a revision of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), marking a pivotal moment in tackling workplace discrimination.

In today's fast-paced business environment, selecting the right payroll software vendor is crucial for organisations to streamline their payroll processes, ensure compliance with regulations, and maintain the trust of their employees. 

Frontier Software is pleased to offer you a complimentary copy of the first edition of The Work Report, a research project conducted with The Evolved Group.

Today’s business environment is fast-paced, and organisations are relying more and more on technology to streamline their operations and improve productivity. In this whitepaper, we will explore some of the ways HR technology impacts the employee experience and what organisations can do to mitigate any negative effects.

The new way of working includes those employees who work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement. Indeed, a major Australian bank is negotiating with employees to embed this status as a right. So how do you build career paths for these employees and is it only your responsibility?

In today’s business landscape, HCM vendors are facing increased pressure to provide innovative and comprehensive solutions that cater to the ever-evolving needs of their clients. 

The new world of work is presenting significant challenges to HR professionals who are scrambling to review existing paradigms of support.

The market for payroll outsourcing is contested by many providers. But are they all the same? Or do you need to think more carefully about to whom you trust your employee data? Is cost a measure of value, or does it foreshadow other challenges? 

Organisations that can build and maintain the best group of talent will inevitably enjoy competitive advantage. Find out how you can attract the best available talent.

Payroll professionals know there are three reasons for payroll errors: people, process and technology. Get even one wrong and your payroll is at risk, not to mention your personal and company reputation. 

Considering the cost involved to hire and train a new employee, it’s no wonder employers are implementing engagement and retention strategies. Here are a few insights as to how to retain employees in the market.

It’s no exaggeration to say that there is a war for talent. Every organisation advertises vacant positions hoping to attract the best and most talented applicants. But they do not win the war by appointing a candidate to a role. 

For decades, there has been debate about what represents the best solution for business software, and the choice is always the same: do you buy a single solution from a single vendor or a combination of best-of-breed software?

A business continuity plan for payroll is detailed and requires a significant time commitment to complete. The finished document describes how payroll will achieve business continuity in the face of an adverse event. 

From March 1^st, 2020, changes to annualised salary rules for employees covered by more than 20 Modern Awards will take effect. The chances are high that the changes will affect your organisation. Are you ready?

Investing in a new HR software solution is a big decision. But beyond those big questions are a myriad of elements that, if all carefully assessed and managed, will ensure you put in place the right system for your business.

Organisation charting applications offer far greater insights than ever. They are now gaining the attention of IT departments as a tool that will empower their alignment with business strategy.

Discover how to assess third-party vendors who offer a cloud solution. The whitepaper is a guide to enable you to discuss and identify what is important to when considering cloud solutions.

This whitepaper defines cybersecurity and the challenges inherent in combatting cyberattacks, including what organisations can do to protect their data and mitigate their losses in the event of a data breach.

This whitepaper discusses the concept of Single Source of Truth (SSOT), the challenges and barriers to adopting it and the things an organisation must consider when deciding to adopt SSOT as a solution to the data deluge.

With the rise of the contingent workforce, HR needs to  reclaim recruitment and the alignment of talent strategies to the new workforce composition. HR must take the lead to prepare for today and for the future.

Find out what Cloud Services are and what they offer institutional clients such as government bodies. Learn the tips and tricks to overcome the challenges to rolling out Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).