Keely, SVP Global Payroll & Reward at DZN will be leading the Reward & Payroll Summit session “Payroll for Scale-Ups: Building Growth Without Breaking Things!”

What are the most significant challenges facing payroll/reward professionals today? 

Particularly in my sector and small start-up businesses, I think volume and speed is a challenge. The world is moving at such a pace, and whilst businesses try to keep up, so do payroll and reward professionals. It can be difficult to balance the needs of the business with necessary diligence and compliance. 

What excites you most about participating in Reward & Payroll Summit this year? 

I enjoy listening to others’ experience and how they’ve overcome certain challenges. Something I might have dwelled on for weeks, someone else has already solved! 

Which session or theme are you most looking forward to, and why? 

I’m interested to find out more about the technology and tools available so those sessions will be insightful. 

What advice would you give to companies looking to innovate while ensuring compliance in today’s regulatory environment? 

Innovation is what we’re all aiming for, all of the time. Why? For me, it comes back to my point about the pace of business. Innovation speeds up what might otherwise be human tasks. To do this alongside regulatory challenges, I think is often about the business’ appetite for risk and what your strategic focus is. I will touch on this within my session too!

What role does technology and/or AI play in transforming payroll/reward, and how can businesses leverage it effectively? 

Comes back to four! AI will no doubt support reward and payroll professional to innovate and transform into even more efficient and strategic functions. 

What inspired you to have a career in payroll/reward, and what keeps you passionate about it? 

Most people say they ’fell into it’ and yes, I did too, but it turns out my incessant need to problem solve comes in very handy! This is such a huge piece of the payroll puzzle and it’s also why I stick around. It’s the most rewarding bit. 

What do you hope attendees will take away from your session at Reward & Payroll Summit?

Honestly, I hope to just make connections with a network of problem solvers who can support each other through various challenges. If someone comes away from the session with new ideas, or feels less alone in their current predicament with a fresh take on how it could be approached - brilliant. 

To hear more from Keely, see her speak at the Reward & Payroll Summit this November.