Steve Jordan

Sep 17, 2025

Making Payroll Migration Easier

A Leader’s Guide to Planning, Implementing and Trust.

Introduction

Changing payroll systems can feel a bit like moving house—but instead of furniture, you’re juggling employee records, pay rates, leave balances, and compliance rules. Imagine trying to move your favorite antique chair without scratching it while the movers are rushing—you get the idea. Every misstep could ripple across your business, affecting pay, morale, and trust.

Some companies treat payroll migration like a haunted house: they peek in, see a mess of complicated systems and unknown risks, and decide to stay put. Others dive in without a map, only to get lost in confusing data, missed deadlines, and frustrated employees.

The reality is somewhere in between. Payroll migration is challenging, yes, but it’s also a huge opportunity. It’s your chance to upgrade outdated processes, reduce errors, integrate modern tools, and make life easier for your HR and payroll teams. Done right, it can transform how your business manages time and attendance, payroll metrics, and employee satisfaction without losing a single paycheck along the way.

In this guide, we’ll share why migrating payroll matters, the fears most businesses face, and practical steps to make the process smoother. We’ll also explore real migration stories, ways to bring employees along, and why leaders who “clock in” with their teams can make all the difference. By the end, you’ll see that payroll migration isn’t just a risk—it’s an opportunity to future-proof your business.

Introduction
Why Migrate Payroll Systems
Migration Fears & Challenges
The Importance of Planning
Bringing Employees Along
Should Leaders Clock In? (Revisited)
Final Advice for Leaders, Trust, and Making Payroll Migration Work

Table of Content

Why Migrate Payroll Systems

Businesses evolve, and so do their payroll needs. Sticking with an old system may feel comfortable, but over time, inefficiencies, compliance risks, and lack of integration can slow your business down. Migrating your payroll system can deliver significant benefits:

Streamline processes and reduce errors: Manual payroll processes are time-consuming and prone to mistakes. Imagine entering hundreds of timesheets weekly, only to realize a missed shift has thrown off your calculations. Modern systems automate repetitive tasks, catch errors before they happen, and allow your payroll team to focus on value-added work instead of firefighting mistakes.

Stay compliant with ever-changing regulations: Payroll legislation is constantly evolving, and falling behind can lead to penalties or employee dissatisfaction. Modern payroll systems are built with compliance in mind, automatically updating tax tables, superannuation rules, and leave entitlements. No more late-night panic when payday approaches!

Improve reporting and insights: Modern payroll platforms provide real-time dashboards and analytics. This means you can see trends, identify attendance issues, and make informed business decisions—without digging through piles of spreadsheets. Better reporting also empowers managers to make strategic workforce decisions, from overtime planning to resource allocation.

Integrate seamlessly with other business systems: Payroll doesn’t exist in isolation. Integration with HR, accounting, and time & attendance systems ensures data flows smoothly across your business. No more duplicate entries, missed approvals, or conflicting information. Everything just works together, saving time and reducing frustration for your team.

Replace outdated or unsupported software: Some payroll products reach the end of their lifecycle and are no longer supported by the vendor, like MYOB EXO ES. Running end-of-life software introduces serious risks: security vulnerabilities, lack of support for issues, and outdated processes that can’t keep up with modern workforce demands. Migrating to a supported system ensures continuity, stability, and future-proofing.

Enhance employee experience: Payroll isn’t just an administrative task—it’s a critical touchpoint with your workforce. Modern systems allow employees to access payslips, leave balances, and timesheets online, empowering them to manage their own data and reducing questions to HR. Happier employees mean fewer errors, less frustration, and stronger trust in your organization.

Scale with your business: As your business grows, so do payroll complexities. New employees, additional locations, and changing pay structures can strain outdated systems. Modern payroll solutions are built to scale, ensuring your business can adapt without breaking your payroll processes.

Migrating payroll isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s a strategic move that strengthens your business, improves compliance, and enhances the employee experience. While change can feel daunting, the long-term benefits of a modern, efficient payroll system far outweigh the temporary disruption.

Mini-Tip: Make a checklist of all payroll pain points before evaluating new systems. It helps identify what your organization really needs.

Migration Fears & Challenges

Even with clear benefits, payroll migration comes with its own set of worries:

Fear of change: Let’s be honest—people freak out when things change, especially when it affects their pay. Even small adjustments to processes, timesheets, or reporting can make employees anxious. Addressing this fear early with clear communication and reassurance is critical.

Data loss or corruption: Payroll data is sensitive and critical. Losing or misplacing it can have serious financial and legal consequences. A well-planned migration mitigates this risk through backups, testing, and validation.

Employee resistance: Staff may fear changes to pay cycles, reporting, or system interfaces. Resistance often stems from lack of understanding, so clear communication is key. Highlighting the benefits for employees—like self-service access to payslips or leave balances—can reduce anxiety.

Hidden costs and downtime: Migration isn’t just about software—it’s about people, processes, and time. Unexpected delays or errors can affect payroll timelines. Building contingency plans and setting realistic expectations helps prevent costly surprises.

Learning curves: Adopting new software can be frustrating. Employees may initially struggle with new interfaces or reporting features. Providing comprehensive training and ongoing support ensures smoother adoption and reduces errors.

By acknowledging that fear of change is natural and addressing it proactively, businesses can reduce stress, increase adoption, and make the transition smoother.

Want to dive deeper into how leaders manage these exact challenges? Listen to the BundyPlus Podcast, Episode 3, where we unpack real migration strategies and leadership lessons.

The Importance of Planning

A successful payroll migration starts with a well-thought-out, detailed plan. Planning isn’t just about scheduling dates—it’s about anticipating challenges, addressing employee concerns, and building confidence across your organization. Here’s how to make it work:

Audit your current system: Start by reviewing every aspect of your existing payroll process. Identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, outdated procedures, and compliance gaps. Think of it as spring cleaning for payroll: check historical data, audit leave balances, review timesheet accuracy, and identify manual workarounds your team uses daily. Knowing exactly what you have—and what isn’t working—will make the migration smoother and prevent surprises later.

Choose the right software: Not all payroll systems are created equal. Evaluate platforms based on your current needs, future growth, and integration requirements. Systems like BundyPlus are designed to integrate with multiple payroll platforms, reducing manual effort and improving data flow. Consider scalability, compliance updates, ease of use, and the level of support offered. Selecting the right system upfront avoids costly switching mid-project and helps employees adapt more easily.

Set timelines and milestones: Break the migration into manageable phases. Include key dates for data extraction, testing, employee training, and go-live. Assign realistic deadlines and account for potential setbacks, like unexpected data issues or employee availability. Mapping out the timeline reduces stress, gives everyone visibility into progress, and turns a daunting change into a structured process.

Backup data: Payroll data is sensitive and critical. Make multiple, secure backups of employee records, timesheets, and historical payroll information. Consider both on-site and cloud backups. A thorough backup plan ensures you can restore data quickly if anything goes wrong, preventing disruptions to pay cycles and reducing anxiety for your team.

Assign roles and responsibilities: Clearly define who is responsible for each part of the migration—HR for employee data verification, IT for software setup and integration, payroll teams for testing, and managers for approving timesheets. Clear accountability prevents confusion, keeps tasks moving forward, and makes it easier to track progress. Employees also feel more confident when they know who to approach with questions or issues.

Test before going live: Don’t wait until payday to find mistakes. Run pilot payrolls with a subset of employees to validate data accuracy, integrations, and reporting. Testing helps uncover hidden issues—like missing leave balances, incorrect tax calculations, or misaligned timesheets—before they affect the entire workforce. It’s much easier to fix problems in a controlled test environment than after the first real payroll run.

Communicate and manage expectations: Planning isn’t just for the project team. Keep employees informed at every stage. Explain what will change, why the migration is happening, and how it benefits them. Provide clear instructions for any new tools or processes they’ll use. Open communication reduces fear of change and helps employees feel involved rather than blindsided.

Plan for contingencies: Even with meticulous planning, things can go wrong. Identify potential risks—like data corruption, delayed approvals, or system downtime—and prepare mitigation strategies. Having a contingency plan ensures you can respond quickly and maintain confidence among employees and leaders alike.

Thorough planning transforms payroll migration from a stressful, unpredictable task into a structured, manageable project. By anticipating challenges, clarifying responsibilities, and communicating clearly, you reduce fear of change, build trust, and give employees and leaders a clear roadmap. Everyone knows what to expect, when, and how the new system will make their work easier and more efficient.

Mini-Tip: Use a visual timeline for migration milestones to keep everyone aligned and reduce anxiety.

Bringing Employees Along

Employees are the heartbeat of payroll, and their buy-in is essential for a smooth migration. When staff understand the reasons behind the change and feel supported throughout, adoption becomes faster, errors drop, and morale remains high. Here’s how to make it happen:

Communicate early and often: Start conversations about the migration well before go-live. Explain why the change is happening, what benefits it brings (like faster access to payslips or easier leave tracking), and what employees can expect during the transition. Regular updates—via emails, team meetings, or internal newsletters—help prevent rumors and reduce anxiety about the unknown.

Acknowledge the fear of change: Change can be unsettling. Employees may worry about losing data, making mistakes, or struggling with new software. Leaders should openly acknowledge these fears and reassure staff that challenges are expected and manageable. Emphasize that mistakes during training or pilot runs are learning opportunities, not failures.

Offer hands-on training and resources: Provide practical, interactive training sessions tailored to different learning styles. Include video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and FAQs that employees can reference anytime. Encourage practice in a safe, test environment where they can explore the system without consequences.

Create feedback channels: Employees need to feel heard. Establish clear avenues for questions, feedback, or reporting issues—whether through a dedicated email, internal chat channel, or scheduled Q&A sessions. Respond promptly and transparently to concerns, showing that the organization values their input.

Highlight employee benefits: Frame the change around positive outcomes for staff. Modern payroll systems often give employees self-service options for viewing payslips, submitting leave, and checking balances. Emphasize these features as time-savers and empowerment tools to create excitement rather than resistance.

Celebrate milestones: Recognize small wins along the migration journey. Whether it’s successfully completing a training module or processing the first test payroll without errors, celebrating progress boosts morale and reinforces confidence in the new system.

Supporting employees through these steps doesn’t just reduce resistance—it builds a culture of trust, engagement, and resilience. By addressing fears proactively and providing the tools to succeed, organizations can turn payroll migration into an opportunity for employees to feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.

Should Leaders Clock In? (Revisited)

Leadership during a payroll migration isn’t just about approving budgets or checking off milestones—it’s about showing up and demonstrating commitment. When leaders actively “clock in” alongside their teams during the migration process, it sends a powerful message: this change is a shared journey, not just a top-down mandate.

Why Leaders Should Participate

Demonstrate commitment to the change: Employees notice when leaders are actively involved. Taking part in training sessions, using the new system, or shadowing processes signals that leadership is serious about the migration and values the system’s success. This helps reduce fear of change by showing that the transition isn’t optional or trivial—it’s important for everyone.

Identify pain points early: Leaders who immerse themselves in the process can spot bottlenecks, confusing workflows, or potential errors before they affect the wider team. For example, if a manager notices that timesheet submissions are consistently misaligned during a pilot run, they can address the issue immediately rather than waiting for payroll day.

Build trust and empathy: Seeing leaders tackle the same challenges as employees builds credibility and trust. When staff know that their leaders understand the hurdles they face, they’re more likely to engage positively, provide honest feedback, and embrace the new system rather than resist it.

Encourage a culture of openness: Leaders who participate openly demonstrate that questions, mistakes, and learning curves are normal. This reduces anxiety and fear of change by creating an environment where employees feel safe experimenting and learning.

Lead by example: Actions speak louder than words. Leaders who “clock in” model the behaviors they want to see—careful data entry, consistent use of new processes, and proactive problem-solving. Employees are more likely to follow suit when they see leadership actively engaging with the change.

Practical Ways Leaders Can “Clock In”

1. Attend training sessions alongside employees, asking questions and exploring the system hands-on.
2. Pilot the new payroll process with a small team or test group to understand challenges firsthand.
3. Shadow payroll tasks such as approving timesheets or reviewing leave requests to see the workflow from an employee perspective.
4. Actively seek feedback from staff during the migration process and respond transparently.
5. Celebrate team milestones and publicly acknowledge employee effort in learning the new system.

By actively participating, leaders transform payroll migration from a technical project into a shared experience that fosters collaboration, trust, and confidence. Fear of change diminishes when employees see that their leaders are engaged, supportive, and tackling the challenges alongside them.

Call-out: Seeing leaders tackle the same challenges reduces employee fear of change and builds credibility.

Final Advice for Leaders, Trust, and Making Payroll Migration Work

Successfully migrating payroll is less about technology alone and more about leadership, planning, and trust. When leaders take an active role and pair that with a reliable technology partner like BundyPlus, migration becomes not just manageable, but an opportunity to improve processes and employee engagement.

Lead with Confidence

Leadership sets the tone for the entire organization. Active involvement builds credibility and reduces employee anxiety. Leaders can:

Participate in training sessions: Show employees that learning the new system is important for everyone, not just the payroll team.
Pilot new processes: Test workflows with a small group to uncover issues early and adjust before full rollout.
Celebrate milestones: Recognize small wins, whether it’s completing training, successfully submitting timesheets, or resolving first payroll runs.

Mini-Tip: When leaders share personal experiences—like the first time they entered data into the new system—it humanizes the process and encourages staff to embrace learning curves.

Partner with BundyPlus

A trusted platform reduces risk and accelerates adoption. BundyPlus offers:

Proven reliability – hundreds of successful migrations
Seamless integrations – MYOB, XERO, Pronto, iPayroll, ELMO, and more
Keep existing hardware – familiar time & attendance terminals
Faster onboarding – minimal downtime
Real-time insights – track payroll metrics, attendance, and compliance
Reduced fear of change – familiar interfaces and proactive support

Mini-Tip: Encourage leaders to share their experiences and tips during migration—it humanizes the process for employees.

Practical Advice for Leaders

Plan meticulously: Audit your systems, set realistic timelines, assign clear responsibilities, and prepare contingencies for unexpected issues.
Communicate openly: Keep employees informed at every stage. Address concerns proactively and highlight the benefits of the new system.
Lead by example: Show staff that you are actively using and learning the system alongside them.
Leverage your partner: Allow BundyPlus to handle the technical and integration challenges while your team focuses on adoption, training, and engagement.
Monitor and adjust: After go-live, continue to track adoption, identify pain points, and implement improvements quickly.

“Combining strong leadership with a trusted technology partner transforms payroll migration from stressful to empowering.”

By integrating leadership involvement, careful planning, and BundyPlus’ proven technology, payroll migration becomes a controlled, confidence-building process. Employees feel supported, trust is strengthened, and the organization emerges with a system that is accurate, compliant, and future-ready.

Ready to Make Your Payroll Migration Easier?

Book a FREE workforce stategy meeting with BundyPlus today to see how your business can upgrade payroll with confidence, reduce employee anxiety, and streamline time & attendance tracking.

Book FREE workforce stategy meeting

Want to dive deeper into how leaders manage these exact challenges? Listen to the BundyPlus Podcast, Episode 3, where we unpack real migration strategies and leadership lessons.

Meet the expert

Hi, I’m Steve—co-founder and CTO here at BundyPlus. I’ve spent over 20 years building workplace tech that helps Aussie businesses capture time and attendance without the admin headaches. I wrote this post because I’ve seen firsthand how much smoother things run when you expand your time capture setup across multiple devices.

Whether you're managing one location or many, the right tools make all the difference. If you’ve got questions or want help tailoring a solution for your business, feel free to reach out. I’m always up for a chat or follow me on Linkedin.

"If you don't lead by example your team will crumble, doesn't mater how good it was before."

- Steve Jordan