Case Study | Transforming Payroll Operations at Accor Through PaaS+
Accor is one of the world’s leading hospitality groups, operating a diverse portfolio of hotels across New Zealand. With a large, dynamic workforce and complex rostering environments, payroll accuracy and compliance are critical to both operational continuity and employee trust.
Accor initially engaged Premium Payroll Solutions (PPS) through our Managed Payroll Services (MPS) to stabilise payroll operations and provide specialist support. Over time, as operational complexity and compliance expectations evolved, the engagement transitioned into a full Payroll-as-a-Service Plus (PaaS+) model.
PPS approach
1. Stabilise Before Transform
PPS did not begin the transformation by replacing technology. Instead, the initial focus was on establishing control and confidence within the existing payroll environment.
Through the Managed Payroll Services (MPS) model, PPS improved pay run accuracy, strengthened exception handling, introduced more rigorous data validation processes, and enhanced payroll governance and documentation practices.
These foundational improvements created greater operational stability and transparency, ensuring that future change would be built on a well-managed and clearly understood payroll framework rather than attempting to solve process challenges through technology alone.
2. Redesign the Payroll Operating Model
As part of the transformation, PPS redesigned the payroll operating model to position payroll as a controlled, outcome-driven service rather than a traditional back-office function.
This involved establishing clear separation between data input, validation, and payroll outcomes, while defining ownership and accountability across key payroll processes.
Greater alignment was created between HR, payroll, and finance data flows to improve consistency and reduce process risk. At the same time, audit-ready controls and governance practices were embedded into day-to-day operations, ensuring compliance and transparency became an integral part of business-as-usual activities rather than a reactive exercise.
3. Transition to PaaS+ on MYOB PayGlobal
The next step was transitioning to PPS’s Payroll-as-a-Service Plus (PaaS+) model, powered by MYOB PayGlobal and operated by PPS’s team of payroll experts.
This was far more than a simple system migration; it represented a shift to a fully managed payroll environment in which PPS owned and operated the payroll platform, configurations were aligned with compliance-first principles, payroll processes were structured, consistent, and fully testable, and all integration points were carefully controlled and validated.
The “Plus” component further enhanced the solution through advanced data analytics capabilities, continuous compliance monitoring, and ongoing optimisation driven by real payroll data, enabling the organisation to improve accuracy, reduce risk, and maintain long-term payroll compliance.
4. Embed Continuous Improvement
Following the transition, PPS remained actively involved in overseeing payroll performance through ongoing monitoring of trends, anomalies, and potential risk indicators.
By continuously refining configurations to reflect changing business needs and leveraging payroll data to generate actionable insights, PPS helped transform payroll from a reactive administrative process into a proactive management function that supports compliance, operational efficiency, and informed business decision-making.
Results
The transition from MPS to PaaS+ delivered measurable improvements:
- Operational Confidence: Payroll is no longer dependent on individuals or manual interpretation. Processes are structured, repeatable, and controlled.
- Compliance Assurance: Accor gained a payroll environment that produces defensible, auditable outcomes
- Scalability: The PayGlobal-based PaaS+ model supports a complex, roster-driven workforce without increasing operational burden.
- Clarity and Visibility: Improved data structure and reporting provide better insight into payroll costs, patterns, and risks.
- Reduced Management Overhead: Accor no longer needs to manage payroll resources, systems, or ongoing configuration challenges.
Conclusion
For organisations like Accor, the shift is not about outsourcing payroll. It is about moving from managing people to owning outcomes.
I cannot recommend Premium Solutions highly enough. We have partnered with them for our payroll needs for a number of years, and their service has been consistently excellent. Their entire team is exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly, and always willing to go the extra mile to assist us. Every team member we've interacted with is not only wonderful to work with but also a true expert in their field. They've been instrumental in ensuring our company's compliance with NZ legislation, providing invaluable advice and proactive support. Their efficiency, combined with their dedication to tailoring solutions to our specific needs, makes them an absolute pleasure to work with and has significantly simplified our operations.
