When people ask me, "So what do you do?", I offer a short, simple, and often overlooked response. This catchphrase is commonly used in the human capital industry for company marketing and branding, but it's essential to delve deeper into its meaning and implications. Do these three words truly encompass the expectations and responsibilities they carry? With great power comes great...
In the modern era of atomisation and digitisation, some may argue that I'm being overly dramatic. Paying people has become increasingly transactional and automated, driven by ones and zeros, significantly reducing the need for human intervention.
In late 2014, I joined a local IT group listed on the stock exchange. They initiated a "Change" program for senior managers, and I was fortunate to be included shortly after joining. The program's fundamental principle revolved around the VUCA world we now inhabit (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous). In this world, change is the only constant, and disruptors continually reshape the landscape. Predictions even arose about the demise of certain professions, including accountants, attorneys, and truck drivers within 5 to 10 years, all driven by ones and zeros.
A decade later, accountants, attorneys, and truck drivers are still here, but notable changes have occurred. Within the human capital value chain, numerous newcomers have entered the payroll and EOR sector, touting automated one-stop shops, promising complete transparency, accuracy, and, more crucially, absolute compliance. It's a numbers game, a relentless cycle of onboarding, offboarding, and mergers and acquisitions.
However, being compensated for your time, whether through a salary or service rendered, is a sacred and almost holy concept. We are paid for our TIME. It's not just about the effort and skills but, most importantly, the limited time we have (approximately 42 million minutes if fortunate enough to live to 80).
This time is not only precious; it also defines how we utilise the rewards we receive. We build ourselves, support our families, chase our dreams, establish kingdoms, both large and small, embark on adventures, manage our debts, feed our children, and, for some, merely survive. In essence, we live.
Paying people is not just about ones and zeros; it's about understanding that we enable people to live.
So, what does Outprof do?
"We Pay People."
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