Mercans, a global leader in payroll technology and Employer of Record (EOR) services, has transformed how businesses manage payroll worldwide. With its advanced platform, HR Blizz, Mercans simplifies global payroll processes, offering a unified solution that spans over 160 countries. Eero Plato, global head of engineering, and Andre Voolaid, chief technology officer, share their insights on what sets Mercans apart and the future of payroll technology.
The Powerful Tech Edge That Makes Mercans Stand Out
Mercans’ technological prowess rests on three core principles: global coverage, seamless data processing flow, and integration with major Human Capital Management (HCM) providers. These providers include SAP, Dayforce, and Workday, which establish effortless integration.
Eero Plato emphasizes Mercans’ focus on stateless technology, prioritizing global solutions over country-specific ones. “Our technology is built on three core principles,” he explains. “We seek country-specific exceptions rather than delivering country-specific solutions. This perspective allows us to build a global solution and focus on the differentiators between countries.”
This outlook allows Mercans to streamline payroll processes globally, reducing the complexity of managing multiple local systems. The company’s emphasis on global solutions rather than localized ones positions it uniquely in the market, enabling businesses to expand internationally without establishing local entities.
HR Blizz handles payroll processing across 160 countries, eliminating the need for multiple systems and local partners. This centralized platform maintains consistency and control, saving companies valuable time and resources. The platform’s architecture builds on an accurate the cloud model, maintaining the highest security standards while providing scalability and performance.
The Bold Strategic Direction Driving Future Growth
Mercans has evolved from a payroll service provider to a comprehensive payroll technology platform. The company aims to simplify payroll processes, making them user-friendly and fast. A key technological advancement targets making payroll calculations instant, automating complex processes that traditionally take days.
Andre Voolaid highlights the role of AI and ML in transforming payroll processes. “One key change is making payroll calculations instant,” he notes. “When an employee’s data is updated, the system automatically recalculates the payroll.”
“So essentially, it simplifies the long and complex payroll process as much as possible,” he adds. “These are our goals. And, additionally, AI and ML, these areas play an increasing role, particularly in automated payroll validations and anomaly detections.”
Integrating AI and ML enhances payroll accuracy and provides clients with insights and predictive analytics to inform better decisions about their global workforce. This strategic use of technology positions Mercans as a leader in payroll innovation, offering solutions beyond mere processing to include strategic insights.
How Mercans Masters Complex Global Compliance Challenges
Managing payroll globally involves navigating diverse regulations, and cultural nuances while maintaining security and compliance. Mercans addresses compliance challenges through local proficiency and specialized mechanisms. The company benefits from a globally distributed workforce with deep local knowledge. Agile methodologies enable quick adaptation to changing regulations.
Andre Voolaid explains how Mercans maintains compliance and security: “Compliance is the basis of payroll, so local compliance. So, we navigate these challenges through local prowess and dedicated compliance mechanisms in the business.”
“We have a diverse, globally distributed workforce with deep local knowledge of regulations and specifics,” he continues. “And then on top of it, we have a specialized compliance program that certifies regulatory accuracy across 100 plus countries.”
Mercans prioritizes data security through AI-based anonymization tools, strict access controls, and end-to-end encryption. The company collects only necessary data for compliant payroll processing, using anonymized data to protect personally identifiable information (PII).
Growth Markets and Talent Strategy Fueling Expansion
Mercans is expanding its footprint, particularly in the U.S. and North America, where it sees growth opportunities. Due to thin margins, the company shows strength in Western Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East but focuses less on the APAC region.
The company is emphasizing attracting and retaining top engineering talent to support its growth by offering challenging projects and flexible work arrangements. Eero Plato notes, “The key drivers to retain that talent is to offer developers technically challenging and innovative projects especially. So it’s with top talent that it is not so much, maybe the soft aspects of the job. It’s rather like how challenging and technically comprehensive the solutions that we are delivering are.”
Furthermore, the company’s technology infrastructure has changed dramatically, transitioning from a mainstream-built application to a cloud-native platform using Kubernetes. This transformation enables Mercans to scale efficiently and offer customized infrastructure solutions based on client needs.
Subsequently, the payroll technology sector continues to develop, with companies like Mercans leading the way. It uses technology to simplify complex processes and enhance compliance. With its robust platform and forward-thinking technique, the company will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global payroll management, helping businesses expand globally with ease and efficiency.
In the years ahead, Mercans will continue to push the boundaries of payroll technology, integrating more AI and ML capabilities to automate payroll processes further. This strategic focus on development and scalability positions Mercans as a leader in the payroll technology sector, ready to meet the evolving needs of global businesses.
