FinTech-Enabled HR Payroll Automation and Its Effect on Employee Satisfaction and Brand Image

Abstract

This study looks at how FinTech-enabled payroll automation (FEPA) affects employee satisfaction (ES) and brand image (BI) in SMEs in Pakistan. It also explores how ES plays a mediating role in this relationship. As digital financial technologies become more common, organizations are turning to automated payroll systems to simplify HR tasks, cut down on mistakes, and improve efficiency. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this research suggests that how employees view the usefulness and ease of payroll automation affects their satisfaction, which then influences the organization’s brand image.  Primary data were gathered from 392 employees of SMEs using purposive sampling and analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in Smart PLS 4.0. The result shows that payroll automation significantly improves both ES and BI. Additionally, ES partly mediates the relationship between payroll automation and brand image. This highlights the importance of positive internal experiences in shaping an organization's reputation. The findings back up TAM in the context of adopting HR-FinTech and stress the importance of digital payroll systems in boosting employee attitudes and the organization's brand. In practice, organizations can use user-friendly and efficient payroll technologies to improve employee morale and enhance their reputation as an employer. This study adds to the limited research on FinTech use in HR processes in emerging economies, providing valuable insights for scholars, HR practitioners, and policymakers looking to integrate technology to optimize human capital management.

Keywords : FinTech-enabled payroll automation, Employee satisfaction, Brand image, SMEs, Technology Acceptance Model