Paycom study finds single-database HR system linked to productivity gains

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In 2025, the HR technology landscape gave organizations new ways to improve payroll, reporting, time tracking and compliance. As AI and automation become part of everyday workflows, success comes down to one foundation: reliable employee data.

Companies that have accessible, accurate data are in a stronger position to turn technology investments into measurable results.

Fragmented HR systems with siloed data can undermine automation efforts while also making compliance operations more vulnerable when regulations shift quickly.

New findings from Paycom, one of the best HR and payroll software providers , address this dual challenge.

A recent study conducted by Nucleus Research examined organizations using Paycom’s single-database HR software and found that consolidating HR processes into one system led to measurable productivity gains and avoided costs, driven by greater data visibility, the retirement of legacy systems and increased automation.

Researchers found overall human capital management (HCM) productivity gains of up to 64%, with typical benefits stemming from automated processes such as payroll processing and onboarding.

The findings also showed substantial time savings across industries, including an 80% reduction in payroll processing time at one technology company and 50% less time on HR processes at a hospitality organization.

“[Before Paycom], it was a nightmare getting every box checked,” said a hospitality industry leader.

The research also included a separate ROI case study of an Amazon delivery service partner that initially adopted the software for payroll and timekeeping before expanding its use two years later.

The phased implementation, which expanded to include Paycom’s Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Work Opportunity Tax Credits and Affordable Care Act tools, generated a 205% annual return on investment.

The delivery service partner reported efficiency gains across several areas for these added tools:

• 79% reduction in overtime
• 85% decrease in onboarding time
• 88% reduction in DSP auditing time

One HR leader at the delivery service partner pointed to automated features as a driver of operational efficiency. “We can be identified as a company that likes to be more hands-on, but things like [GONE® for automated time-off request decisions] are pretty cool. We would almost have to do nothing.”

Chad Richison, founder and CEO of Paycom, said, “Paycom’s full-solution automation and decision logic continue to prove their value for organizations of all sizes. Thanks to our single-database architecture, we are able to automate and apply decision logic across our solution, which improves data accuracy, drives efficiency and helps our clients achieve measurable ROI.”

The research evaluated automation’s impact across the entire employee life cycle. Full details of the Nucleus Research findings are available through Paycom.