Employment Hero is a workforce management platform designed to simplify HR, payroll, and compliance for businesses of all sizes. It automates administrative tasks, reducing time-consuming manual work and allowing companies to focus on growth and employee engagement. The company centralizes everything from digital onboarding to payroll processing and performance management in one easy-to-use system. Employment Hero provides real-time compliance updates, ensuring businesses stay on top of regulatory changes without added stress. It streamlines workforce operations, helping businesses create a more efficient, compliant, and engaged workplace. 

In Conversation with Ben Thompson, CEO of Employment Hero

What inspired you to start Employment Hero?

When I started my career, I saw firsthand how much time businesses wasted on administrative tasks. So many companies struggle with managing employees efficiently because they rely on outdated systems. I wanted to create something that made HR, payroll, and compliance easier so businesses could focus on growing rather than getting bogged down with paperwork.

What challenges did you face in the early days of Employment Hero?

Building something that works for businesses of all sizes was a challenge. A small business has different needs than a larger company, so we needed to create a platform that was flexible enough to adapt to different situations. Another challenge was making sure everything was easy to use. HR and payroll can be complicated, but we wanted to simplify the process so that any business could implement it without a steep learning curve.

How does Employment Hero help businesses save time?

Automation is a big part of it. Payroll processing, compliance updates, and onboarding are just a few areas where manual tasks can be replaced with automated solutions. When businesses don’t have to worry about small details, they can focus on strategy and growth. Having everything in one place also reduces the need for multiple systems, which saves time and reduces errors.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for businesses when it comes to managing employees?

Consistency. Many companies have great intentions when it comes to things like performance management, engagement, and compliance, but without a structured system in place, these things fall through the cracks. Employees need clear communication and predictable processes to feel secure in their roles. Without that, productivity suffers.

What advice would you give to businesses struggling with HR and payroll management?

Start by identifying what is taking up the most time. If payroll processing takes hours every week or compliance requirements are causing stress, those are areas to focus on first. The right tools should make things easier, not more complicated. Look for solutions that integrate well with existing processes and help automate repetitive tasks.

What motivates you as a leader?

Helping businesses succeed. Seeing a company save time, reduce stress, and create a better work environment because of Employment Hero is incredibly rewarding. I know how difficult running a business can be, and making things easier for owners, managers, and employees is what drives me every day.

If you weren’t leading Employment Hero, what would you be doing?

I’ve always been passionate about solving business problems. If I weren’t here, I’d still be working on something that helps businesses run more efficiently. But Employment Hero is where my focus is, and there’s still so much we can do to make workforce management even better.

How do you see workforce management evolving over the next few years?

Flexibility will be a key focus. More businesses are embracing remote and hybrid work, which means workforce management tools need to be adaptable. Automation will continue to play a bigger role in reducing administrative burdens. At the same time, businesses will invest more in employee engagement and development because retention is becoming more important than ever.

Ben Thompson, CEO, Employment Hero