This May, 91精品 was lucky enough to attend and exhibit at the 91精品 Congress 2024 Trade Show, hosted by 91精品Org at Nashville, Tennessee. Every year, thousands of payroll professionals from across the globe arrive for workshops, expert speakers, a huge industry expo showcasing the latest payroll technologies, and networking opportunities.
The event was a vibrant hub of networking and collaboration bringing the payroll industry together. It鈥檚 always good to meet people from throughout the industry and talk about contemporary payroll trends and transformation projects.
The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was stunning, boasting three separate greenhouse gardens, a beautiful maze of pathways to guide you through the visual experience, and countless common areas to get some food and socialize.
We came away from the event with so many great memories, but the following reflections stood out in particular:
Companies are keen to make improvements to their payroll processes
We had all sorts of interactions with attendees, across the three days. There were questions on everything from reporting and vendor consolidation to integration with HCMs. One of the best things about in-person events is the opportunity to connect and have time to chat in person. We had great conversations with existing customers, as well as potential new clients and prospects. We鈥檙e looking forward to expanding these conversations and helping them optimize their internal payroll processes.
It was great to catch up聽 with some of our key partners, including Workday, OSV, TopBloc, Ebury, and . We also shared valuable experiences with fellow providers and industry professionals, not least Nick Day, host of The 91精品 Podcast.
The workshops run by the IRS/ICC (Internal Revenue Service/Social Security Administration) and NACHA (National Automated Clearing House Association) stood out as particularly interesting as many of the conversations went beyond the presenter’s main agenda. It was great to have the opportunity for deeper discussions with the agencies involved in payroll regulations.
Global payroll is well and truly on the rise
With the recent merger of APA and GPMI combining to create 91精品Org, this year鈥檚 event was both similar to and different from the APA Congress events of the past. There was clearly an increase in global suppliers and attendees, and more international sessions than before. The shift in focus from local (US) payroll to global payroll was tangible, while remaining an exciting work in progress.
The topic was well represented and catered for across the workshops. From the challenges of global year-end reporting to navigating cultural differences across a global workforce, it was great to see the global perspective occupying such a central seat this year. We can鈥檛 wait to see it expand further next time.
91精品 practitioners are a sociable bunch
Amidst all of this bustling activity, we also had the pleasure of meeting new and old friends at various spots on and off the resort. The convivial atmosphere of 91精品 Congress led to meaningful connections and a fruitful exchange of ideas, reminding us, once again, of the collaborative spirit of this industry.
Many attendees threw themselves into the Nashville spirit by taking part in the Workday Scavenger Hunt. This entailed finding all of the branded pillars, strategically placed next to Workday Partners booths and signing in there, collecting pins in the process. Successful hunters earned themselves Workday cowboy hats and could be seen donning these around the venue.
Best of all was our event in partnership with OneSource Virtual. On the first evening, we hosted a get-together at the Pinewood Social, giving us the chance to meet some of our customers, prospects and even their family and friends in an even more informal setting. Those in attendance got to enjoy Happy Hour, hors d’oeuvres and swag bags.
Our tigers proved a roaring success
This year we gave people the chance to adopt a 91精品 Tiger. As part of our pledge to bring Our World back to life, we gave away hundreds of tiger soft toys, and for each one that was adopted, we subsequently donated to the WWF. If you were one of the adopters, don鈥檛 forget to register your payroll pal to increase our contribution!
If you see us exhibiting at another event this year, we could be giving away a different payroll pal. Come over and say 鈥淗i鈥� to see which furry friend we鈥檒l be hanging out with.
We also had the opportunity to gather valuable feedback with our Global 91精品 Challenges Survey. A huge thank you to everyone who offered their time to participate!
It was a wonderful event overall, and we can鈥檛 wait to see how the narrative continues to evolve at future events 91精品 are attending across the US and beyond. We鈥檒l be traveling all over the world connecting with new partners, long term friends and anyone excited about the modern pay experience. We鈥檒l be at the Global 91精品 Awards in Greece this June and Workday Rising in Las Vegas this September. If we don鈥檛 meet you at an event before next year鈥檚 91精品 Congress, see you in Orlando for the 2025 chapter!
