The Power of Personio
What intelligent HR brings to your business
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Picture this: your HR team walks into Monday morning energised, not overwhelmed. They're not buried in spreadsheets or chasing down approvals — they're doing what they came here to do: working with people.
Here's what we know about people professionals. They didn't choose HR to become data entry specialists or compliance robots. They chose it because they believe people are what make businesses thrive. Yet too often, HR gets stuck behind the scenes, managing chaos instead of making an impact.
For the second year running, we've asked nearly 350 customers across Europe and the UK questions all centered on one theme: what happens when HR has access to the right tools?
Use this report to ask yourself: what could your HR team accomplish if they had 16 extra hours each week, per team member? 1 What would your people say about their workplace if every interaction felt intentional?
1Rounded to nearest whole number, based on a 40-hour work week and an average HR productivity increase of 39% across respondents.
A note from our CEO
We founded Personio ten years ago on a belief that still drives us today: people are the most important part of your organisation, and our mission is to help you unlock the power of your people every single day.
This year's Power of Personio report isn't just data on a page. It's proof that when HR teams have the right tools, the impact is real. You stop fixing problems and start preventing them. You stop managing people and start empowering them. You get back to the work that made you choose to work in HR in the first place.
Here's what we've learned from you: saving time matters, but that's just the beginning. What really matters is you being able to present to leadership with confidence, armed with insights that shape your company's future.
What matters is you doing the meaningful work that impacts your people and your business's bottom line. Every feature we build, every automation we create, every insight we surface — it all starts with one question: how do we help you do more of what matters?
We leverage the most advanced technology — including AI — to amplify human potential, not replace it. Because at the end of the day, behind every great business decision, every breakthrough innovation, every moment of growth — there's a person who made it happen.
That's the future we're building toward. One where your people aren't just employees — they're your competitive edge.
Hanno Renner
CEO & Co-Founder at Personio
Building executive confidence
The reality
You approach leadership with a recommendation. You know it's right — your experience tells you so. But when the CFO asks for the numbers to back it up, you're left scrambling through spreadsheets that tell yesterday's story, not tomorrow's strategy.
The Cost
When HR operates on intuition alone, executives hesitate to incorporate people insights into high-stakes business decisions — creating a credibility gap that keeps HR confined to reactive management rather than proactive leadership.
When you can present to leadership with data that validates what you already suspected about retention risks, engagement patterns, or skill gaps, that's when HR transforms from a support function to a strategic force.
When the board asks for fresh numbers regarding the growth of the company or metrics regarding diversity, it is just one click away, and I have what I need.
— Anna Gullstrand, Chief People & Culture Officer at Mentimeter
Showing the ROI of HR
The reality
CFOs and executives care about one thing above all: measurable business impact. When HR can demonstrate clear strategic value, everything changes.
For finance leaders
13%
overall HR cost savings = measurable budget reduction
44%
report cost reduction due to avoiding errors = direct bottom-line impact
50%
reduction in rerunning payroll = operational efficiency
Built-in compliance frameworks = risk mitigation
19%
report improved employee productivity = increased output
50%
report faster time to value from onboarding = quicker ROI on new hires
For executive teams
Better overall business outcomes when employees have resources to do their best work
39%
improvement in HR productivity = strategic resource allocation
Reclaiming your workday
The reality
Your HR team is swimming in admin. Between payroll queries, compliance updates, and chasing down approvals, there's barely time to think strategically, let alone act on it. You're spending time on tasks that could be automated, whilst opportunities to prevent turnover and improve performance slip by unnoticed.
The Cost
When HR teams are trapped in administrative work, they can't focus on the meaningful initiatives that drive business outcomes. Meanwhile, employee experience suffers, retention drops, and executives question HR's value contribution.
What our customers discovered
30%
decrease in time spent managing payroll
28%
improvement in hiring and recruiting efficiency
30%
decrease in time spent managing rewards and benefits
20%
more efficient in organisation design and position management
16%
improvement in onboarding and development productivity
The strategic impact
When you could reclaim 16 hours per week per team member, 2 what becomes possible? Our customers tell us they're finally able to focus on DEI, employee experience, data-driven decision-making, and the kind of strategic initiatives that make executives take notice., and the kind of strategic initiatives that make executives take notice.
Imagine cutting your workload down drastically, with things like data entry across multiple systems completely handled by accurate, automatic workflows. What would you do with that freed-up time?
2Rounded to nearest whole number, based on a 40-hour work week and an average HR productivity increase of 39% across respondents.
Personio makes administrative tasks less time-consuming, allowing us to focus more on strategic initiatives. It's very user-friendly for all departments. It makes tasks simpler and more transparent for employees.
— Thalia Christopoulou, Senior HR & Operations Officer, SEO London
Reducing compliance risks
The reality
European businesses face an increasingly complex web of compliance requirements — from GDPR to varying employment laws across jurisdictions. A single misstep can result in significant fines, whilst the administrative burden of staying compliant consumes valuable resources.
The Cost
Compliance failures cost European businesses billions annually (with GDPR fines alone totaling €1.2 billion in 2024), whilst the fear of non-compliance often paralyses decision-making and innovation in HR processes.
63%
find it significantly easier to be compliant with legal requirements such as GDPR, time tracking, and whistleblowing
44%
report cost reduction due to avoiding errors — preventing expensive mistakes before they happen
38%
reduction in rerunning payroll — getting it right the first time
69%
feel more confident about data security in an era of increasing cyber threats
For finance leaders, this represents a significant risk mitigation strategy. Built-in compliance and reliable automations reduce risks across every stage of HR, whilst providing the audit trails and documentation needed for regulatory requirements.
Improving retention and onboarding
The reality
Europe's demographic shift is creating unprecedented workforce challenges. With an ageing population and fewer young workers entering the market, competition for talent has intensified. Traditional recruitment approaches are failing, and retention has become more critical than ever.
The Cost
Labour shortages are already impacting productivity and growth across European businesses, with tight labor markets creating structural challenges for economic growth.
50%
report faster time to value due to more effective onboarding — getting new hires productive quickly
17%
faster ramp up for new employees — onboarding processes that set up for success
9%
increase in employee retention — small percentages that translate to significant cost savings
32%
of respondents found employee satisfaction scores improved — creating workplaces people want to stay in
The onboarding advantage
In a tight talent market, first impressions matter more than ever. When 82% of customers say employees find it easier to request time off and 65% say employees find it significantly easier to access payroll information, Personio helps create the kind of seamless experience that builds loyalty from day one.
The retention multiplier
With the cost of replacing an employee ranging from 50-200% of their annual salary, even small improvements in retention deliver massive ROI. A 9% improvement in retention for a 100-person company could save €33,750 - €135,000 annually.3
3Rounded to nearest whole number, based on a 40-hour work week and an average HR productivity increase of 39% across respondents.
Supporting HR's intuition with data
The reality
HR can tell when something is brewing in an organisation. The challenge has been translating that intuition into actionable insights that executives trust and act upon.
The confidence gap
We often speak with customers who say, "I don't even know where to start with data." But when they have pre-built reports, a metrics dashboard, and accurate data at their fingertips, they can make decisions with confidence and essentially unlock an entirely new HR skillset.
The shift
The most effective HR teams aren't just collecting more data — they're combining their instincts with reliable insights. They're moving from reactive firefighting to predictive problem-solving, supported by tools that make data accessible rather than overwhelming — bridging the gap between what they sense and what they can prove.
60%
report improved decision-making when they have access to the right data
47%
say they make decisions significantly faster when they have the information at their fingertips
63%
say they spend significantly less time generating reports — more time thinking, less time hunting
The competitive advantage
With the uncertainty plaguing the business environment today, the organisations that can make faster, more accurate people decisions have a significant advantage in attracting and retaining talent.
And with your own personal AI-powered assistant, you can dig deeper and ask questions of your data, so you can move first, speak louder, and make it count, with confidence.
I always have Personio open. When employees call me or if I need to go into a meeting, I always have a look at Personio first and check the numbers or draft reports. I am always using it from when I start my day to when I finish.
— Kristin Brandt, People & Culture Lead at Lush
Scaling HR effectiveness across business sizes
Whether you're a 50-person startup or a 500-person scale-up, the challenges are different but the need for intelligent HR remains constant. The advantage isn't about having the biggest budget — it's about having the most agile approach.
For small businesses (<50 employees)
For medium businesses (51-200 employees)
For growing mid-market businesses (201-5000+ employees)
For global businesses managing over 5 legal entities
The scalability factor
59% of respondents found that HR workflows are more scalable as business needs evolve. In a world where change is the only constant — whether you're downsizing, acquiring, or pivoting entirely — having adaptable HR systems means you can move at the speed of your business.
I worked previously with other HRIS and I remember how complicated it was to implement, establish and operate it internally. Our main priority was to find a tech that works for us, and not us having to work for the tech. And Personio fit that bill quite nicely!
— Julie Gajudo, Talent Management at Polaroid
Digitising your processes
Making the leap from manual processes to intelligent automation can feel daunting. But the organisations that embrace this transition don't just save time — they fundamentally transform how HR operates and how the business perceives their value.
Improvement in HR productivity
Overall HR cost savings
Improvement in employee satisfaction
Agree their HR workflows are more scalable
Improvement in HR decision making
Reduction in HR rework
Faster new-hire ramp-up time
Increased time-to-value from onboarding
The mindset shift
This transformation goes beyond operational efficiency. It's about fundamentally changing how your organisation thinks about people management — from reactive administration to proactive strategy.
63%
say HR are significantly more satisfied in their roles
62%
feel more motivated and get more enjoyment at work
45%
feel more confident delivering on strategic goals
Before Personio we were working from excel spreadsheets for all our employee and payroll data. Now we have all the data stored centrally and securely in Personio with a full history and audit trail and no longer require the use of spreadsheets.
— Niamh Kenny, HR Operations Manager, Premier Lotteries Ireland
Why this matters now
The Power of Personio isn't just about time saved or costs reduced. It's about allowing HR to do their best work, lead with confidence, and show everyone in their organisation why they deserve a seat at the table.
In a world where:
- European talent scarcity is reaching crisis levels
- Compliance complexity continues to increase
- Employee expectations are higher than ever
- Economic uncertainty demands agility
- AI and demographic shifts are reshaping work itself
...the organisations that will thrive are those with HR teams equipped to navigate these challenges strategically and intelligently.
Our customers are equipped to do just that. They're no longer drowning in administration — they're driving strategy. They're not just managing processes — they're shaping workplace culture.
The technology is ready. The data is clear. What happens next is up to you.
Explore intelligent HR. Our team is here to help.
Intelligent HR is automated, adaptable, and insightful. Learn why 15,000+ organisations across Europe and the UK trust Personio to power their people processes. Book your demo now.
