The 5 most complex countries for payroll

When it comes to payroll, Western European countries have the most complex processes to deal with, while their Asian counterparts have some of the easiest payroll processes across the globe.

According to the Global Payroll Complexity Index 2014 by NGA Human Resources, the straightforward and streamlined reporting procedures of Asian payrolls make them the easiest payroll processes to manage.

"This is not surprising, as these countries are making huge efforts to attract foreign businesses, to streamline payroll processes and to ease the administrative burden for organisations that want to grow in these areas," the report stated. 

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On the more difficult side, the European complexity in payroll most likely stems from the nature and history of the region's legal traditions. Most of the payroll processes across Europe are not aligned despite the continuous effort put in to unify the regulatory framework by European Union.

Additionally, the legal regulations and decision making levels in these countries change rapidly, only adding to the complexity of their payroll processes.

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And in the Australian market, the different legislations federally and between states makes the complexity of Australian payrolls rival that of some of its European counterparts.

The report states payroll professionals must keep an eye out for the latest payroll legislations at home and in overseas markets, promptly implementing any changes and into their payroll process.

The 5 most complex countries to run payroll:

1. Italy2. Germany3. France4. Belgium5. Australia

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