One of the most engaging sessions of the 44th Annual Payroll Congress was the presentation called, “Global Payroll, Local People: How Culture Impacts Compliance, Communication, and Collaboration.” Kira Rubiano, Partner at Payrollminds, and Robert Gerbin, CPP, Senior Director of Global Strategic Initiatives at PayrollOrg, led a highly interactive discussion exploring the often-overlooked role culture plays in global payroll operations. Encouraging audience participation throughout, the session blended practical insight with real-world experiences from payroll professionals navigating cross-border collaboration every day.

Rubiano and Gerbin highlighted that global payroll is ultimately about people, not just processes and platforms. From communication styles and meeting etiquette to decision-making and feedback delivery, cultural norms influence every aspect of payroll accuracy, compliance, and team effectiveness. Drawing on Erin Meyer’s Culture Map framework, the session explored eight cultural scales, including communicating, evaluating, persuading, leading, and decision-making, helping attendees better understand how behaviors and expectations can vary dramatically across regions.

A particularly memorable moment came as Rubiano shared a story about cross-border misinterpretation, explaining how a phrase as simple as “that’s great” can carry entirely different meanings in the United States compared to the Netherlands. The discussion reinforced the importance of avoiding assumptions and resisting the urge to judge unfamiliar behaviors too quickly.

“Don’t judge right away,” Rubiano advised, encouraging attendees to approach cultural differences with curiosity rather than frustration.

Audience participation added another layer of value to the session, with attendees sharing their own experiences of cultural nuance in the workplace. One participant noted that the low-context communication style in the United States is partly shaped by its multicultural workforce, where clarity and directness are essential, while another highlighted how head nodding in India can sometimes signal disagreement rather than agreement.

“We need to be aware,” said Cynthia Saba, CPP, Payroll and Accounting Associate with Leerink Partners LLC. “We are not all the same and need to be respectful, mindful, patient and do our homework. You can use this anywhere, not just if you’re doing global payroll.”

Closing the session, Gerbin reminded attendees that success in global collaboration does not require changing who you are, but it does require stepping outside your comfort zone to better understand others.

“This got me thinking about culture and thinking about relationships and trying to expand my numbers into more of a culture situation and putting that at the forefront,” said Jamie Lockwood, CPP, Payroll Manager at Lockwood Technologies.

Natalie Lloyd is Global Brand and Partnerships Manager UK │ EMEA | USA for JGA Recruitment Group. Emily West is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tenn.