Year-End Payroll: Greg Duval on How HR Can Turn Chaos into Confidence

As the calendar winds down, HR teams across the country feel the pressure rise. Year-end payroll has a reputation for being messy, intense, and fast-moving, a season where accuracy, communication, and trust all collide. But it doesn’t have to feel like a scramble. With the right mindset and the right systems, year-end can shift from stressful to strategic.

That’s exactly what our conversation with Greg Duval dives into.

In this video interview, Greg shares clear, practical, human-centered advice for HR teams navigating year-end payroll, from the biggest challenges he sees in the field, to the simple actions teams can take today to make the coming months smoother.

He talks candidly about the reality HR faces:
✔ the overwhelming volume and complexity,
✔ the tight deadlines,
✔ the system checks that never end, and
✔ how even one small error can ripple across an organization.

But he also focuses on what HR can control.

Greg breaks down how early auditing, integrated systems, and realistic calendars can dramatically reduce year-end friction. He highlights why employee experience matters just as much as compliance, and how HR can reduce anxiety with clear, plain-language communication and self-service access.

Technology plays a starring role, too. Not as a shiny tool, but as a connector. As Greg explains, when payroll, HRIS, time tracking, and benefits actually talk to each other, HR teams reclaim massive amounts of time, eliminate avoidable errors, and enter year-end with confidence instead of concern.

He also points out the small but critical items teams forget every year, PTO carryover, policy updates, tax withholding changes, and how those overlooked details often create the biggest headaches.

And perhaps most importantly, Greg encourages HR teams to see year-end not just as a checklist to survive, but as a strategic opportunity. A moment to reflect on what slowed the team down, what frustrated employees, and where technology or processes need improvement. Year-end becomes a window for growth instead of a burden.

For smaller HR teams, Greg’s advice hits especially close to home: prioritize your highest-risk tasks, automate what you can, and ask for support. The goal isn’t to do everything, it’s to do the right things well.

His final message?
Adopt a proactive mindset. Year-end doesn’t have to be reactive, chaotic, or draining. With early planning, strong communication, and a people-first approach, HR can close the year with clarity,  and start the next one already ahead.

This conversation is a must-watch for HR leaders looking to streamline year-end processes, strengthen employee trust, and elevate their strategic impact.

Watch the full interview with Greg Duval below: