The HR tech stack and where the categories overlap
A reference map of the categories Project 2030 tracks, written for readers who care about the underlying systems and how they fit together.
The system that computes pay and files tax. Critical infrastructure for any employer; switching costs are high and uptime is non-negotiable.
Human capital management: hire, manage, develop, and offboard. Enterprise HCM platforms have absorbed payroll, time, and benefits over the last decade.
Identity for employees, contractors, and contingent workers. Verifiable credentials and access governance are emerging as a category in their own right.
401(k), health, and supplementary benefits. SECURE 2.0 and adjacent rules are reshaping plan administration in 2026.
Cross-border hiring through employer-of-record providers and country-specific payroll partners. India Labour Codes and EU AI Act are 2026 inflection points.
Accounts payable, accounts receivable, and spend, increasingly adjacent to payroll in SMB and mid-market stacks.
Scheduling, time, and shift management for hourly workforces. Often a separate category from salaried HCM.
Agentic workflows in recruiting, onboarding, payroll exceptions, and compliance. The competitive frontier across every category above.