Agentic AI is software that does not just respond to questions but takes action on behalf of the user. It is widely regarded as the next frontier in enterprise technology. HRGenie Auto brings that capability to HR and payroll for the first time, allowing employees and managers to simply ask the platform to do something and watch it happen in real time.

From answering to acting: what HRGenie Auto does

HRGenie, HBHR's embedded AI, has always been able to answer questions, complete tasks and tell users where things are. HRGenie Auto takes that a significant step further. When a user asks the platform something, it does not just give an answer. It takes over. It physically navigates the system in real time, showing exactly where to go and how to get there as it does it. Users watch it happen on screen.

The implications go beyond day-to-day convenience. The biggest hidden cost in HR technology has never been the software itself. It is the time spent learning it. Every new starter, every system update, every process change means training, guides, walkthroughs and support calls. HRGenie Auto removes that overhead entirely. The platform becomes the teacher, guiding people through whatever they need in the moment they need it, without anyone having to step in.

Callum Pennington, CEO and Co-Founder of HBHR, said: "The HRGenie has always been able to answer questions, complete tasks and tell you where things are. But HRGenie Auto takes that a significant step further. Now, when you ask the platform something, it doesn't just give you an answer. It takes over. That might sound like a small change. It isn't. The biggest hidden cost in HR technology has never been the software itself, it's the time spent learning it. With HRGenie Auto, the platform becomes the teacher. It shows people what to do, in the moment they need it, without anyone having to step in. This is what modern HR software should look like. Less like a system you have to learn and more like a colleague who just gets things done."

The data that makes the case: why HR technology must evolve now

To understand the scale of the problem that agentic AI can help solve, HBHR commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK employees in February 2026. The findings paint a stark picture of what happens when HR and payroll technology fails to keep pace, and of the significant business risk that follows.

Payroll errors are causing direct financial harm. Almost a quarter of employees (24%) say pay mistakes have made it harder to afford rent, food or energy bills. One in five (20%) has missed a bill entirely as a result. In London, over a third (34%) have been unable to cover a bill due to a payroll error, and 31% have had to borrow money to fill the gap.

1 in 3

workers say they could not cope financially if their main pay was wrong or late even once

The talent risk is equally stark. If payroll errors were to continue over six months, 61% of employees say they would be likely to look for a new job, rising to 76% among Gen Z workers and 72% of millennials. Almost one in four workers (23%) say they have already spotted a mistake in their payslip in the last twelve months alone.

76%

of Gen Z workers would look for a new job if payroll errors continued for six months

Trust in payroll systems is eroding, particularly among younger workers. Just 29% of Gen Z and millennials feel confident about payroll accuracy, compared to 43% of baby boomers, a gap that carries real retention consequences as Gen Z becomes a growing share of the workforce.

The HMRC moment: a window that is already closing

The research takes on added urgency given that HMRC's most significant payroll and tax changes in years came into effect on 6 April 2026. Yet only 36% of employees say their employer has told them about the changes, and nearly a third (30%) say they have received no communication at all. For businesses still navigating the transition, this is a critical gap.

Only 36%

of employees say their employer has told them about the April 2026 HMRC payroll changes

Employees are clear about what they need: 85% expect businesses to use modern payroll technology to minimise errors, and 72% say technology underpins their confidence that pay will be accurate and on time. The businesses that treat this moment as a prompt to modernise, rather than just a compliance hurdle to clear, will be better placed to retain talent, rebuild trust, and manage the workforce complexity ahead.

Pennington added: "Payroll has always been treated as a back-office function, but these numbers make it brutally clear that it now sits on the front line of the cost-of-living crisis. When employees are missing bills because their payslip is wrong, that is not a minor admin issue. It is a systemic failure. HMRC's changes are a golden opportunity for businesses to assess and evolve their payroll, but if they try to navigate this shift with spreadsheets or outdated systems, they risk pushing more employees into debt and driving out their best talent."

HBHR at HR Technologies UK 2026

HBHR will be exhibiting at HR Technologies UK 2026, taking place at ExceL London on 29-30 April 2026. Visitors to the HBHR stand will be able to see HRGenie Auto demonstrated live, explore the research findings in full, and speak with the team about how agentic AI is reshaping HR and payroll for organisations of every size.

HBHR Sales Director Luke Wignall will also be speaking at the event. His session, "Future of Workforce", takes place on 29 April at 12:25-12:40 in Seminar Theatre C, exploring how AI and real-time workforce data are transforming HR and payroll, future-proofing compliance, improving efficiency, and enabling smarter decisions in an increasingly complex world.

To arrange a meeting or demonstration at HR Technologies UK 2026, or to request a copy of the full research report, please contact the HBHR press team below.