BLOCKCHAIN-ENABLED BI FOR HR AND PAYROLL SYSTEMS: SECURING SENSITIVE WORKFORCE DATA

Abstract

This study systematically reviewed the integration of blockchain and business intelligence (BI) within human resource information systems (HRIS) and payroll platforms to assess their potential in securing sensitive workforce data while enhancing organizational decision-making. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, the review identified, screened, and synthesized 218 relevant studies published between 2010 and 2022 across multiple disciplines, including information systems, management, computer science, and data governance. After rigorous inclusion and exclusion procedures, the final evidence base encompassed 134 peer-reviewed journal articles, 52 conference proceedings, and 32 gray literature sources, representing a cumulative citation impact exceeding 37,000. The findings revealed a clear evolution of HR and payroll systems from traditional administrative recordkeeping mechanisms into strategic infrastructures embedded with advanced predictive analytics and governance functions. Blockchain consistently emerged as a transformative security layer by providing immutability, distributed consensus, and smart contract functionalities, which collectively mitigate risks associated with payroll fraud, insider manipulation, and reconciliation errors. In parallel, BI tools were identified as critical enablers of workforce planning, compensation benchmarking, pay equity analysis, compliance auditing, and predictive modeling of employee retention and turnover trends. Sector-specific applications highlighted the adaptability of blockchain-BI frameworks. In petroleum and power industries, they facilitated hazard pay calculations and union negotiations; in public institutions, they improved compliance monitoring and reporting accuracy; and in multinational corporations, they enabled cross-border payroll harmonization, transparency in expatriate compensation, and streamlined tax compliance. The synthesis also demonstrated that convergence with emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, digital twins, and reliability engineering principles was driving the creation of cyber-physical HR systems. These next-generation infrastructures enabled automation of attendance verification, workforce simulations, predictive compensation forecasting, and anomaly detection in wage disbursement. Collectively, this systematic review positions blockchain-BI integration within HRIS and payroll as a critical yet evolving paradigm for securing sensitive workforce data, advancing organizational intelligence, and shaping the future of data-driven human resource management.