SeamlessHR, Gates Foundation Back Embedded Finance to Boost Workforce Productivity
HR tech company SeamlessHR has reiterated the need for Kenyan organisations to adopt technology-enabled strategies, particularly embedded finance solutions; as a critical pathway to enhancing workforce productivity, operational efficiency, and promoting employee well-being.
This message was the core of a high-level executive roundtable hosted by SeamlessHR on June 3, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi.
Held under the theme “Scaling Business Performance: Strengthening Operational Sustainability and Workforce Productivity,” the event convened top C-suite executives across Kenya’s core industries, agriculture, manufacturing, private security, and outsourcing to explore actionable, tech-driven approaches to navigating today’s evolving business landscape.
A major highlight of the session was the role of embedded finance in redefining how employers support their workforce. Embedded finance refers to the integration of financial services such as salary advances, savings plans, and loans into non-financial platforms, enabling organisations to deliver financial tools directly through their existing HR systems. Before the adoption of embedded finance, organisations primarily relied on traditional methods for providing financial services, which often involved separate interactions with financial institutions.
During his keynote address, Kris Senanu, Founder and Chairman, Blackrock Capital, stressed the critical role of smart technology in business growth, “Scaling business performance and building operational stability increasingly depends on how effectively organisations embed technology into their core processes. The companies that lead tomorrow will be those investing in agile, integrated solutions today.”
In her keynote address, Lynn Eisenhart, Deputy Director, Strategic Investment Fund, Gates Foundation, emphasised the importance of embedded finance at the core of business strategy, “Gates Foundation has a 20-year horizon and is looking to invest 200 billion dollars, with the bulk of this money being in the African continent, as we continue on our mission to create a world where every person has an opportunity to live a healthy and productive life. Our partnership with SeamlessHR is helping us extend financial services to the blue-collar workers whom we call Business Critical Workers in different organisations.”
Traditionally, employees needing short-term liquidity or salary advances have had to rely on manual processes involving banks or third-party lenders, who are sometimes predatory lenders. SeamlessHR’s embedded finance offering simplifies this by integrating these services directly into the HR system, ensuring speed, transparency, and ease of access for both employees and employers.
Victor Komu, Human Resources Director, Gardaworld Africa (formerly KK Security) said, “For low-margin, labour-intensive organizations, employee emergencies cause an increase in absenteeism, which in turn is a cost for the organisation as the role has to be fulfilled by a temporary replacement. Working with Seamless HR, the embedded finance solution helps our employees show up better at work, reduce stress, and improve their financial stability. For us as Gardaworld, it enhances workforce productivity, strengthens retention, and builds a more resilient, engaged organisation.
Expanding on impact, Deji Lana, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, SeamlessHR, highlighted the role of embedded finance tools in serving underbanked workforce segments, “According to a Harvard study, companies that allow employees to access the amount of money they have worked for before the month ends reduced employee attrition by 23%. For many blue-collar and contract workers, traditional financial access is limited or non-existent. With tools like Earned Wage Access and digital savings built directly into payroll systems, we’re giving employers the ability to provide real financial inclusion at scale and improve workforce productivity.”
A panel session involving Deji Lana, CTO and Co-founder, SeamlessHR and Lynn Eisenhart, Deputy Director, Strategic Investment Fund, Gates Foundation, Victor Komu, Human Resources Director, Gardaworld Africa, and Tobias Alando, CEO, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, explored the transformative role of technology-enabled operations and financial inclusion in driving workforce productivity and sustainable business growth.
The roundtable closed with consensus on the need for business leaders to think beyond traditional systems and reimagine how financial services can drive workforce performance and engagement. Already adopted by leading businesses across Africa, SeamlessHR’s embedded finance tools continue to play a pivotal role in helping organisations transform human capital management into a critical driver for business growth.
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