Fuel the Future: Starting FY27 Together

Every new fiscal year brings a fresh set of goals, challenges and opportunities. This year, it also brought something else: a chance to pause, reconnect, and remember what we're building together.

Across U.S. Paylocity's offices, employees kicked off Fiscal Year 2027 at our Fuel the Future, a day designed to invest in employees while creating a meaningful impact in the communities they call home.

"The best way to start a new fiscal year isn't by focusing only on what we want to accomplish but who we want to become," said Monica Roberts, VP of Talent, Culture and Belonging. "Fuel the Future was about investing in our people, strengthening the communities we serve, and reminding ourselves that our greatest accomplishments happen when we work together. That's the momentum we want to carry into FY27."

Throughout the day, employees moved from one experience to the next, each designed to encourage reflection, growth and connection. They explored professional development resources, refreshed their headshots, and participated in Future Me, where more than 215 employees wrote letters to themselves that Culture & Engagement will return via email at the end of the first quarter, giving employees an opportunity to reflect on the goals they set and the progress they've made. Another 365 employees refreshed their professional headshots. 

For Courtney Westering, Manager of Culture & Engagement, creating those moments was intentional.

"Growth looks different for everyone," Westering said. "For some people, it starts with setting goals or discovering a new learning opportunity. For others, it's reconnecting with coworkers or taking a moment to reflect on how far they've come. We wanted Fuel the Future to create space for all of those moments because that's how we build a stronger team together."

Just steps away, another kind of growth was taking shape.

Employees gathered around tables filled with school supplies, working side-by-side to pack 1,074 backpacks for students attending Title I schools in the communities where Paylocity lives and works. As backpacks filled with notebooks, crayons, pencils, folders, and more made their way down the lines, conversations flowed naturally. Colleagues cheered one another on, shared stories and kept coming back to pack just one more backpack.

For Tyler Audet, Senior CSR Program Manager, those moments captured what made the activity special.

"Honestly, seeing attendees show up to pack backpacks is great, but seeing everyone really light up when they realize they're helping out a school in their own backyard is what makes these events special," Audet said.

The backpacks will support students through local education foundations in each community:

• Meridian: 250 backpacks for the West Ada Education Foundation 
• Rochester: 167 backpacks for the Rochester Education Foundation 
• Schaumburg: 400 backpacks for the D54 Education Foundation 
• Lake Mary: 257 backpacks for the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools 

Employees said the experiences throughout the day left a lasting impression.

"I wanted to volunteer because I love being part of opportunities that make a positive impact in the community," said Evelyn Cameron, Lead Implementation Ops. "It was exciting to contribute to an event that brings people together while supporting such an important cause."

For Lexi Dean, Lifecycle Management Specialist II, the event created another opportunity that's especially meaningful in a hybrid workplace.

"Being someone who works from home, having any opportunity to volunteer for events that bring activities to our offices is always rewarding," Dean said. "The professional photoshoot was a hit. In my more than five years here, I haven't seen an event offering that option for all employees."

Jorge Quezada, Implementation Client Consultant, said the combination of activities made the day memorable.

"Giving back to the local community while freshening up my headshot and setting personal goals was the perfect mix of self-care and giving back," Quezada said.

Fuel the Future marked the beginning of a new fiscal year, but it also reflected how Paylocity approaches growth.

As employees headed back to work, they carried more than refreshed headshots, handwritten goals or memories from a day of giving back. They left with renewed energy, stronger connections, and a shared commitment to what's ahead. If Fuel the Future was any indication, FY27 is off to a strong start, one built by people growing together, supporting one another and making a difference in the communities they call home.