Payroll Bank Switching Goes One-Click Digital in Russia
Employees at companies using SberBiznes (SberBusiness platform) can now switch their payroll bank without paperwork, as Sber moves the process fully online, making it simpler for both employers and individuals regardless of which bank they choose.
In practice, the new setup does more than speed up interactions across employees, employers, and the bank. It also reduces the workload on corporate finance teams. Meanwhile, eliminating paper documents altogether marks another step toward more sustainable operations.
Why This Matters for Millions
An employee at a company enrolled in Sber’s payroll program can now generate a request to transfer their salary to another bank directly in the mobile app, sign it there using a simple electronic signature, and send it to the employer through digital channels. At the same time, users can track the request status in real time – whether it has been received, reviewed, or approved. So far, around 500,000 people have used the service.
The solution streamlines the process for both individuals and businesses. Employees no longer need to visit bank branches or accounting offices. Meanwhile, automated request handling through SberBusiness reduces the risk of errors and speeds up approvals. More broadly, the state benefits from reduced paper usage across employment workflows.
From Legal Right to Practical Tool
Employees have long had the legal right to choose their payroll bank, but the process itself often discouraged them because it took time and effort. Sber’s online service removes that friction by turning a formal right into a practical, easy-to-use digital option.
Looking ahead, deeper integration with SBP (Russia’s Faster Payments System) and the wider payments infrastructure could expand these capabilities. In effect, paying salaries using an identifier such as a phone number, rather than traditional bank details, is becoming realistic. The Bank of Russia continues to develop the Faster Payments System as a foundation for such scenarios.
Digitizing HR Workflows
In 2021, Federal Law No. 377-FZ introduced the legal framework for electronic document management in employment relationships, enabling companies to move away from paper-based HR records. That same period saw the Gosklyuch (State Key e-signature app) begin to scale alongside electronic signature technologies.
In 2024, Sber launched a mechanism that allowed employees to share bank details with employers via a QR code. That made it possible to route salary payments to another bank online, although the process still required paper applications. The new solution is the next step – a fully digital request signed electronically can now be completed in just a few clicks, leaving paper behind.
A Single Window for Workplace Finance
Sber has effectively connected a consumer mobile app, a business banking platform, and a legally binding electronic signature into a single workflow. In effect, interactions between the employee, the bank, and the employer become seamless.
Russian fintech is steadily moving HR and financial processes toward a “smartphone-as-office” model, where users can complete legally significant actions almost instantly. In the coming years, similar scenarios are likely to spread across other banks and services. For millions of people changing jobs or banks, digitizing this routine step is part of a broader shift toward a unified, single-window experience for employment and financial processes.
