FEATURE TOPIC
What role does education on soft skills play in respect of career development in payroll? JC: Soft skills are often the unsung heroes of payroll career development. Technical knowledge gets you in the door, but soft skills help you climb the ladder. Communication, for me, is a good example. It’s vital, whether it’s explaining complex legislation to non-specialists, managing a team or handling sensitive employee queries. Emotional intelligence and empathy are also key, especially when dealing with issues like overpayments or financial hardship. Leadership, negotiation and time management are other areas where soft skills make a real difference. Investing in these through training or coaching can be just as valuable as technical CPD. In fact, the most successful payrollers I know are those who’ve mastered the human side of the role. PH: As I mentioned before, key soft skills can play a pivotal role in career development within the payroll sector. While technical skills are essential for handling the complexities of payroll systems and compliance, soft skills are what truly set professionals apart and drive career progression. Here’s why I think they matter: 1. Effective communication: Payroll professionals often need to explain complex information to employees and stakeholders. Being able to communicate clearly and empathetically can prevent misunderstandings and build trust. 2. Problem solving: The ability to think critically and solve problems is invaluable, especially when dealing with discrepancies or unexpected issues. Soft skills like creativity and adaptability can help find solutions quickly and efficiently. 3. Teamwork and collaboration: Payroll doesn’t operate in isolation. Working well with others, whether within the payroll team or across departments, is crucial for seamless operations and achieving organisational goals. 4. Leadership and influence: As you progress in your career, leadership skills become increasingly important. Whether you’re leading a team or influencing decision-makers, the ability to inspire and guide others is key. 5. Emotional intelligence: Understanding and managing your emotions, as well as recognising and influencing the emotions of others, can enhance
landscape is heavily influenced by legislation and compliance requirements. Staying updated on changes in tax laws, employment regulations and data protection is vital to ensure accuracy and compliance. 3. Analytical skills: With payroll data now helping to drive business strategy and operations, payrollers will need to interpret data to provide insights which can drive business decisions. This involves not just crunching numbers but understanding what they mean for the organisation. 4. Communication skills: As payroll becomes more integrated with other business functions, the ability to communicate effectively with different departments and stakeholders is crucial. This includes explaining complex payroll issues in a clear and concise manner. 5. Customer service orientation: Payroll isn’t just about numbers; it’s about people. Providing exceptional service to employees and understanding their needs is a key part of the role. GM: Future payroll professionals will need a mix of technical knowledge and broader business insights. Key skills include data analysis, automation and software proficiency. A strong grasp of compliance is a must in the ever-evolving landscape we work in. So is understanding how systems calculate and process pay, and not simply relying on their output. But alongside this, understanding the employee experience, working cross-functionally and adapting to new technologies will be essential. The development of the new Payroll Management Diploma encompasses these skills. It’s been built to ensure future leaders within the industry are equipped to tackle the ever-changing challenges we’re faced with. The payroll function touches all parts of a business, so a strategic mindset and continuous learning will be critical. CS: An analytical, automation and AI champion mindset. Wherever you are in the world, AI and data science are coming to payroll sooner than you think. Combining these next generational technologies with deep payroll experience is a ‘lethal combination’ to bring real change to your organisation and the profession. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a coder or computer developer to be a payroll professional in 2030, but you’ll need to be a comfortable data / AI translator and manage this transformation and impact.
workplace relationships and improve overall job satisfaction. Soft skills complement technical expertise and are integral to career advancement in payroll. They enable professionals to navigate the human aspects of the role, making them effective technicians and valued members of their organisations. Here at BDO, we recognise that and have built career pathways which consider CIPP-approved technical qualifications at various levels. We complement these with soft skills courses, available for people to enhance their skillsets, enabling them to grow and develop in their payroll career with us. GM: Soft skills are just as important as technical knowledge when it comes to career progression, especially within the pay communities. Communication, leadership, problem solving and emotional intelligence are crucial in a field where you’re often supporting employees, explaining complex issues or leading a team. As a payroll professional, you have an employee’s livelihood in your hands, so having a customer-focussed approach is a must. Education and training in these areas help payroll professionals become trusted advisers in their organisation, not just processors of pay. Soft skills also build confidence and enable you to drive change and innovation effectively. CS: An enormous role. Payroll is a technical, numbers-driven, stressful and highly regulated environment, where soft skills can fade if Excel becomes life. So, it’s critical payroll professionals have opportunities to work on their soft skills, either by signing up to collaborative projects to cultivate relationships with other departments or by talking to the company about the importance of payroll and checking your payslip. It all helps, trust me. The future of payroll is quickly evolving with new technologies and ways of working, and to keep up with this movement you must sell your requirements at executive level, where ‘soft skills’ will be key to success. From experience, influencing HR and technology leaders about an automation programme can be difficult and challenging; translating your vision to multiple complex personalities requires ‘multiple soft skills’, something I was lacking at the time. But this exposure and journey was essential for my professional growth. n
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | September 2025 | Issue 113 34
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