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the GPA because there are certain skills and expertise that need to be taught and mastered. But I think the main thing for someone new to the profession is to learn as much as you can and network as much as you can, and as quickly as you can, because payroll can be an amazing role. particularly if you’re a sole payroll practitioner and maybe the people who you’re reporting to don’t fully appreciate the role of payroll. If you are in that place, definitely join communities like GPA and Reward Strategy so you can develop that network and access the educational content. Payroll can also be very lonely within organizations, GPA: When it comes to leveraging technology in payroll, what have you observed? Vickie Graham: All through my 20-plus years observing payroll,

relay the message about payroll and its impact on the UK economy during National Payroll Week, when I spoke about it on 35 radio stations across the UK. GPA: What can you tell those just getting into payroll and those who want to move up? Vickie Graham: There are so many different directions that someone in payroll can go into, depending on what it is that you like about it. Of course, you can continue to be a payroll practitioner, someone who really wants to stay in the operational weeds of payroll. There’s growth and development there. Or, you can branch out into software development if your interests are more in the technology behind the processes and the automation. Obviously, there’s the global element of payroll as well, and I work very closely with

people think not only about what they’re doing and how they could be doing it differently, but also how they could be adding value to their organizations through providing--how they can demonstrate for payroll value and return on investment. GPA: Tell us about some of your most fulfilling data analysis and metrics that they’re accomplishments so far. Vickie Graham: When I was with CIPP, I helped the organization apply for chartered status in the UK. I got to go to the House of Parliament and pick up the certificate! The royal charter is so very prestigious, and it allowed the ability to grant chartered status for our members, which put them on a professional standing equal to those in accountancy or finance or HR, where their charters had existed for some time. Also, once I was able to

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GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE ISSUE 14

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