Feature topic – Career paths and opportunities for payroll professionals
To influence is not just about giving facts – it requires belief and passion
organisations are curating complex reward packages for their staff and payrollers find themselves more involved in the administration of such packages. The greater your knowledge of reward principles, the more you will be able to embrace this development and add it to your skills portfolio. Additionally, the greater your knowledge of complex business operations, the more likely you are to advance to a managerial role in the future. How can payroll professionals use their existing skills and knowledge to influence business decisions? JC: To achieve any successful outcome, there are some major elements that payroll people should help the organisation understand and address. Payroll staff provide valuable insights into what is working or not, what impact it has and how it manifests in productivity and efficiency. It may trigger a change or reinforce the need for an existing approach. Payroll is well placed to articulate how things will look and feel once change is implemented and can bring objectivity to the current situation, removing more subjective views. Payroll can model different scenarios and their subsequent impacts. To influence is not just about giving facts – it requires belief and passion. LG: This comes back to utilising your networking skills, building rapport, listening to external stakeholders and asking appropriate questions to understand your audience. Payroll is fast becoming recognised as having a wider role to play in many company initiatives and strategies, and the pandemic has reinforced that. NP: We are the gatekeepers of a powerful data set – the payroll. When leveraged correctly, our knowledge can influence strategic decision making. For example, before embarking on production of a new line, a manufacturing company
LG: Effective payroll professionals and leaders need to deal with a wide range of stakeholders — their team, directors, employees, board members, vendors and government. Polished written and verbal communication, good customer service and conflict resolution skills are essential for the modern leader and professional. Other skills include self-initiative, time management and effective team leadership. NP: The ability to compromise can be a difficult soft-skill to master – but is one of the most vital, especially considering the extensive list of stakeholders the payroll function will have. HW: People and communication skills should be a focus for someone wanting to grow their payroll career. You need to answer complex queries in a way the employee understands and be able to empathise with them when they have money worries. KY: Soft skills such as good communication, customer service and conflict resolution skills are required to effectively liaise with clients, as well as to manage people and their expectations. Payroll managers need self-initiative, outstanding time management skills and attention to detail to handle their intense workload and lead their team effectively. In the changing world of work, resilience is becoming a key skill that employers require now, and for the future. Payroll professionals should consider how they deal with change, and how they remain resilient and effective. How can payroll leaders make the most of networking opportunities to improve their professional development? JC: First and foremost, network outside of just payroll professionals. Connect and engage with all departments to gain a holistic view and insight into the business. Linkedin is useful. Rather than just blindly connecting to people, create posts about wanting to expand insight and bring more value, and see who it attracts. Networking events are beneficial but a word of caution – they are littered with those seeking to sell rather than connect in any meaningful way. Use the network to
would benefit from our expertise when considering recruiting new staff. This could relate to the Apprenticeship Levy – increasing the workforce could cause them to surpass the levy threshold, or perhaps they aren’t aware they can transfer the allowance to other organisations in their supply chain. Making them aware that no secondary National Insurance contributions are due for under-21s (or apprentices under 25) could impact recruitment decisions, and steer decisions about the viability of the new product. HW: Payroll is one of the largest company expenses, so it is vital it has a ‘seat at the table’ to ensure its involvement in business decisions. A payroll professional should have up-to-date knowledge of legislation and know what is coming up. Sharing this with the business will help with accurate budget decisions. KY: Developing existing interpersonal skills, such as networking, can significantly benefit payroll professionals, as establishing a robust internal network can help with profile raising within their organisation. This helps them become trusted advisors to the business and enables more involvement in influencing business decisions. Equally, the ability to work effectively with complex data sets is key, as this means evidence can be provided to help in making those business decisions, subsequently helping people feel more
valued within an organisation. Strong relationships with key
stakeholders can make it easier to get a project approved or increase career development opportunities. Similarly, by building relationships with decision makers, it’s possible to establish open lines of communication and stay abreast of strategic changes that may impact your role. What soft skills and leadership behaviours should payroll professionals focus on to further their careers? JC: Critical behaviours include curiosity and questioning for understanding (rather than simply accepting the as-is). Three key words jump to mind: communicate, challenge and (be) curious.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 74 | October 2021
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