Professional May 2020

COMPLIANCE

Payslip statistics report

Helen HargreavesMSc ChFCIPPdip , formerly of the CIPP policy and research team, provides details of the findings

A s many readers will know, term trends affecting payroll and payslips. This annual research looks at the number of people being paid, the frequency and method of payment and how payslips are distributed. In addition, the recent survey explores awareness of the changes to the off- payroll working rules, and seeks to since 2008 the CIPP has been conducting research into the long- understand whether automatic enrolment, now considered to be business-as-usual, continues to bring additional burden. In the turmoil in which we are currently living, it is reassuring to see from the research that there are some things which never change. However, this year’s report reveals there have been some interesting developments since the research was last undertaken. What this year’s research reveals ● Number of employees/pensioners paid – A change in trend between 2015 and 2018, which saw the number of businesses employing fewer than 1,000 workers increase and the number of companies employing between 1,000 and 10,000 decrease, has reversed in 2019 with figures more in line with those seen between 2012 and 2014. It will be interesting to view these results next year and see whether the trend for larger workforces continues. ● Payroll frequencies operated – To many it is perhaps reassuring that, as it has done since this research began

in 2008, ‘monthly’ remains the most common pay frequency with 96.5% of respondents choosing this option. However, reflecting the changing methods of payment, ‘pay on demand’ was included as an answer choice for the first time in 2019, and 0.7% of respondents indicated they used this option. (Chart 1) ● Change of pay frequency – Because of the recent emergence of options such as ‘pay on demand’, this year the survey included a question asking respondents if they had changed pay frequency within the last two years and, if so, why. Of

those responding, 8% said that they had changed pay frequency, with the majority switching from either weekly or fortnightly payments to monthly, with several citing automatic enrolment as the reason for the change. Conversely, 7% reported that they had received requests from employees for a change of pay frequency. Whilst the requested pay frequencies are different, there is an underlying theme behind several of the requests which is the need to manage finances. A further 7% of respondents stated that they had received

...7% of respondents stated that they had received requests from employees to be ‘paid on demand’...

Chart 1

The CIPP Payslip Statistics Comparison 2008–2019 report, which includes further information and data, plus a foreword by Glyn King, managing director of Datagraphic, the report’s sponsors, can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bKYDyE .

| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | May 2020 | Issue 60 28

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