FEATURE INSIGHT
Social media in payroll and pensions
Jerome Smail, freelance journalist, discusses the issues, identifies the benefits, and reveals how the profession can embrace this still new communication method
A lthough a relatively recent aspects of our daily lives. In less than fifteen years, online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have enmeshed themselves in our daily habits to such an extent that they have transformed not only the way we communicate with each other, but also the way we inform and express ourselves. So far-reaching has the phenomenon been that ‘social’ is somewhat of a misnomer; the professional aspect of our lives has been affected just as much as any other. In fact, one of the major channels, LinkedIn, is dedicated to our working personas and communities. Engaging with social media is increasingly a professional responsibility for leaders in all aspects of business, including payroll and pensions. According to research by web design company Go-Gulf, 82% of customers say they are more likely to trust a company whose leadership team engages with social media. So, although payroll professionals are known for getting on with the job diligently but quietly, sometimes to the point of anonymity, it’s often an expectation, and sometimes a necessity, to reach out to employees, organisations and the industry at large via social media – especially development, social media has completely changed so many
as payroll’s role in reward, workforce engagement and workplace pensions grows in importance. ...benefits and possible uses of a strong social media profile are multifarious for payroll managers “Social media should form part of the toolkit of every payroll professional,” says Nick Day, managing director of payroll and human resources recruitment company James Gray Associates. “It is imperative that the power of social media is leveraged if payroll professionals want to achieve more.” The benefits and possible uses of a strong social media profile are multifarious for payroll managers. As Day explains: “Social media can be a great way to amplify a message, be that internal or external, and it is free too. You would be amazed how much a payroll manager can motivate a payroll workforce with something as simple as a public announcement confirming how great their team is. Social media can be the mouthpiece for other public
announcements, too.” There are also opportunities for increasing awareness, both personally and professionally. “Social media provides payroll people with a platform to brand themselves for recruitment purposes and also to highlight the importance of the payroll function strategically to key stakeholders,” says Day. The importance of personal branding is not to be underestimated, according to Katrina Cliffe, managing director and founder of marketing agency KC Communications. She says: “Forbes were talking about it back in 2012! If you think about how much the world has evolved since then, they were clearly predicting the future when they said, ‘Personal branding in the future workplace is a crucial skill for employees and recruiters alike.’” Social media provides the ideal opportunity for payroll professionals to build their personal profiles, says Cliffe. “It’s a great platform to do some networking, demonstrate your expertise and raise your credibility without even having to leave your desk,” she explains. When it comes to the most effective
channels, Day says it depends on motivations and objectives, but recommends LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for payroll professionals.
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | December 2018 / January 2019 | Issue 46 38
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