FEATURE TOPIC
payroll to human resources (HR) to benefits and rewards; there are so many directions you can progress in. No two days are the same and that’s what makes it interesting, challenging and rewarding. What makes you feel proud of the profession? RE: The resilience of payroll staff: no matter what is thrown at us, we get the job done and normally with a smile on our face at the end of the day. When Covid hit in 2020 I think payrollers came to the fore. There were almost hourly changes to the furlough scheme, but still we adapted and we got the UK paid. We worked long hours, there were ‘issues and tissues’, but we prevailed. We were made key workers, which is when I think the government finally realised payroll is important and we don’t have a magic button. JG: Payroll professionals have been undervalued for a long time. We often hear quickly when something goes wrong, but rarely receive praise for processing a perfect payroll. Despite this, we continue to strive for perfection. We are proud and meticulous professionals who understand the importance and impact of carrying out our roles to the best of our abilities, ensuring we are agile to the constant changes we face while facing challenges with a dynamic approach, utilising technology to gain efficiencies and mitigate risk. EMZ: Payroll plays a vital role in the smooth operation of any organisation and in ensuring employee satisfaction through accurate and timely payment. I take pride in knowing that my work contributes to both important objectives. JM: We are supporting people in ensuring they are paid correctly and on time. It’s fantastic when a colleague doesn’t understand their pay or their tax and I can help them to understand and resolve their query. CW: The dedication and commitment that payroll drives – working to strict deadlines in a pressurised and challenging role, but not stopping until the job is done and the Bacs files are sent. Seeing the graduates each year on stage celebrating qualifications and achievements, knowing the hard work that’s been undertaken while often working in a full-time role.
This issue, Jerome spoke to: ● Rob Evans MCIPP, head of payroll UK & Ireland, TMF Group ● Jessica Garcia, manager, national payroll / business services & outsourcing, BDO ● Elham Madahzadeh Zaroghi, payroll administrator, Historic England
● Jeanette Mosedale MCIPP, payroll manager, Housing21 ● Clare Warrington MSc FCIPPdip AFHEA, CIPP chair
What has kept you working in payroll? Rob Evans: I started / fell into payroll in 1980/81. I was an invoice clerk for a construction company called John Mowlem in a village outside of Stevenage call Knebworth (more famous for outside pop concerts in the late ’70s and ’80s). I was the youngest person in the office and the lady in the cashier’s office which handled the payroll for the workers on the building sites in the area left, so I got volunteered. I very quickly found I enjoyed the work, especially the tight deadlines as all the employees were paid weekly and the work was all manual using tax tables and National Insurance tables, working out the denominations of notes and coins needed to make up the pay, then putting the pay into the envelopes. So, from falling into the role, I fell in love with payroll. I have worked on or managed payrolls for most of the London boroughs, Hertfordshire County Council, the Supreme Court of the UK, the Civil Service, housing associations, schools, colleges, large retail clients, hospitality, telecoms, banks and finance institutions and legal companies. I also have done every job in payroll from processing payrolls, onboarding new clients and building their payroll and service, helping the sales process, completing tender documentation, demonstrating the service, setting up an outsourced payroll company, finding and moving the teams to new offices and implementing new software. I have also made so many friends in payroll who remain friends today and have people who have worked for me who still send thank you messages for helping them on their journey, congratulations on achievements or birthday and Christmas messages, even though we don’t see each other anymore as we have moved on. Jessica Garcia: I fell into payroll, much
like many others in the industry. After studying business management and moving from Spain to the UK with very basic English, I tried various jobs before landing my first payroll role with a recruitment agency. I quickly realised I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of payroll and the blend of technical skills, legislation and the human touch. “No matter what is thrown as us, we get the job done and normally with a smile on our face” Joining BDO over six years ago, I found an inspiring group of payroll professionals who deepened my appreciation and admiration for the profession. Elham Madahzadeh Zaroghi: Payroll is a really rewarding job! Every day, there’s something new to learn and to add to your knowledge. I enjoy working with numbers and payroll offers a sense of satisfaction in ensuring everything balances correctly. Also, communicating with people and helping them with their enquiries makes me happy! Jeanette Mosedale: Although like most people I fell into payroll, once I was in it, I was happy to stay. There are a lot of challenges and even more so now with new legislation and, unlike people’s perception, we don’t just turn up, press a button and, hey presto, payroll is ready! Clare Warrington: I started in payroll, then ‘wages’, when I left school on a youth training scheme (YTS) and at the time had no idea what payroll was all about. However, I loved it. I love the variety of work, and each day is different. It’s not just pressing buttons; it’s helping people, giving guidance and advice and making a difference to employee engagement in an organisation. What keeps me in payroll is the wide range of career options you have, from
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 104 | October 2024
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