04:05 INTERVIEW
payday to allow people to do the work that needs to be done. Not having the right discipline in the processes, there comes a point that such submissions simply cannot be allowed. These things disrupt payroll. So, to me, that’s what’s challenging -- enabling the team to do effective work amid so much change and chaos can be difficult. I’m not saying that there won’t be the odd exceptions. It’s when it becomes a norm that it becomes especially challenging. GPA: What about the future of payroll, and the payroll profession? Oluyomi Okunowo: Technology will continue to enable payroll to become even more strategic than it is now.
We know each business, and their individual employees, need their own customized solution. At the same time, standards for payroll operations need to be developed and built. We talked about automation and AI. These will help get to that place of individualization that businesses may need to retain and engage talent. I see those in payroll rise to that occasion where, for example, you can reduce cutoff times and you can make payroll requests more customized to the individual. It is clear that appreciation from outside payroll toward the folks that are doing payroll will continue to grow.
GPA: What is one thing that makes your job challenging that others outside of payroll do not recognize? Oluyomi Okunowo: People outside payroll don’t realize the turnaround time challenge payroll is always facing. They also don’t recognize just how much of the business is actually moving through payroll. Payroll is akin to an iceberg. People outside see only what is visible above the surface, only the tip. They don’t understand the mass of the work that is not visible to them, making sure nothing goes wrong. In terms of the timetable, running payroll in the U.S., for example, is like a hamster wheel. There’s really limited time with all the inputs coming in to make sure it’s right before payment is made. Service level agreements with payroll, or whatever way payroll cuts off, is often set a week before
Payroll is akin to an iceberg. People outside see only what is visible above the surface, only the tip.
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GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE ISSUE 12
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