COMPLIANCE
available to calculate and make payments in time for payday – will you defer to the previous month’s Bacs file? Do you have access to real time back-ups of payroll data? In recent cases, we saw evidence of good responses, as the systems affected were taken offline and contained, therefore lowering the risk. Communications were also issued quickly to those affected. The impact of this, however, was that the payroll system wasn’t available to process payroll and so the team did this manually. Communication is essential Communication is also of utmost importance within your response. Whether you’re an in-house payroll team or a service provider, you’ll have a responsibility to communicate with your employees or clients. Think about who needs to be communicated to and when, and whether you have a plan prepared in case you can’t access your employee / client data to make them aware of the situation. You’ll have key stakeholders, and probably directors and / or shareholders, who’ll need early communications. Mass communications to employees should be
carefully constructed and managed. Legal advice should be sought prior to publishing communications, and if the incident is relating to a third-party relationship, agreement is needed as to who’s responsible for the communications – the supplier or the client? Often the most difficult aspect to "An important part of your response is also to document the steps taken, how long they took and what the cost (and saving) to the business was in taking these steps" manage is the inbound communications – those questions which come back to the department after the communications have been sent. Typically, these are common questions relating to the impact on individuals, so these inbound questions can be reduced by preparing some
carefully considered FAQs and issuing these alongside the communication. Alternatively, an idea of when further information will be provided can be supplied. External suppliers can help set up a call centre if you envisage additional support will be required. Managing expectations is crucial within the communications. Being as open, honest and transparent as possible will give employees and / or clients confidence that you’re keeping them informed. If you’re a service provider, this level of communication with your client also supports them in their communications to their stakeholders, whether that’s directors within their business or employees who’ve been affected. Important learnings An important part of your response is also to document the steps taken, how long they took and what the cost (and saving) to the business was in taking these steps. As a key strategic stakeholder within your organisation, you should prepare and present this information to your leadership team, so they understand the costs to payroll, and the importance of investing in training for the future. n
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | September 2023 | Issue 93 26
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