National Payroll Week - Future of payroll roundtable
...some organisations are working at maximum output to simply maintain delivery of the ‘Payroll Promise’, as I like to call it, which is to pay on time and accurately...
of use. One of the insights of the CIPP survey is that chatbots aren’t yet widely used for payroll inquiries. While there is potential to increase their usage to lighten the burden on payroll, there is another aspect to focus on. If we manage to cascade information to employees, we can reduce the overall volume of inquiries. Pre-empting employees’ needs for information goes a long way. Sourcing knowledge articles, insight and useful information so that these are available when and where needed on the device of their choice, makes interacting with HR (human resources) and payroll more frictionless and reduces inquiries, further increasing efficiency for payroll. Major internal and external forces
do, what not to do, which rules apply where, even trickier deadlines to meet – the list has seemed never-ending. If you add a global element to it as well – in the shape of a pandemic – you really need your wits about you! When your job is to make your customers’ lives easier by giving them access to a product that will really help them in their difficult and stressful duties, it is amazing to be able to access a network of people who will tell you how it is. These roundtable events are really valuable; not just for networking, but for appreciating again how things really are for the payroll community. I always take back with me ideas and visions for the future as well as renewed perspectives based on their feedback, which is why I love my job! Thanks for the invitation, CIPP – and see you next year. Rob Gimes, senior product manager, The Access Group It was insightful to hear perspectives from payroll professionals and vendors alike, given the year it has been to date. What stood out most for me were five key areas across devolved data input, SaaS (software as a service) based solutions, disaster recovery planning, emergency payroll, and the role of payroll in employee engagement and productivity, through tools like on- demand pay. While some organisations are working at maximum output to simply maintain delivery of the ‘Payroll Promise’, as I like to call it , which is to pay on time and accurately, others are also working with organisational challenges such as increased employee disengagement as the pandemic sees workers struggling to maintain balance in their lives, with their emotional and financial wellness suffering. In discussing the future of payroll, the panel revealed multiple instances of how people in our profession came together in recent
months to support each other and their workforces. Looking ahead, what was underlined was the very real risk there is to every payroll, should such an event occur again. It struck me that now is the time for payroll managers (if they haven’t done so already) to seek out vendors that truly support them, that offer solutions with the required breadth and depth enabling absolute freedom and flexibility within businesses. This will allow payroll professionals to contribute as a team and also at an organisational
continue to impact the function, particularly in our new world with
unforeseen pressures from Covid-19. We are seeing dramatic changes in the workforce. Two main drivers can support the payroll function: ● technology – more automation means more time for strategic tasks ● unique insights – real-time data coupled with machine learning equips payroll professionals with deeper, more applicable knowledge, highlighting them as valuable partners as they collaborate with finance and HR. If payroll professionals are enabled to successfully harness the opportunities that innovation can provide, they are well-placed to adapt and master the challenges that lie ahead. Wendy Muirhead, vice president, Ceridian Europe This year I was delighted again to be invited to participate in a roundtable discussion as part of the CIPP’s National Payroll Week event. Having worked in the payroll space for longer than I care to admit, this event is always a great opportunity to feel a real part of the payroll professional’s world. CIPP members are on the frontline and have real-time experience in dealing with the day to day challenges that come with ensuring the workforce is paid correctly and on time – not an easy task. And this strange year has brought an even more challenging dimension in the shape of furlough – what to
level to people experience and ultimately sustainable growth.
Amber-Ainsley Pritchard, editor, Reward Strategy It was great to be part of the Future of Payroll roundtable again. Being part of a conversation that takes place during such a prominent time of the year, National Payroll Week, means we can really focus on the strategic value that payroll can offer to the wider organisation, as well as think of further ways we can raise the profile of the profession. The future of payroll will by no means be easy, but it looks like the pandemic will have a lasting impact on proving how incredible payrollers are. n The September issue of Professional magazine carried an article by Vickie Graham DipM ACIPP ACIM, CIPP’s business development director, setting out the findings with commentary of the 2020 survey the Institute conducted earlier this year. The article covers these four areas: ● How technology will enhance the payroll profession ● Salary strategies of the future ● The future of working ● Skills of payroll professionals and job roles of the future. The CIPP’s Future of Payroll survey report can be found here: https://bit. ly/3np3CeJ.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 65 | November 2020
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