So many employers are looking at transforming their global payroll because they have different vendors in different countries and discover that nothing fits together. But they must recognise that simply lifting and shifting existing programs to new ones won’t be successful unless you lift the bonnet up, see what’s under there and let out all the skeletons. If you don’t, they’re still going to be there when you move them. Make sure that you know everybody involved is brought together to analyse what you’re currently doing, and that means being approachable. I think another attribute has to include creativity as well. With all that in place, then you can begin to think about how you want to turn what you have into something much better and bigger. GPA: What are some of the lessons from your journey in payroll that you would pass on to those just starting in the industry? Lisa Orton: Never think the job is “just payroll,” a back office function, and there is little opportunity to make anything of yourself. You can make an amazing career out of payroll, and it is one of the most interesting, challenging, but satisfying jobs I think you can ever do.
We are using technology to examine how clients collect data, analyse it and produce an output to payroll so that they are compliant for each employee and each client. That’s a real challenge. As a business, we are developing tools that allow us to analyse compensation data all together globally, to understand what’s taxable and not taxable in every jurisdiction, and then apply the payroll notifications straight to the payroll teams or to us if we’re running the payroll. While it’s not a complete solution for all the compliance pieces for the local tax authorities, it does cut down on a major part of the challenge of managing and paying globally mobile employees. Our clients get to see the bigger picture of what their global mobility programs are costing them. And they can only do that from having multiple sources leading into one truth.
GPA: What are some of the attributes needed to run a successful global payroll?
Lisa Orton: One attribute is to not be frightened to bring the skeletons out of the cupboards and address them at the time of a transition to a new system or process.
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ISSUE 21 GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE
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