implementations, countless legislative changes, and that time someone accidentally paid everyone twice (we don’t talk about that). They’ve earned their stripes and their stress leave. At this stage, payroll rents a comfortable, manageable percentage of brain space, around 50%. Not because the work is easier, but because experience has taught the art of boundaries. They know what’s genuinely urgent and what can wait. They’ve learned to switch off. Mostly. “After 25 years, I can honestly say I sleep better now than I did at year five,” reflects Patricia, a payroll director approaching retirement. “Not because the job is easier, it’s actually more complex, but because I’ve learned that I’m not responsible for other people’s poor planning. Revolutionary concept, that.” The Uncomfortable Truth Here’s what nobody tells you when you enter payroll: the mental load varies wildly depending on your organisation’s maturity. You could be a toddler- stage professional in a company that treats payroll like teenage- level complexity, expecting
The only one who can protect who you rent brain space to is you. A simple statement, but one not so easily implemented. So, what’s in your toolbox to help evict or find the right tenant?
expertise without investment. Or you’re a veteran in a company that finally recognises payroll’s strategic value, making your squeezed-middle years actually manageable. The EU Pay Transparency Directive is the latest example. Some companies are proactively engaging payroll in planning; others will wake up three weeks before implementation, wondering why payroll seems stressed. The mental rent increases exponentially in the latter scenario. Tools for Your Mental Wellbeing Toolbox Perhaps most importantly: remember that payroll’s value isn’t measured by how much brain space it occupies. You’re not more dedicated because
04:05 I 19
ISSUE 17 GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online