REWARD
Payroll rockstars
Katie Sharpe MCIPPdip, head of UK payroll at Mazars UK, explains how payroll professionals can continue to retain their keyworker status W hen I joined the payroll industry too many moons ago, life was extraordinarily different. Wages were low, career prospects and education options were limited, technology was behind the times and the industry was considered the ‘poor cousin’ of our human resource (HR) and finance colleagues. Fast forward to
they barely comprehend. Rather than grumbling quietly about the intensity of our roles, we must educate others and be clear on our achievements. Rather than waiting for an invitation to a senior leadership meeting, we must request a seat at the table for ourselves. Rather than accepting poor technology and infrastructure, we must share our innovative ideas, which will add value to any organisation and its employees. If we don’t demand the retention of our newfound status now, then will we really wait for another global crisis to bring it all back? While we’re considering the revolution of our craft, let’s contemplate the impact we can have when we take control of our own job satisfaction. I have met many of my peers over time who have stayed in roles for decades, even though they’re unhappy. The result is a payroll professional who completes the minimum required of them and an organisation who takes a dim view of a department they feel they must battle with every month. This encourages the historical perception of payroll that we’re a pessimistic, stubborn, yet costly department that nobody can avoid, yet all deem our role easy to complete. If you find yourself in this position, now is the perfect time to consider your options. The marketplace is currently flooded with positions, and we’re no longer limited to a career peak of payroll manager. Why not consider: It’s entirely our responsibility to uphold this spotlight on our industry
● payroll recruitment ● payroll training ● payroll operations ● payroll business development?
Seeing my peers and teammates keep the UK paid throughout Covid has got to be the cherry on top so far
now, and it’s a very different scene. While many aspects have evolved naturally, our status experienced a huge boost during the pandemic. This was largely due to the label of keyworker, plus the delivery of accurate furlough payments, at a time when the country was in crisis. Where we were previously viewed as the boring function that added no value to a company, we were thrust into the spotlight overnight and became the much needed rockstars for both in-house and outsourced payrolls. But how do we retain that rockstar (I mean, keyworker) status? Well firstly, it’s entirely our responsibility to uphold this spotlight on our industry. Our colleagues outside of payroll don’t understand the challenges and obligations we face every single day; therefore, they can’t be expected to respect an industry We were thrust into the spotlight overnight and became the much needed rockstars for both in-house and outsourced payrolls
If you’re in-house, why not consider outsourcing, and vice versa? There are so many options available which will enable us to highlight our expertise and add value to any employee’s lifecycle with an organisation. By moving on, we create space for someone with a fresh perspective and energy to transform a payroll process where we didn’t. Finally, we must perceive ourselves as highly respected experts in our field before we can expect others to regard us this way. I have worked in payroll since I left school at 18, one of the rare ones that didn’t ‘fall’ into it, and I’ve never considered working anywhere else. There are so many proud moments in all those years, but seeing my peers and teammates keep the UK paid throughout Covid has got to be the cherry on top so far. As our colleagues in HR and finance were being furloughed, we were putting in 15-hour days and navigating brand new complex legislation. We cannot lose that pride or respect now more than ever; the future of our industry depends on us. n
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | September 2022 | Issue 83 40
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