FEATURE TOPIC
What do you think the biggest payroll challenges have been in 2025, which demonstrate the resilience displayed by pay professionals? Gary Burridge: In 2025, pay professionals have faced a whirlwind of challenges which truly highlight their resilience, adaptability and strategic importance. Two prime examples of this are: 1.) Rising employer National Insurance (NI). Since the start of the 2025/26 tax year, employers have had to pay 15% NI on earnings above the secondary threshold, a significant increase which has forced payroll teams to recalibrate budgets. The secondary threshold was also reduced from £9,100 to £5,000, meaning employers had to start paying NI from a much earlier point. 2.) Compliance updates. Rapid changes have made compliance a daily challenge. Pay professionals have had to stay vigilant and agile to avoid costly penalties. The profession has also shown remarkable resilience by embracing continuous learning to keep pace with regulatory and tech changes, by: 1.) Collaborating across human resources (HR), finance and information technology (IT), to unify systems and processes. 2.) Maintaining accuracy and compliance under pressure, often with limited resources. Daniel Cull: Payroll used to be perceived as a back-office function. We can all agree that it certainly isn’t. Clients and stakeholders expect insight, reliability and strategic partnership, and professionals have stepped up brilliantly. From a commercial point of view, pay professionals have absolutely smashed it this year. They’re not just getting people paid on time (though that’s pretty crucial), they’re also now right in the thick of big- picture conversations about workforce planning, retention and efficiency. Basically, payroll’s gone from back-office to boardroom and it’s about time! That mix of technical wizardry and business savvy is what’s really putting payroll on the map across every sector. Samantha Johnson: The pay professions are incredibly diverse, spanning roles in processing, leadership, analytics, IT and beyond, so it’s hard to pinpoint a single challenge that represents everyone. For my team, the biggest challenge has been managing rapid business
growth. Scaling at pace requires a delicate balance: embracing change while safeguarding employees, clients, systems and service quality. Growth brings opportunity, but it also demands resilience, adaptability and strong communication. Ensuring our processes remain robust, compliance is maintained and client experience stays exceptional during such transformation has been a true test of our agility and professionalism. “Payroll’s gone from back-office to boardroom and it’s about time” What’s been your own / your team’s biggest success in 2025? GB: TfW’s biggest success from 2025 would be that we’ve ensured accurate, on time pay, every time. We’ve also managed to maintain a good level of work-life balance for all workers and kept positive working relationships with our main collaborators, such as HR and finance. TfW has also provided regular updates, either face-to-face or online, to keep the entire team up to date with current and upcoming legislation changes. DC: I’m changing this question slightly for my response and discussing what I thought it was great to see in 2025. One of my favourite moments of the year really highlights the value of spending time face-to-face with people at events. Earlier this year, I met John Lee from Work from Anywhere at an event where the CIPP was exhibiting. After a great chat, I suggested he enter our Annual Excellence Awards, as I was genuinely impressed by his introduction to their innovative software. Seeing John win later in the year was an incredible moment. There’s a special joy in seeing someone else shine, knowing you’ve played even a very small part in their journey. So, get out there, chat with people and help each other succeed. SJ: Our greatest achievement has been thriving through growth. We’ve expanded our team, strengthened collaboration and delivered significant change projects - most notably, rolling out a new payroll system across thousands of clients. This required not just technical expertise but a positive, agile mindset. Despite working
across multiple locations and hybrid setups, the team came together brilliantly. Being shortlisted for three CIPP awards this year was a proud moment, and while we didn’t take home a trophy, the recognition reflects the incredible effort and commitment of every team member. Do you think National Payroll Week (NPW) this year, with its huge social media presence, will help elevate the role of the pay professions going into 2026? GB: NPW 2025 made a powerful statement, and its impact is likely to ripple well into 2026. This year’s event saw record-breaking engagement across platforms like LinkedIn, with pay professionals and organisations proudly showcasing their celebrations. Offices were decorated, events were hosted and influential figures joined in to spotlight the profession’s importance. Pay professionals often feel undervalued, but NPW gives them a platform on which to be seen and heard. That kind of visibility can shift internal perceptions within companies, prompting more investment in payroll teams and technology. DC: The response from the pay community was incredible! We worked hard to ensure NPW25 focussed on support and elevating our profession. With the backing of our members and sponsors, it honestly felt like we took over LinkedIn for a week! It might sound a bit odd, but when I went on a dog walk with a couple of close friends the Saturday following NPW, they both asked me how the week went. One’s a Ground Operations Trainer for Jet2 (shameless holiday plug, discount codes are very welcome in my LinkedIn inbox) and the other works mostly out of Saudi Arabia. Both said they’d seen our posts, videos and unsurprisingly, were also keen to get invites to the launch event. That’s not just a testament to the fantastic job our marketing team did this year, it’s proof that people who work in pay are proud of what they do and happy to share their stories. Seeing the effort behind someone’s journey changes how you celebrate their wins, and honestly, payrollers need to celebrate their wins more often! SJ: NPW continues to grow in visibility and influence, and 2025 was no exception.
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | December 2025 - January 2026 | Issue 116 36
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