Why Payroll – Is it a job or career?

So why would I want to work in payroll??You just press a button once a month and the systems pay me.?I can tell you work in payroll you always have time to paint your nails.?You don’t have a hard job, just type and go

If I had a pound for every time I heard that I would be very happy, and if it were true I would not have been in this world for over 25 years now.

Going back to our school careers days, you hear about finance a lot, but I ask people today and no-one hears about HR (in a good way at least – maybe from their parents if ‘HR have done something’), but certainly never about payroll.?If you want a job where you receive regular praise and thanks from our customers, krispy kreams may have a job opening!!!?It is a thankless world.?So why you ask do I love it quite so much as I do (I am a self-confessed payroll geek, who loves nothing more than putting a new legislation onto my kindle and seeing if I can work out any loopholes)? To me it is black and white, you never stop learning, the people in the profession and those skirting into payroll are an amazing bunch.?Not everyone gets it, some may decide very quickly there is too much to learn, or give it a few years and decide the want a high paying high flying publicly visible role. Well not everyone suits very job.?If they did who would work our farms, who would sell our services, who would create tomorrows world?

In payroll you need drive, determination, stamina, a good sense of humor, thick skin, logical ways of working, accuracy, patience, you don’t even need to be great at maths!!!

Above all you need to be willing to dedicate yourself to a lifetime of learning, laughter, tears, and always have that crystal ball with you.?Your team becomes your confidant, and the payroll profession is such a big family – all with the same drive and passions. Everyone is willing to help, we all have our own areas of expertise.?You don’t see an HMRC member of staff or department knowing everything about every one of the laws and legislations.?You do find a few of us who try to be the best at everything, but that is just our passion

Over my payroll career I have wanted to go into so many areas, and do so many different jobs, every year my career aspirations change.?But that is the good thing with payroll, you can change so much without ever leaving. I have a lifetime interest in salary sacrifice, NMW legislation and pensions (the payroll side) I also became quite a guru in the furlough scheme and IR35 (ask my husband – he once asked if I had any knowledge about IR35 – about 3 hours later I shut up.?Even he knows what the basics are now). ?I have worked heavily in HR (Payroll & HR Manager), even fallen into the dreaded finance side a few times (Payroll & Pensions Manager with my own budgets), sat on senior leadership teams (Payroll Ops Manager), and been the sole payroller. ?I have processed payroll for 4000 employees in my section a lone as a part of a big team, and had a payroll of just 50 employees and there just being me. You can pick wat suits you best, are you best with a big team around you, or would you like something more personal with just you and maybe a Payroll Manager.

You just need to take that first step.?It doesn’t have to happen straight away, but there is nothing stopping you taking an interest and start looking into our crazy world.?

Go speak to your payroll team, I guarantee you they would be more than willing to talk payroll with you (just a note though – we do have a crazy processing time every month where the days blur, and we are heads down just to make the deadlines, so maybe arrange an hour with them during a quitter part of the month). Maybe you are in AP and see an add in your company for Maternity cover, or a fixed term contract.?Ask if they are able to take on a newbie to the payroll world, I know many look for the right qualities over experience in many circumstances (disclaimer – they may genuinely need someone who can hit the floor running as it gets very manic during processing).?I don’t know a single payroll manager who would ever discourage someone from coming over ‘to our side’. If your business doesn’t have any openings then you could look at going down the Payroll Apprenticeship route or look for an administrator role where they will give you the basis to start out with.?I had been in payroll for 15 years before I started my BTec qualifications through The Payroll Centre (there are other qualification providers available).

Payroll will be what ever you want to make of it, you can stay down the center line of payroll, or branch out to pensions, rewards & benefits, or a little of everything if that is what takes your eye.?You can make yourself well known in the community being a voice for what ever you wish to advocate, or sit quietly in the background watching the world go by.?We don’t judge, we don’t mind, we will support you to be the best you can be and celebrate your quirks with you!!!

If you would like to share your story, we would love to hear from you! Get in touch?[email protected]