By Sirsha Haldar, General Manager ADP UK.

Somewhat unfairly, the payroll industry has often been looked at as the slightly boring but necessary cousin of HR and finance functions. However, I’m happy to see that is now beginning to change. Whilst thriving and attractive aren’t the first adjectives that spring to mind, with the help of organisations in the payroll industry and bodies like the Global Payroll Association and the CIPP, people are starting to wake up to what the payroll industry can offer as a career. For me, it is an exciting, stable, and secure career choice.

Earlier this month the payroll industry came together to celebrate National Payroll Week and I was reminded why I love this industry so much. A supportive, dynamic sector that is central to helping businesses large and small function in the best way possible.

Keeping the cogs turning

Money is a highly emotive subject. Anyone who has ever had an issue with pay – whether it’s been incorrect or not on time – knows the importance of having a strong and passionate team in payroll. Effective and accurate payroll has the power to unlock endless opportunities within a business, whether it is growth in new markets or retaining the best talent. Payroll teams are at the heart of any modern business, keeping the cogs turning and ensuring employees remain happy and loyal.

Working in the payroll industry means working for one of the most important industries in the country. Not only is the industry responsible for getting people paid correctly and on time, it’s also responsible for the collection of income tax and national insurance contributions for the UK Government that total £345 billion each and every year. The industry is perhaps one of the most crucial functions to the running of a steady business and funding public departments.

More important than ever

If you ask those in the payroll industry how they came to be in it, many will confess they ‘fell’ into their roles. However, they’ll also generally state how it’s been a fulfilling and exciting career move that they don’t regret.

As part of a new campaign, Payroll is a Career, from the Global Payroll Association, we asked people across the business about their careers in payroll. We discovered that job and career security are more important than ever before. It is little wonder. Throughout the pandemic and now in a cost-of-living crisis, a secure career choice is one of the most sought-after attributes for today’s workforce. Payroll can offer security in a way that many other industries can’t. As my colleague Hayley Jacobs, Client Services Manager, noted: “It is a secure career path – with lots of career progression opportunities. We are here to make sure employers and employers get the pay they deserve and have earned. You can start from just entering hours, to eventually moving up to manage the whole of payroll on your own.”

The possibilities are endless when it comes to payroll careers, with progression opportunities at every level. Professional development courses and qualifications keep the industry from going stale, ensuring payroll professionals are up-to-date with the latest technology, compliance and legislation. It is an industry that never stands still. There are always different opportunities and challenges, that constantly change year on year.

The perfect fit

There are many routes into a career in payroll, whether you’re taking your first steps in the working world or simply considering a career change after the craziness of the last few years. Whatever the reason, the industry is made for hardworking, enthusiastic people, with great communication skills. The payroll workforce in the UK and beyond is full of talented and ambitious individuals, working in varied and dynamic roles. Whilst many associate payroll with numbers and think you need to be good at maths to succeed in the industry, that’s not true. In fact, there are loads of misconceptions about jobs in payroll which makes it difficult for people to realise the possible career opportunities.

My advice on starting out in payroll is to make sure that you’re excited about the task in front of you. Secondly, think about the skills required – you don’t have to be good at maths, as there is a lot of software to do the analytics for you today. You just have to be organised and up for a challenge every month. I’d encourage you to speak to people who work in payroll and find out what the industry involves. There is a such huge demand for talent right now and you could be the perfect fit.

What are you waiting for

Think a career in payroll might be for you? What are you waiting for? For more information on careers in payroll, visit the GPA’s Payroll is a Career website. For current open vacancies at ADP, go to: https://jobs.adp.com/locations/uk/