Does solving business problems with creative ideas motivate you? Are you inspired by deadlines and accurate results? Do you like working with people as much as numbers?
These questions paint a specific picture for a specific role: people who manage payrolls. When most of us think about payroll, we only consider the event of paying people. Many think payroll is an event that occurs only once a week or month, typically assigned to someone in the finance or HR department. Some people go as far as thinking it’s something that can be automated entirely, and that artificial intelligence will replace payroll professionals.
Yet modern payroll is far from a side task. It’s a true career, one that attracts high-performing and diligent people. And it isn’t a sum of processes that could be replaced by machines. To the contrary, payroll is a strategic role, human-centric. Automation and AI can enhance the work of payroll specialists. But it’s a calling—once people become payroll specialists, it’s a career they stick to.
“People that start in this industry never leave it,” says Sandra Crous, MD of payroll fintech Deel Local Payroll, powered by PaySpace. “I’ve absolutely loved it. Payroll is a combination of doing things right and the human element where you work with people. I love that mix. It’s not only numbers. It’s also having an impact on the business.”
Payroll builds better businesses
Staff salaries are often an organisation’s largest operating expense. Talented and consistent employees are in high demand, and their rewards play a significant role in keeping them happy and loyal. Payroll plays a crucial role in this regard, ensuring that each person is paid on time according to their input and benefits. Payroll specialists also help their businesses determine and deliver strategy.
“Payroll influences the strategy of a company. Are we going to expand globally? Do we have fluctuations in our business? Must we increase or decrease the number of employees? It’s part and parcel of how you run a healthy business.”
These finer details have become even more prevalent since 2020, when remote work became commonplace and companies increased hiring people from other regions or through different employment arrangements. These options create more complexity, especially in terms of varying legislation and tax requirements.
Payroll, already a career steeped in managing numbers and compliance, became a very vital cog in modern business strategy. This dynamic also dismisses the idea that payroll never changes. It’s very much the opposite, says Crous.
“You are always challenged. Payroll isn’t something that you learn once and then copy-and-paste for the rest of your life. There are ongoing changes as you go through your career. There’s always something that will challenge you on another level and help you grow as an individual.”
A career of trust and empathy
Responsible businesses don’t foist payroll on just anyone. It takes a certain blend of skills and temperament to flourish as a payroll specialist. Crous notes that it helps to be diligent and get satisfaction from accurate work. You must be able to handle the pressure of deadlines, pay attention to details, and act with honesty and integrity. Good payroll administration is about creating trust and displaying empathy.
“With payroll comes trust. It also requires empathy because people sometimes balance their personal problems with access to their salaries or base their sense of worth on what they can earn. But it’s not just personal issues. In payroll, you work with people and departments across a business. Payroll touches a lot of things. The best payroll administrators have soft skills that are as strong as their hard skills and professional focus.”
Payroll is almost a calling, a role that people encounter as they climb the corporate ladder. Many payroll specialists first start in other areas, such as finance or human resources. There they come in contact with payroll work.
Crous started her payroll journey after completing a degree in international politics. One of her subjects was personnel management, so she found an entry-level job in HR. Soon, though, she began working with payroll and loved it, realising that good payroll is a fundamental part of good business.
“I regard payroll as a big part of what makes a business successful. Things like a healthy culture and how engaged employees are – they are linked to payroll. You can’t say, ‘This is where payroll starts, this is where it finishes.’ It’s part of a bigger ecosystem that impacts employees in a business the same way finance impacts profits.”
The 21st century career
Payroll is also a resilient career. Even though it actively attracts new technologies, payroll specialists are not threatened by artificial intelligence or automation.
“There is a lot of problem-solving—things that a machine cannot do. Payroll management isn’t for everyone. It’s demanding and a great responsibility. It needs appreciation for numbers, deadlines, business, and people. I think it’s a brilliant career. It’s a fulfilling career.”