Love, Actually, If I Paid the World Payroll World, May 2007 Andrew Treadwell, payroll project coordinator at Snowdrop, believes conflict between HR and payroll is exaggerated. He gets on well with finance, and after 27 years in the business, he’s even got good things to say about HMRC! Number of years in payroll? 27 years. What size is your department? We have a team of 23 What do you think of finance? I personally get on very well with the finance team here. It is true that frictions can occur between departments that depend on each other. However, payroll doesn’t typically rely on finance so tensions between these two departments are rare. What do you think of HR? I would be lost without our HR team. They are great to work with and are highly efficient. It’s nice to know that my own opinion is shared with other payroll professionals – our research Love Actually shows that HR and payroll have a strong relationship, and demonstrates the benefits to both if this is the case. Payroll relies on HR for data and has strict deadlines to meet, which explains why tensions can arise. Our research shows that a payroll professional’s biggest frustration with HR is around inaccuracy of information, and the biggest complaint is that HR’s records are not up-to-date. These gripes can be easily resolved by departments talking to each other and explaining the different pressures they face. What do you think of HMRC? HMRC has a difficult job to do, and in recent years has successfully simplified its rules and regulations. As a consequence there is a lot more paperwork to read, but the language is easier for all to understand. What’s been your biggest payroll disaster, and how did you cope with it? In a previous job, we had a power cut when I was calculating the payroll of 600 staff on a stand-alone payroll system. The information was unrecoverable. I had to do three months’ work in five days so everyone got paid on time. Needless to say it was a very stressful few days with sleepless nights. What qualities do you need to work in payroll? It is important to pay attention to detail and be methodical. Payroll staff often deal with a large number of staff and have to be able to calculate accurately to ensure staff are paid correctly and on time. However, being methodical and comfortable with numbers is not enough – you also need a strong grasp of the English language and to feel comfortable communicating with others. Staff often ask about their payslip and what it means – you have to be able to explain complex technical details in plain English. What is your biggest work challenge? Juggling deadlines can be a challenge, especially when several clients install payroll systems at the same time. The deadlines are often non-negotiable, as it is essential that our clients’ staff get paid on time. What is your most-used phrase? ‘At the end of the day…’ If you could have anyone in the world on your payroll, who would it be and why? The Queen – but only if I could deliver the payslip personally. Of course I would be doing it to raise recognition of the payroll profession. What or who makes you laugh? I always enjoyed Have I Got News For You and while The Apprentice may not be a comedy, it does make me laugh. What is the biggest salary you’ve had on a payroll? A salary of £750,000 – sadly not mine! What are you better at, crosswords or su doku? Without a doubt it has to be crosswords – after spending all day number-crunching, word puzzles are a welcome light relief! What is your least favourite personal characteristic? I’m a real stickler for correct grammar and often pick holes in other people’s language. I’m sure it drives my friends mad!