Since the start of the 2020-21 tax year, payroll professionals have been forced to contend with the ever-changing nature of the government’s coronavirus support measures and have been recognised as essential workers in helping keep the country running.
At a time when business leaders have been enduring sleepless nights trying to ensure that their workers have continued to be paid on time despite such immense disruption to their livelihoods, payroll specialists have stepped in to help. Whether business owners have benefited from government grants or made use of the Coronavirus Job Retention [Furlough] Scheme, it is almost a certainty that they will have fallen back on the support of a payroll professional at some stage.
Before the pandemic, payroll processing seemed a thankless task. When one’s monthly salary arrived promptly in their back account on time, accurately and with a minimum of fuss, it was easy to give minimal thought to the process around how this was done or the people responsible for making it happen.
However, more than ever before, the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals [CIPP] believes that the value of payroll specialists is being recognised, thanks to how they have gone above and beyond during the pandemic.
To lay out their worth in monetary terms, accountancy firm Davis Grant reports that those in the payroll profession are believed to have helped contribute £325.7 billion to the UK economy over the 2020-21 tax year by helping ensure the smooth collection of Income Tax and National Insurance.
CIPP chief executive Ken Pullar [pictured], has been quick to pay tribute to those working within the payroll profession for the role they have played in keeping the UK workforce paid during the health crisis.
Speaking to The Parliamentary Review, Pullar said: “The events since March 2020 when Covid-19 made its presence known have emphasised the importance of payroll professionals in keeping the UK paid. Adapting and collaborating with government departments to the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and changes to Statutory Sick Pay was crucial and timely in keeping our members updated and in ensuring the UK were paid accurately and on time.”
Processing global payroll is a challenging process even during normal times, so the way that the profession has stood resilient in the face of Covid-19 is far beyond admirable. Many payroll professionals have gotten to grips with doing their jobs from home and accessing vital payroll data remotely and had to work to new schedules across multiple time zones and adjust to communicating with colleagues and other stakeholders over videoconferencing.
The pandemic has only laid bare the dedication and commitment of payroll professionals in carrying out their tasks to highest possible standards even further, and the public is becoming more aware than ever of the key role that these often unseen but essential individuals play within UK and global industry.
The CIPP as an industry body representative of payroll staff has expressed its respect and admiration for its members over an unprecedented year, and the onus is now on other industries and firms to share that sentiment and recognise the key role that these people have played, do play, and will continue to play long into the future as we embrace the post-pandemic world.
