National Payroll Week Spotlight: Life, Laughter, and Lessons in Payroll

It’s that time of year again! From September 1–5, we celebrate National Payroll Week (NPW). This event shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes who ensure millions of employees are paid accurately and on time.

Payroll is often invisible when it works well, yet behind every payslip is a skilled professional balancing precision, legislation, and deadlines. To mark NPW, we sat down with Louise Connah, Payroll Bureau and Implementation Manager at Tugela People, to hear her story and reflections on the profession she has dedicated her career to.

 How did you first get into payroll?

Like many in the profession, Louise admits she “fell into” payroll by accident. After leaving school, she worked at a bank before spotting an opportunity at her local stadium, home to Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors.

“I liked numbers, I liked problem-solving, and payroll combined both. I started running payrolls not just for the club, but also for the stadium owner’s restaurant, hotel, and gyms. Once you’re in payroll, you tend to stay. It draws you in!”

Her career then took her to a payroll software provider, where she worked on a payroll helpdesk in the early 2000s, supporting clients long before remote screen-sharing was possible. “Back then, it was all done over the phone. You had to be very precise to help someone navigate software on a screen you couldn’t see!”

What would your career have been if not payroll?

“I always thought I was going to be an accountant. That was my plan. I’ve always liked numbers, so accounting seemed a natural fit. But payroll had this mix of numbers, problem-solving, and people that drew me in instead.”

What keeps you passionate about payroll today?

For Louise, it’s the constant change.

“Payroll has shifted from being a back-office function to a strategic part of business. It integrates with HR and finance, and it’s often the biggest cost to an organisation. Why wouldn’t you want payroll at the table when making strategic decisions?”

While technology has transformed the role, the fundamentals remain the same: ensuring people are paid correctly and on time. “That primary function hasn’t changed in decades and never will.”

What’s the biggest myth about payroll?

Louise laughs at the idea that payroll is just “pressing a big red button.”

“Everyone thinks you load the data and hit one button. But payroll is about checks, validation, compliance, and problem-solving. By the time you press that button, you’ve already done a huge amount of work to make sure everything is correct.”

Top Tips for Accurate and Stress-Free Payroll

Louise has plenty of advice for payroll professionals looking to reduce stress and keep everything running smoothly:

• Embrace the stress but prepare for it: “Payroll always comes with deadlines. People in payroll often thrive on that pressure, but preparation is key to avoiding unnecessary stress.”
• Know your payroll inside out: “Understand the rules, benefits, and calculations for your organisation. If you don’t, even the best software can’t save you.”
• Document processes: “Too often, knowledge lives only in someone’s head. Clear, written processes allow anyone to step in and run payroll if needed.”
• Configure your software properly: “Most modern payroll systems can handle complex scenarios, like mid-month starters or leavers. Make sure your system is set up to do what you need and avoid workarounds wherever possible.”
• Plan for contingencies: “Whether it’s illness or sudden absence, having documented procedures ensures payroll continues smoothly no matter what.”

“Know your payroll, document it, and set up your software correctly. It’s worth the investment of time to save headaches later,” Louise emphasises.

Advice to Avoid Typical Payroll Mistakes

Louise highlights the importance of careful validation and human oversight:

“Checks, checks and more checks!  I’m a big believer in checking everything. Sometimes, people load data and see a ‘success’ message, and then they move on. But software can have errors, so human validation is crucial.”

She continues:

“If you don’t check, you’ll never catch mistakes. Compare to prior months, check variances, and investigate any unexpected amounts, such as bonuses. Even simple tools like Excel can help you highlight differences. Spend as much time checking as you do inputting. That’s how you avoid unnecessary errors. Automation and AI are amazing, but they don’t replace an experienced eye.”

Staying on Top of Changing Legislation

With legislation constantly evolving, Louise has a straightforward approach to keeping up-to-date:

“I like LinkedIn for that. I follow CIPP and other payroll professionals. When announcements are made, like the autumn budget, I can see real-time reactions and insights. It’s not just one source, but a wide view of the impact.”

Translating legislation into action is equally critical. “For example, last year’s National Insurance changes involved both percentage increases and a reduction in the secondary threshold. Reading the gov.uk updates, checking with software providers, and validating changes ensures we apply them correctly. Even when the software updates automatically, it’s still important to check that everything is accurate for each client.”

Louise notes the benefit of managed payroll:

“If you’re outsourcing payroll, the provider takes care of legislative changes, so you can trust they’re being applied correctly across the board. There’s no need to worry about individual patches or manual adjustments.”

What other people should know about the payroll profession

Louise wants people to understand the variety and depth of payroll:

“For those new to payroll or completely outside the industry, you might be surprised by the different directions you can go. People often ask me what I do, and I just say, ‘I do payroll,’ but it’s so much more than that. You can start in payroll inputting data, but move into implementation, advisory, helpdesk roles, in-house or outsourced payroll, or even payroll software development. There are so many opportunities.”

Her advice for newcomers:

“Go back to basics and learn the manual calculations. Even though software is amazing, understanding how to calculate tax, National Insurance, and deductions manually helps you check accuracy, validate software, and troubleshoot quickly. It’s a foundation that will benefit you across every area of payroll.”

What’s your proudest career moment?

Louise recalls a major HR and payroll transformation project she led for a 2,500-employee organisation:

“We were implementing new HR, payroll, and time management software from scratch. The payroll team were all retiring, so we had to extract knowledge quickly, document it, and build processes. Then COVID hit, right before go-live! It was one of the most challenging projects of my career, but also one of the proudest. We delivered, and it made a huge difference.”

Funniest moment in payroll

Louise shared a story that still makes her laugh:

“At one job, the old payroll team used to pay certain underpayments in cash and ask employees to return the money the next payday. We were told there was £2,000 in petty cash, in a box somewhere. After much searching, we finally located the box, but it was locked, and we couldn’t find a key! My colleague and I ended up prying it open with a pair of scissors in the office, while everyone walked past thinking we’d lost it. When we finally opened it, there was only £20 inside!”

Looking ahead: goals for the future

Louise is focused on shaping the payroll function at Tugela People:

“We want to build the team the right way — processes, plans, and sustainability as we grow. In three to five years, I’d love a balanced mix of professional service and managed service clients, supported by a skilled, cohesive team.”

Flexibility is central to her vision:

“Our remote setup allows people to fit work around family life. So many parents are pushed out of the workforce due to commuting or rigid schedules. A flexible, supportive team creates motivation, loyalty, and better results.”

Ambitious as ever, Louise adds:

“I’d like payroll to grow to the same size as our HR team… maybe even bigger. It’s about creating opportunities for talented people and building something lasting.”

And finally, if payroll were a superhero… what would your superpower be?

“Being a mind reader! People often come to payroll with vague questions like ‘my pay looks wrong,’ but you have to figure out the real issue. Over time, you learn to read between the lines.”

Celebrating Payroll Professionals

As Louise reminds us, payroll is more than numbers and systems — it’s about people. It’s a profession that demands expertise, adaptability, and resilience.

So, this National Payroll Week, we say thank you to Louise and to payroll professionals everywhere. Without them, business simply doesn’t function.

Supporting Your Payroll Needs

Want to learn more about how Tugela People can support your payroll needs? From expert consultancy to UK payroll solutions, global payroll support, bureau services, and fully managed payroll — our team is here to help.

Reach out to us  +44(0)1908 030360 or  info@tugelapeople.com. Alternatively, complete the ‘Get in touch’ form and a member of our team will be in contact with you.