It\u2019s that time of year again! From September 1\u20135, 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.<\/p>\n
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,<\/a> Payroll Bureau and Implementation Manager at Tugela People<\/strong>,<\/span> to hear her story and reflections on the profession she has dedicated her career to.<\/p>\n Like many in the profession, Louise admits she \u201cfell into\u201d 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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\u2019s restaurant, hotel, and gyms. Once you\u2019re in payroll, you tend to stay. It draws you in!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n 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. \u201cBack then, it was all done over the phone. You had to be very precise to help someone navigate software on a screen you couldn\u2019t see!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI always thought I was going to be an accountant. That was my plan. I\u2019ve 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<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n For Louise, it\u2019s the constant change.<\/p>\n \u201cPayroll has shifted from being a back-office function to a strategic part of business. It integrates with HR and finance, and it\u2019s often the biggest cost to an organisation. Why wouldn\u2019t you want payroll at the table when making strategic decisions?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n While technology has transformed the role, the fundamentals remain the same: ensuring people are paid correctly and on time. \u201cThat primary function hasn\u2019t changed in decades and never will<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise laughs at the idea that payroll is just \u201cpressing a big red button.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone 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\u2019ve already done a huge amount of work to make sure everything is correct<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise has plenty of advice for payroll professionals looking to reduce stress and keep everything running smoothly:<\/p>\n \u201cKnow your payroll, document it, and set up your software correctly. It\u2019s worth the investment of time to save headaches later<\/em>,\u201d Louise emphasises.<\/p>\n Louise highlights the importance of careful validation and human oversight:<\/p>\n \u201cChecks, checks and more checks! \u00a0I\u2019m a big believer in checking everything. Sometimes, people load data and see a \u2018success\u2019 message, and then they move on. But software can have errors, so human validation is crucial.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She continues:<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t check, you\u2019ll 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\u2019s how you avoid unnecessary errors. Automation and AI are amazing, but they don\u2019t replace an experienced eye<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n With legislation constantly evolving, Louise has a straightforward approach to keeping up-to-date:<\/p>\n \u201cI 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\u2019s not just one source, but a wide view of the impact<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Translating legislation into action is equally critical. \u201cFor example, last year\u2019s 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\u2019s still important to check that everything is accurate for each client<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise notes the benefit of managed payroll:<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re outsourcing payroll, the provider takes care of legislative changes, so you can trust they\u2019re being applied correctly across the board. There\u2019s no need to worry about individual patches or manual adjustments<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise wants people to understand the variety and depth of payroll:<\/p>\n \u201cFor 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, \u2018I do payroll,\u2019 but it\u2019s 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<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Her advice for newcomers:<\/p>\n \u201cGo 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\u2019s a foundation that will benefit you across every area of payroll<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise recalls a major HR and payroll transformation project she led for a 2,500-employee organisation:<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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,<\/em> 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<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Louise shared a story that still makes her laugh:<\/p>\n \u201cAt 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 \u00a32,000 in petty cash, in a box somewhere. After much searching, we finally located the box, but it was locked, and we couldn\u2019t 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\u2019d lost it. When we finally opened it, there was only \u00a320 inside!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Louise is focused on shaping the payroll function at Tugela People:<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to build the team the right way \u2014 processes, plans, and sustainability as we grow. In three to five years, I\u2019d love a balanced mix of professional service and managed service clients, supported by a skilled, cohesive team<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Flexibility is central to her vision:<\/p>\n \u201cOur 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<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Ambitious as ever, Louise adds:<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like payroll to grow to the same size as our HR team\u2026 maybe even bigger. It\u2019s about creating opportunities for talented people and building something lasting<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a mind reader! People often come to payroll with vague questions like \u2018my pay looks wrong,\u2019 but you have to figure out the real issue. Over time, you learn to read between the lines<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n As Louise reminds us, payroll is more than numbers and systems \u2014 it\u2019s about people. It\u2019s a profession that demands expertise, adaptability, and resilience.<\/p>\n So, this National Payroll Week, we say thank you to Louise and to payroll professionals everywhere. Without them, business simply doesn\u2019t function.<\/p>\n Want to learn more about how Tugela People can support your payroll needs<\/a>? From expert consultancy to UK payroll solutions, global payroll support, bureau services, and fully managed payroll \u2014 our team is here to help.<\/p>\n Reach out to us\u00a0 +44(0)1908 030360<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0\u00a0info@tugelapeople.com<\/strong><\/a>. Alternatively, complete the \u2018Get in touch<\/a>\u2019 form and a member of our team will be in contact with you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s that time of year again! From September 1\u20135, we celebrate National Payroll Week (NPW). This event shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes who ensure millions of employees are…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8965,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[516,515,517,514,512,510,367],"services":[52,365,97],"class_list":["post-8962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-choosepayroll","tag-npw25k","tag-payrollchampion","tag-payrollcommunity","tag-payrollinsights","tag-payrollprofessionals","tag-payrollmanagement","services-payroll","services-payroll-services","services-payroll-solutions"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u00a0<\/strong>How did you first get into payroll?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What would your career have been if not payroll?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What keeps you passionate about payroll today?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the biggest myth about payroll?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Top Tips for Accurate and Stress-Free Payroll<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Advice to Avoid Typical Payroll Mistakes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Staying on Top of Changing Legislation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What other people should know about the payroll profession<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s your proudest career moment?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Funniest moment in payroll<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Looking ahead: goals for the future<\/strong><\/h2>\n
And finally, if payroll were a superhero\u2026 what would your superpower be?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Celebrating Payroll Professionals<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Supporting Your Payroll Needs<\/h2>\n