What are payroll professionals looking for from employers when considering their next move?
Sharp Consultancy offers candidates and clients a team of highly experienced specialist consultants who are immersed in the region’s transactional finance market and can offer expert knowledge and unrivalled understanding of the marketplace.
All this week, we have been highlighting some of the key trends and issues affecting the market which has seen our team of specialist consultants share their in-depth knowledge and expertise to offer the best possible recruitment advice to employers and candidates working in the sector.
To round off National Payroll Week (Mon 6 – Fri 10 Sep), Liam Connolly, Consultant offers advice to those considering their next career move.
Payroll professionals have very successfully adapted to remote working over the last 18 months. Most candidates are now looking to continue in this vein and in many cases are seeking out a hybrid of remote working and office based working practices which allow for greater flexibility whilst retaining regular in-person contact with their colleagues. Additionally, as the CIPP has become more recognised candidates are much more forthcoming about requesting study support to pursue further qualifications, and in line with this, opportunities for progression are also of high importance to candidates.
Currently, the market is very candidate light; for many, the motivation that they had to move say, 18 months ago, simply isn’t there. With many businesses overhauling their approach to flexible and home working due to the pandemic, a vast number of ‘reasons to move’ have somewhat vanished almost overnight. The removal of lengthy commutes, achieving a better work life balance, reducing face-to-face contact with difficult team members, have all contributed significantly to a higher reluctance to look for new roles. And as a more ‘balanced’ approach to office and home-based work becomes more of the norm, businesses will need to work much harder to develop and promote their own individual USPs around culture, progression opportunities, training pathways and increasing responsibilities to attract top talent to their organisation. Candidates must be savvy when it comes to weighing up these nuances and not be swayed simply by the promise of a higher salary or better benefits.
In the first instance, candidates should have a clear reason for wanting to make a move from their current role, whether this is to achieve a better salary, gain a higher level of responsibility or desire to explore similar roles within a different industry sector. It is vital that candidates can align what their potential new employer is looking for with specifics about their current role and are able to speak in detail about key aspects of their skills and experience such as volume of payroll, weekly or monthly frequency, timesheet staff etc; they also must look at each company’s own objectives and understand how they will be able to help them achieve their career ambitions.
Those candidates who can offer knowledge and experience that may be valuable to a new employer - for example awareness of international payroll, understanding of pension deductions and furlough scheme contributions - will find that they are able to stand out from the crowd and secure the pick of available opportunities. And as the requirements of payroll professionals evolve and the role is viewed less as an administrative position and with more emphasis upon value-added management information, it is vital to ensure the right personality and culture fit along with a skill set fit that is right for both parties.
Integrating new employees has been a challenge for many businesses in recent times; ensuring that new employees receive the right amount of attention, training and integration from the outset whilst working remotely has presented opportunities to explore new methods for team meetings, developing strong support networks and utilising one-to-one training via virtual platforms. Candidates are keener than ever to understand the onboarding process and employers that blend flexible working patterns, attractive training and progression opportunities and a positive work environment will find themselves in the strongest position to secure the best talent.
Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent transactional finance professionals across the full spectrum of roles including accounts payable, credit control, payroll and purchase ledgers. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to find out more.