One in five Brits (21%) have left jobs after being paid late or inaccurately by their employer. Avoidable? Most definitely - but how?
1. Did somebody say checklist?
It’s a fact that while processing high volumes of information, the brain has a 5% margin for error. Yet, all must be done to close the gap.
Errors often occur due to improper planning. A simple fix is to create a checklist. There are some great apps such as Evernote or Monday, but even a printed list will do. Simply highlight the job once it’s complete.
✔ Emails Checked
✔ Minimum Wage Updated
✔ Pension Auto Enrolment Assessment Complete
✔ HMRC Returns Sent
✔ PAYE Payments Made
Once all is done, there is nothing more satisfying than introducing your checklist to Mr Shredder.
2. Get your ducks in a row
Email, what email! Did I get an email?! Panics
You get the point - things can get misplaced. We suggest creating a dedicated payroll folder, whether this be physical or digital. If you like a good old piece of A4, print off that email and file away. However, we’re fond of the trees and prefer keeping things digital.
TOP TIP: Set up categories in your inbox and flag emails as soon as they arrive.
3. A final check-a-roo
To check, or not to check? Shouldn’t really be a question!
It can be difficult to spot an anomaly, so we reconcile everything to the penny - and you should too.
Create yourself a spreadsheet with employee names and pay due. Simply ensure your payroll report balances back. You can perform enhanced checks such as like-for-like analysis, headcount checks, peer reviews and so on, but at the very least a simple once-over is a must to do.