People actually report that they prefer their supervisors to clearly tell them how the change will impact their daily jobs. Read more. A strength of the payroll department should be communication; however, there are many items the payroll department sees that should never be communicated outside the department walls. Your ultimate communications goals: to cut down on employees’ phone calls and build good will for the Payroll department. Actions to Change Pay Periods. While discussing employee benefits has sometimes been regarded as a human resources minefield, it's critically important to have a strategy in place for communicating changes in benefits that fully informs your workforce and doesn't damage employee morale. Those two elements are absolutely essential to the competency and efficiency of a payroll department. However, if your employee network is widespread, you may need another set of change champions to make certain you can reach everyone. Confidentiality is serious, and it is imperative payroll is handled in a secure environment. Payroll isn’t an easy subject to master, so it’s a safe bet that employees in your company don’t have a clue about what goes on in your office. Sarona-Lee Wilde, CPP, and Ronald L. Moser, CPP—both of whom run Payroll for large organizations—steered audience members at the American Payroll Association’s 30th Annual Congress through the choppy waters of communicating to employees about payroll issues. On the Lookout for Payroll Manager or Payroll Clerk Jobs? Policy Rollout 101: Effectively Communicating Policy Changes to Employees March 08, 2018 It’s a new year for your company, possibly with a new business plan, new legislative requirements to meet, or even new management. Supervisors will be on the front line in communicating changes to employees, thereby setting the tone for the changes to come. Create a team that will guide the change. To be effective, adjust your communication method to the medium you’re using, Moser advised. CEO-led employee meetings, for example, are a tried-and-true method, and are still used quite effectively. 7 Tips for Effectively Communicating Change to Employees In times of change, it's important to communicate regularly and explain why a shift is happening Be empathetic with employees while focusing on how the change supports the core mission Involve employees in the process when appropriate, and celebrate each step Communicate all that is known about the changes, as quickly as the information is available. By the end of that day, our company was short one garnishment clerk and one accounting clerk. People don't mind change once they get used to the idea and have had the opportunity to provide input about the direction of the change. But if you successfully communicate these benefits changes, you can help employees feel reassured and empowered as they move into the open enrollment period. On the Lookout for Payroll Manager or Payroll Clerk Jobs? For instance, you could assign an HR rep at each of your locations to get the word out to front line employees. Follow up with reminders periodically, and notify employees on the effective date. Develop a simple communication plan to support your change process that focuses on communicating the reasons for change and involving your staff in planning decisions. Changes in store policies are to be recorded concisely and correctly so that there is no confusion among the employees. Payroll Frequency Change Notice . This website uses cookies to improve user experience. The key, she said, is to find the most effective medium for the information you’re trying to convey. Communicating Change to Employees One of the most important success factors in implementing a change is how that change is communicated to employees. Enter your email address to instantly generate a PDF of this article. A bi-weekly paycheck can be great for employees because they can count on the predictability of payments every other week instead of a semi-monthly payroll which can be more difficult for employees to budget. Remember, communicating effectively is not only for the employees to have confidence in the payroll department and that they are being paid correctly; department heads rely heavily on the payroll department, and communicating effectively, accurately, and often makes a win-win situation for all! www.payscale.com Agenda From time to time, organizations make changes in their policies and it is their duty to inform their employees about these new policies that they have introduced or the changes that they have made in the present policies. Changing payroll schedules can also be beneficial to line up different pay groups in your organization. Send a pay frequency change notice to employees www.payscale.com 15,000 Positions 3500 Customers 11 Countries 250 Compensable Factors 54Million Salary Profiles . However, the employees … Editors note: This post was written in 2014 and updated recently to reflect more current information. When communicating the change, you need to clearly show how it will affect the everyday lives of employees. The occupant of that office came to me a few minutes later to tell me what she had heard. Even though they were talking in hushed tones, their voices carried in the office. Smartphone emails, for example, should be succinct. Whether you’re just starting out, feel as though your career is beginning to idle or you’re clearly stuck in a rut, creating a career map can be beneficial. The changes should be communicated well before the effective implementation date. Once the changes are decided, be sure to communicate them to your employees. When employees find out that they have to pay a higher premium for their health insurance or that they need to change their primary care physician, their first instinct may be to panic. This is important if all the changes are to be implemented properly by all the employees or members. • SAY THAT AGAIN: Be persistent when communicating with employees, Wilde and Moser urged. Other communications tools span the … Instantly access free expert advice, management strategies and real-life examples of workplace All rights reserved. Early in my career, I tried to ex… In the end, I was finally able to prove the taxes were correct, but my credibility was severely damaged. The garnishment clerk decided to share with the accounting clerk that the executive assistant to the president received a garnishment order. © 2021 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans. 2. Hand out hardcopies of new policies in the form of memos or updated employee handbooks. What made this worse, the executive assistant is the sister-in-law of the employee who overheard the conversation. Be sure to include relevant details, such as the dates that changes take effect, which employees are affected by the change, and who employees can contact with questions. Communication must be clear, concise and directly to the point. Educating employees on the payroll process, pay calculations, legislative updates, and benefits or deduction changes is done verbally as well as through memos, policies and even email We must clearly and effectively explain how payroll checks are calculated — especially when employees believe they are paid incorrectly. Send this letter when your company is changing its employee benefits and wants to announce this change to employees. Educating employees on the payroll process, pay calculations, legislative updates, and benefits or deduction changes is done verbally as well as through memos, policies and even email. Steven Hodgson, CPP, is the Director of Payroll Training for the American Payroll Association, where he develops, presents and evaluates the APA’s training courses, webinars, virtual classes, conference workshops and other speaking opportunities. A sample notice to employees of a change in pay dates and pay frequency. If your organization is thinking of changing from one payroll schedule to another, it is important to transition properly. Post new workplace policies in common areas - such as break rooms - where employees can easily see them. Non-technical skills are important in every career. Inform your employees of changes electronically via e-mail, intranet, or a password-protected section of your company website. Soft skillslike communication in the payroll industry is an important tool to educate employees and help them feel confident they are being paid correctly. We are bi-weekly payroll and pay current to all employees except for exception time which pays arrears. 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