Q & A: Our Payroll experts & COVID-19

At Bishop Fleming our Payroll teams have been working around the clock to ensure the best guidance and advice has been given out to our new and existing clients during the global pandemic. 

We sit down with our Payroll Managers, Stuart Abbott and Lee Hellingsworth who explain how, along with their teams, they have dealt with the increased workload, as well as digesting and acting on the the ever changing government guidance.

What has it been like in Payroll around this time?

Lee: It has proved quite a challenge for ourselves and our clients because we were running to catch up on all the guidance that was first issued.  I am very pleased to say the way in which we supported our clients at this difficult time, with all the Furlough calculations and subsequent grant claims on their behalf, is something I believe we have done very well at Bishop Fleming.

What changes have you seen to the Payroll Service in the last 4 months / during lockdown?

Stuart: The Coronavirus has impacted us in a very big way. We’ve had a lot of changes with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and employees going on furlough and most recently the flexible furlough scheme. To say it has been demanding would be an understatement.

It’s been very challenging and I think Payroll professionals everywhere felt the same during the last 4 months but we are getting to a point now where government are looking to bring employees back to work and the payroll job may start to resolve back to what it used to be.

What has the main concern for clients been?

Stuart: The main concerns has been about paying their staff members and how they think the cashflow for their business is going to be affected.

The introduction of the furlough scheme and the government covering the 80% for those staff members has been a massive help to them. The recent introduction for the Job Retention bonus for any staff members brought back from furlough and kept continually employed until January 2021 has been a massive relief for clients.

What has been the main challenges for Payroll professionals?

Stuart: The main challenges have been the introduction of the Job Retention Scheme and the furlough, mostly with the calculations - the HMRC guidance was chopping and changing all the way up to the Friday before the portal went live and as such clients and ourselves were very eager to try and get on top of that guidance. Trying to get our heads around that guidance and let clients know the same was quite difficult.

Have have you felt personally challenged?

Stuart: I have, it’s not something that I’ve had to deal with before in terms of the increased workload. The support that the team have also needed has meant that I have had to step up quite a lot and just trying to make sure the team are ok, it has been really tough but the ability to use Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype has really helped us stay in touch.

Now you’ve had more experience with the COVID-related changes, is there any advice you can share?

Lee: The advice I would give to those seeking help, is to keep an eye on our website with the Payroll Knowledge Hub and Business after COVID Knowledge Hub. We do very well in placing lots of useful information.

Contact us

If you would like to know more information about Bishop Fleming Payroll Services by IRIS, please click here.