A blend of (new) Payroll challenges for Indy at iO

What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you think of payroll? You might conclude that it’s all about salaries, figures and legislation, but it’s somewhat more complex, as it’s often bound to the context of an organization combined with legislation. And moreover, it doesn’t operate in a gray zone or on gut feeling; it’s either this or it’s that. But it is also very diverse, and that’s what makes it a very interesting HR domain. Indy Bellavia (HD Project Consultant at TriHD): “After a first experience in payroll, I was very excited to learn even more. My project as payroll officer at iO was the perfect chance to do just that!”

With 500 colleagues on the payroll and recent changes within the HR team, the payroll department at iO could benefit from some extra support. “For our team, we really needed someone with a solid background in payroll, the ability to work independently, and a strong drive to take ownership. Having previously collaborated with TriFinance for support in our finance department, reaching out to TriHD for temporary support in our HR team felt like a natural choice. And even during the first interview, we immediately sensed that Indy was highly motivated to learn all about payroll,” explains Larissa Franck, HR Operations Lead at iO.

Think of welcoming new team members, celebrating the exciting news of a baby on the way, processing parental leave requests, or bidding farewell to colleagues pursuing new opportunities, complemented with a lot of (technical) questions that require a good knowledge of social legislation – as a Payroll Officer you are involved in many career milestones. “As a key figure in payroll administration, you play a vital role in supporting employees through every stage of their professional journey. And unlike recruitment for example, payroll does not allow you to proceed on gut feeling. You really have to rely on legislation. But anyone who thinks that payroll is purely an administrative task couldn’t be more mistaken. Supporting colleagues with a variety of questions requires a good set of soft skills as well. For me, assisting others not only showcases these skills, but also recharges my own social battery. In sum? Payroll is the perfect combination of numbers, administration and people,” says Indy Bellavia, HD Project Consultant at TriHD.

With just a basic foundation of payroll knowledge but a lot of interest and enthusiasm, Indy started at iO, ready to take on the challenge of quickly expanding her expertise. “During a previous project, I already got a glimpse of the payroll package, which sparked my curiosity to further develop within this HR domain. I began my journey feeling somewhat unsure, as I had less payroll experience compared to my colleagues at iO, but keen to get to know payroll from A to Z. I received intensive on-the-job training, which allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire payroll cycle. Within just a few months, I was confidently managing payroll closures on my own,” explains Indy. “From updating holiday counters to entering medical certificates, and from arranging insurances to checking pay slips: at times it was a bumpy road, but thanks to the support of both my mentor at TriHD and my colleagues at iO, I have learned so much about payroll,” adds Indy. “The first 6 months of this project flew by and before I knew it, I was already doing payroll from A-Z. My close colleagues at iO, Kelly and Larissa, taught me all important things along the way.”

“iO operates across multiple campuses in Belgium, each with its own HR team comprising an HR lead and a payroll officer, while our recruiters support all campuses collectively. In January 2024, when our payroll officer in Brussels went on maternity leave, we saw a fantastic opportunity for Indy to step into this role to temporarily support our HR team in Brussels. This allowed her to take on new responsibilities while gaining even more valuable payroll experience. And we had a lot of confidence in Indy, as she had already proven to be very hands-on, someone who really likes to figure things out independently, but also dares to ask questions when needed,” adds Kelly Aras, HR Lead at iO.

“The language barrier in Brussels wasn’t always easy, but Indy was able to take French classes at TriHD and could also ask other questions that she could not immediately find an answer to. It’s nice to see that there’s a strong community within TriHD to help each other and that was really an advantage for us as Indy had a mentor at TriHD to fall back on as well,” says Larissa (iO).

“Whenever I got stuck with a certain question, I could always count on a mentor at TriHD. A mentor is often someone with more experience, and someone who can share best practices that give your growth curve as a mentee a significant boost,” explains Indy. Mentoring is a concept that we strongly believe in at TriHD, as putting theory to work is where you set yourself apart. Indy: “I reached out to my mentor at TriHD to soundboard on the use of a specific salary system, to get the best result. Another topic I have discussed with my mentor is the calculation of holiday counters when someone has changed employment. Two cases that, for me, show how valuable mentoring is. And it’s not always about finding an answer to a question, but it’s also a process of guidance and reflection to focus on your growth.”

An important part of your role as Project Consultant is also to make sure that you document all information that you have absorbed during your project. “To guarantee a smooth transition for future colleagues, I have made a handbook filled with important information and tips & tricks. My colleagues in the HR team of iO were always available to answer my questions, but I also enjoy figuring things out on my own, and really deep diving into (technical) aspects that are required to know within payroll. And that’s also what I started doing at the beginning of my project, while working towards more structure and supporting my colleagues, and thus assuring a good handover at the end of the project,” adds Indy.

“My Project as a payroll officer at iO has taught me a lot of both hard and soft skills: social legislation, vacation pay, year-end bonuses,... You name it, I have learned all about it! In addition, I have also learned to stand my ground, as addressing employee questions wasn’t always easy – especially since we have to ensure compliance with social legislation within payroll,” says Indy.

“For us, it never felt like a consultant was temporarily filling in. Indy truly became a part of the team, contributing valuable experience and ensuring we could all stay focused on our daily tasks. Our advice to Indy? Keep exploring different industries to gain a deeper understanding of payroll – it’s just the tip of the iceberg!,” says Kelly Aras (iO).

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