Canadian Payroll Reporter

3 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2018 News CPR | May 2018 Finding, becoming the ideal job candidate Salary guides reveal payroll is in-demand profession in many provinces BY SHEILA BRAWN WHILE MOST employers in Canada are not looking to hire additional payroll staff this year, those who are recruiting say it is challenging to find the right can- didate, a new report says. The Payroll Salary Guide 2018 by staffing firm Hays Can- ada, found that despite a strong economy and expected contin- ued business growth, 80 per cent of employers expect their payroll headcount to remain the same as it was last year. The annual report, which sur- veys payroll professionals and employers about recruitment, retention, salary, and workplace issues, found that only 17 per cent of employers plan to in- crease their permanent payroll staff this year. While the low percentage may give the impression that there is not a big demand for payroll professionals in the job market, staffing experts disagree. In ad- dition to employers who opt to add headcount, they say there will always be those who need to replace staff because of termina- tions or need temporary help to cover absences or handle short- term workload increases. "Payroll professionals are in consistently high demand, which is underscored by the steady annual salary increases we see for payroll positions," said Michael French, Toronto branch manager for staffing firm Robert Half. Robert Half 's 2018 Salary Guide for Accounting and Fi- nance Professionals lists payroll managers as one of its "hot po- sitions." It also includes payroll professionals in its list of sought- after candidates for jobs in a number of provinces. Among employers hiring, the Hays survey found that 71 per cent reported having moderate to extreme difficulty recruiting pay- roll employees, with 78 per cent saying junior to mid-level staff were the most difficult to find. Low turnover in payroll and fewer people entering the field could be reasons for the difficul- ty, said Antony McElwee, direc- tor of sales and client relations at Hays Canada. "When you ask managers how hard it is to hire? Most of them said: 'It is hard to hire, but it is easy to retain people,'" he said. To attract payroll profession- als in this environment, it is im- portant for employers to tailor their job ads towards the specific type of candidate that they want, said McElwee. "If you are looking for an up- and-coming, very progressive candidate, you would be writ- ing an ad in one particular way versus if you were looking for someone who is happy doing the same job for the next five years," he said. "You have got to find a way to communicate clearly why does someone want to work for you. How are you positioned in the market?" Employers need to promote a strong corporate culture when advertising payroll positions, said French. "Show candidates what makes your company a great place to work (for) and make it easy for them to envision contributing to the success of the business." Pay and benefits remain es- sential elements for recruiting and, in an environment where it is challenging to hire, McElwee see COMPENSATION page 8 It's Full Steam Ahead! as we get ready to celebrate forty years of payroll compliance and advocacy in the Nation's Capital! This is the premier payroll event of the year and your opportunity to connect with top compliance, employment standards and strategic management leaders. The Conference program offers experienced speakers, engaging and interactive sessions and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. 40 Years Of Payroll Compliance Register online at payroll.ca Keep track at #Payroll2018 payroll compliance practitioner certified payroll manager REGISTER TODAY! 36 th Annual Conference & Trade Show June 27-29, 2018∙ Ottawa, Ontario

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