Celebrating the payroll professionals at the heart of business
Kim Beauchamp, PLP, Woodlands, MB. Christopher Wahl
The National Payroll Institute’s Portraits of Payroll program
Payroll professionals are typically used to working behind the scenes, quietly getting important things done with little attention on them and their efforts – as long as pay ends up in employees’ accounts. The National Payroll Institute had a different idea – creating its Portraits of Payroll program to shine a spotlight on the expertise and contributions of those who work in these pivotal roles in organizations across Canada.
The program is now in its second year, and a total of 70 payroll professionals have been profiled through photographed portraits and inspiring personal stories. This year, the Portraits of Payroll tour spent three months travelling across the country to meet 41 designated members of the National Payroll Institute, from coast to coast.
Professional photographer Christopher Wahl was the lead for the project in most of the country, while a bilingual photographer, Nasuna Stuart-Ulin, profiled the participants who work in Quebec.
“Our mission was to portray members of payroll in a different light, and it was very much about celebrating them,” says Mr. Wahl. “Photography is perfect for this task because it’s all about light and exposing a new understanding of a subject.”
Mr. Wahl is an experienced, award-winning photographer who has taken pictures of well-known actors, politicians and musicians for leading publications.
“I have been lucky to shoot photos of many notable people over the years. These days, I’m focused on documenting the Canadian identity by creating portraits of interesting Canadians in all walks of life,” he says. “This assignment for the National Payroll Institute very much aligns with my passions at this stage of my career.”
“What many of us don’t realize is that behind the scenes, these highly trained professionals are balancing technology, hundreds of pieces of legislation, union contracts and more to make sure everyone is paid on time.”
Surprising revelations about payroll professionals
“I didn’t know much about the profession until I began this journey in 2022, and meeting them has opened my eyes to the complexities and challenges involved in the role of payroll,” says Mr. Wahl.
“I learned so much through my conversations with them and the process of celebrating them through portrait photography. I’ve seen their passion and the pride they take in their companies and their roles within them. And I think what I’ve learned might surprise a lot of people.”
Payroll is often misunderstood as a function that is mostly automated and something that anyone can do, as simple as “pushing a button,” Mr. Wahl says.
He says he has come to appreciate how much knowledge payroll professionals bring to their jobs and the multiple facets of their responsibilities.
“What many of us don’t realize is that, behind the scenes, these highly trained professionals are balancing technology, hundreds of pieces of legislation, union contracts and more to make sure everyone is paid on time.”
Payroll is “at the heart of business,” he adds. “We can’t take their role for granted. If people don’t get paid, the organization doesn’t work.”
As part of the program this year, participants were asked to share their perspectives on the future of payroll and the potential for AI and other technologies to transform the profession.
According to Mr. Wahl, the participants are ready to embrace technology advances, seeing them as tools that will enhance their capabilities and elevate the payroll profession. Meanwhile, they stressed that the personal aspect of their jobs will always be important.
“They made it clear that the value of their people relationships and the support they provide to employees and their families will never diminish. Technologies don’t ‘love’ what they do, but these folks certainly do.”
To view this report on The Globe's website, visit globeandmail.com
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: National Payroll Week