Meet the IRIS Payroll Services team: Irene Themm

We truly believe our people are what make our payroll outsourcing service, IRIS Payroll Services, stand out from the competition.

That said, we understand that for those who haven’t yet partnered with us, it might seem like just any other service.

My goal is to tackle this and show you the amazing people behind our service!

I’ve launched this ‘meet the team’ blog series, where I’ve posed a few quick questions to some of our brilliant colleagues, giving you the chance to get to know them better.

In this blog, I had the pleasure of speaking with Irene Themm, our Client Payroll Executive.

Q: What led you to pursue a career in payroll? 

“Initially, I found my way into payroll by chance, but it quickly proved to be a turning point in my career.

“While working in an HR department focusing on benefits and recruitment, I was asked to step in and manage payroll temporarily while my manager went on maternity leave.

“What started as a short-term responsibility soon became a genuine passion.

“I discovered how much I enjoyed the structure, attention to detail and critical nature of payroll.

“From that point on, I knew it was the right path for me, and now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role and what you do on a daily basis?  

“As a Client Payroll Executive, I’m responsible for independently managing and processing over 40 payrolls each month, primarily for GP practices but also supporting a range of other client types.

“My role involves overseeing the full payroll cycle, from initial data input through to final processing and reporting.

“This includes verifying employee tax codes, accurately calculating pro-rata payments for starters/leavers and ensuring pension contributions are correctly applied in accordance with both client specifications and statutory requirements.

“I’m also responsible for maintaining strict compliance with GDPR, HMRC regulations, auto-enrolment pension rules and wider employment legislation.”

Q: Are there any common misconceptions about payroll outsourcing that you’d like to clear up? 

“One common misconception about payroll outsourcing is that it’s as simple as pressing a button and the payroll runs itself.

“In reality, there’s a significant amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.

“Each payroll requires thorough checks, calculations and compliance reviews, whether it’s validating tax codes, processing statutory payments, handling starters/leavers, applying pension contributions correctly, ensuring data security or maintaining legal compliance.

“It’s a meticulous process that demands accuracy, up-to-date knowledge of legislation and constant attention to detail.

“Payroll professionals play a critical role in ensuring people are paid correctly and on time, and that businesses remain compliant with all relevant regulations.”

Q: What advice would you give to businesses considering outsourcing their payroll? 

“My advice to businesses considering outsourcing their payroll is to view it as a strategic decision rather than just an administrative one.

“Payroll is not only about paying employees – it’s about ensuring compliance with ever-changing legislation, maintaining data security and delivering a consistent, error-free process every time.

“Outsourcing to a reputable provider, such as IRIS, can relieve your internal team of a highly technical and time-consuming task, allowing them to focus on core business priorities.

“However, it’s important to choose a provider that offers more than just software. 

“They should offer expertise, support and transparency.

“I recommend you ask questions about how they handle legislative changes, how accessible their team is and what controls they have in place to ensure accuracy and data protection.

“A strong partnership with your payroll provider can reduce risk, improve efficiency and give you peace of mind knowing your employees are being paid correctly and on time.”

Q: How does technology play a role in streamlining payroll?

“Technology streamlines payroll by automating calculations, reducing errors and ensuring compliance with legislation.

“It enables seamless integration with HR and time systems, improving accuracy and saving time.

Q: What do you think sets your team apart from others in the industry?

“It’s the level of customer service we provide.

“Our team is friendly, responsive and always willing to go the extra mile.

“Clients can rely on us for fast and accurate payroll processing, and we build strong working relationships by being approachable and easy to work with.

“On top of that, we receive ongoing training to ensure we’re fully up to date with the latest payroll legislation and compliance requirements.

“This means clients can have complete confidence that their payroll is not only in safe hands but also managed with expertise and care.”

Challenging the misconceptions of offshoring

A huge thank you to Irene for speaking with us and sharing some insights into the elements that make our payroll outsourcing service, IRIS Payroll Services, so special.

Now, let me ask: do you have any concerns about payroll offshoring?

At IRIS Payroll Services, we use a mix of onshoring and offshoring.

It’s important to remember that all teams work together, adhering to the same accredited policies and processes to deliver a secure, high-quality payroll service.  

However, we’ve noticed some misconceptions being spread in the industry.

To tackle confusion and help you better understand the implications of offshoring, we’ve created a handy guide.

Our new guide aims to demystify concerns surrounding offshoring and outline the benefits it delivers, covering: 

• What is offshoring?
• Payroll security 
• Service expertise  
• Provider communication  
• And more!