Payroll And The Human Factor

Motor racing heritage

Racing Heritage Owned by the US-based Dana Corporation, one of the world's largest suppliers of automotive components and systems, Glacier Vandervell, was spawned in the 1950's by British industrialist Tony Vandervell It was his passion for motor-racing that led to the development of the famous F1 Vanwall racing car, which, with legendary drivers such as Stirling Moss at the wheel, successfully took on the likes of Ferrari and BRM.

Round-the-clock operation

Today this motor racing history lives on at Bathgate, Scotland where the company enjoys a long-standing association with MacLaren, as well as manufacturing components for heavy duty trucks.

Here, more than three hundred people work a combination of eight different shifts to keep the plant operative round-the-clock. While paid monthly, it is effectively a weekly payroll - not overly large, but extremely complex.

No In-house experience

Formerly handled by a sister company nearby, the decision to bring the payroll to Bathgate meant that with no payroll expertise available in-house, the company would need to find a bureau. For Financial Controller, Alison Johnstone, recruiting a qualified professional was an option she discarded as "far too expensive".

Strong support required

Five providers were evaluated - not only on cost, but equally important to Alison, was "the level of service we could expect". This was essential. For while human resources administrator, Helen Duffin had agreed to take on additional responsibility for payroll liaison, a total lack of experience meant she would need plenty of support.

It was also important for Helen to feel comfortable with whichever bureau was selected so she could ask questions and make novice's mistakes without fear.

Extremely complex

Business Information Management was awarded the contract, fully aware that their client's inexperience combined with a payroll of "mind twisting" complexity represented a very real challenge.

First, Glacier Vandervell had to identify the precise nature of its numerous changing shift patterns and various entitlements. With a continental shift - twelve hours on, twelve hours off, four days on and four days off - a day shift, night shift, fill-in shift etc., plus a range of different job rates and additional supplementary allowances, it was a daunting task.

Great success

Yet when the system went live after a month of parallel running, both client and bureau were highly satisfied. "Glacier Vandervell impressed us with their co-operation and willingness to learn" said Simon Williams, while for its part BIM had not only delivered a payroll that worked perfectly, but had provided all the personal input and support Helen Duffin had wished for. "They were helpful, professional and have continued to show great patience and understanding."

Additional benefit

And as an added bonus, the bureau also enabled the transfer of journal to general ledger automatically, saving hours of time-consuming manual calculations.

Distance no problem

As for the four hundred or so miles that separate client and bureau, both say it has not been an issue in establishing a truly effective working partnership.

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