Igniting passion within the payroll profession with National Payroll Institute Board Chair Mark Betcher

As he commences his term as Board Chair at the Institute, he sat down with HCM Dialogue to discuss the profession's evolution, how volunteering has changed his life and some of the Institute’s strategic initiatives he's most excited about.

Some of Mark's top professional accomplishments include:

• Being asked to contribute his voice to the payroll profession as a volunteer, Board member and Board Chair
• Acting as one of the many Canadian professionals who have worked to have payroll recognized as a valuable profession
• Earning his Payroll Compliance Professional (PCP) designation

Moving a profession forward

Mark prides himself on the work that he and other payroll professionals have undertaken over the years to have payroll recognized as a valuable role that is at the heart of business, and not just pushing a button. His employers have recognized his volunteer work and commitment to the payroll profession.

In his role on the Board, he is proud to be an integral part of the Institute's strategic projects for financial wellness and volunteer engagement.

"As we have moved from in-person events to more hybrid activities, volunteering has evolved. I am excited to work toward enhancing volunteer opportunities at the Institute and adding value, thus allowing our volunteers to have a voice at the table and play a bigger role in elevating payroll locally and nationally."

The right skills for the HCM profession

Mark feels that the ability to listen and to take the time to understand and seek the best solution is critical for human capital management (HCM) practitioners. Knowing when to step away and take the time to digest the information provided is a skill we can develop with experience and tenure. He also emphasizes the importance of empathy within the profession. "You are handling sensitive information for employees and need the right skill set to stickhandle highly emotional situations. You need to take the time to listen to that employee's concerns, regardless of who is right."

For those looking to enhance their emotional intelligence skills, Mark recommends exploring some learning tracks at the Institute's annual conference and other professional learning opportunities geared toward developing these skills.

Payroll trends and evolutions

Increased automation has been a regular occurrence throughout Mark's career, and he takes a keen interest in how it will continue to revolutionize the industry. He recalls working with three-part carbonless timesheets when he entered the payroll profession. A lot has changed since then. As recently as March 2020, his team was still processing a big stack of paper each pay cycle. It was during this period that he saw payroll make a huge evolution from paper to paperless.

Mark is excited about the trend toward continued harmonization and alignments between Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec payroll legislation. He is also thrilled with the Institute’s advocacy role and collaboration with the Canadian government on the ePayroll journey.

Staying current with industry trends

As a professional development instructor with the Institute, Mark gleans insights from the plethora of resources the Institute offers, including Dialogue Magazine, HCM Dialogue, the Payroll Infoline and the Institute’s corporate website, and through participating in industry surveys and reviewing the results. As a volunteer, he feels fortunate that he can take action quickly in response to industry changes.

Mark enjoys the Institute's annual conference and the strong network of colleagues he has built, particularly over the past year as he moved into a new role.  

How volunteerism can shape your career and your industry

Mark credits volunteering with helping him overcome shyness and gain confidence in his roles. He has also witnessed the difference volunteers can make: "Volunteers are critical to the success of the Institute because we are familiar with the challenges and issues within our profession." Volunteering provides an opportunity to have your voice heard and shape your profession. It's about give and take — you offer your time and expertise, and you gain back a robust network, relationships with colleagues outside of your organization and people to bounce ideas with.  

What you can do to give back to the HCM profession

Mark most enjoys volunteering to share his expertise and knowledge. If you are considering volunteering, he suggests starting with something small to fully understand the inner workings of where you volunteer and then figuring out which more prominent role would be the best fit. He says, "A great place to start is at the local branch for your profession."

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