Key Attributes Payroll And Timekeeping Clerks Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Michael Davis

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Payroll and timekeeping clerks compile and record employee time and payroll data. They may also compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. They may also compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.

The core tasks that payroll and timekeeping clerks are likely to carry out include:

Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies.
Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system.
Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.
Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.
Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records.
Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that payroll and timekeeping clerks would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90.8%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88.2%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.2%

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 83.2%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 82%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.4%