Working in Administration

Do you want to work in administration and are motivated by supporting and helping your colleagues? Then a role in administration might be right for you. Elin Kristiansson is a personnel and payroll administrator at Krafft Måleri and explains more about what the job entails.

What does the role of a personnel and payroll administrator entail?

For me, it involves managing personnel responsibilities as well as the company's payroll processing. Personnel responsibilities include handling absences, processing sick leave cases including medical certificates, which I report to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). I also create rehabilitation plans for individuals who have been on long-term sick leave. A significant part of the job also involves managing employment and termination processes and everything in between. This can include tasks such as ordering work phones for new hires to setting up information in various systems. The role also requires knowledge of collective agreements and laws regarding terminations and redundancy.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

It varies greatly depending on the time of the month. When it's time for payroll processing, I focus solely on that, mostly entering data and reconciling times. Payroll processing takes about 1-1.5 weeks, depending on the month. On a typical day when I'm not working on payroll processing, a large part of my day is spent monitoring both email and phone, to be ready to respond to our employees and also to register any absences. I answer both personal and general questions. A personal question could be about employer certificates or salary certificates for the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. No day is the same, and I find that very enjoyable!

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

I feel that I have an important job and can help in so many different ways. It’s rewarding to be able to interact with so many different individuals – painters, customers, and office staff. Even though my primary task is payroll, I feel like I can develop by using a variety of skills. I also appreciate working in cycles; during payroll periods it’s a bit more hectic, and then it calms down, allowing for other, less intensive tasks. Moreover, it’s very fulfilling to work in our industry, where we have a great work environment and a fun atmosphere.

How did you find your way to the role of personnel and payroll administrator?

I didn’t find the job, it found me! I had just completed my studies in economics during the pandemic and hadn’t secured an internship. At that time, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. When I briefly returned to my old job in the restaurant industry, I received a call from our CEO offering me my current position. It’s a decision I’ve never regretted!

Who would you recommend for this role?

Someone who wants to work administratively but is also comfortable with personal contact. You need a great understanding of different individuals within the company. It’s a lot about mediating between the employer and the employee, and you need to be prepared to see situations from both perspectives. A person in this role should be able to switch between different tasks and, most importantly, be able to plan their own time, as unexpected issues may arise that require full attention!