Payroll Perspectives - Kate Murnig, Pan Pacific Melbourne
Summary
Kate Murnig’s career has been shaped by over a decade of experience across payroll, working through a range of industries including government, recruitment, aged care, logistics and hospitality.
A defining theme throughout her journey is the importance of resilience and adaptability — navigating changing environments, varied systems and increasing complexity while maintaining accuracy and performance.
She highlights a key industry challenge around burnout in payroll, emphasising the need for better support, clearer processes and sustainable workloads in a high-pressure, deadline-driven function.
Her experience reflects the evolving expectations of payroll professionals, where success now requires a blend of technical capability, stakeholder communication and the ability to manage constant legislative and organisational change.
Avoiding burnout in payroll
Kate Murnig, Payroll Manager with hotel branch Pan Pacific Group has over 10 years of experience in payroll across different levels and various industries, including Government, Recruitment, Aged Care, Transport, Logistics, Manufacturing, and Hospitality.
Passionate about the industry and where it is headed, Kate sat down with Shawny Smith of Atlas Partners to share her insight into what is takes to succeed as a payroll expert, the biggest changes she’s seen in her time, and how to combat burnout.
Episode transcript
Shawny: Hi Kate, how are you going?
Kate: Good morning, Shawny. I’m good, thank you. How are you?
Shawny: Yeah, very well. I might start with some introductions to get us going, for anyone that doesn’t know. I am Shawny Smith from Atlas Partners, a recruitment consultant specialising in payroll and transactional finance. Kate, would you do a quick introduction for us?
Kate: Certainly. Kate May. I work with a group called Pan Pacific Group, we are a hotel branch. I’m the Payroll Manager there and I’ve been in the payroll industry for give or take about 11 years.
Shawny: Perfect. Today we’re kicking off our Payroll Perspectives series — something we want to add value to the payroll market and also for decision makers in finance and HR. Let’s start with how you actually got into payroll?
Kate: I got into payroll purely by accident on the suggestion of a colleague. I started my work life in administration — didn’t really know what I wanted to be, so I went into reception. I made a friend who was a payroll officer, and she suggested payroll might suit me given my process-driven mindset and relationship-building skills.
A couple of years later, I gave it a try. I thought I’d give it five years — best decision I ever made. It suits every facet of my personality. I kept my admin skillset — communication, handling inquiries, relationship building — but added the numbers side. Payroll sits perfectly between HR and finance, and that’s what really appealed to me.
Shawny: It’s amazing how many people fall into payroll — though that’s starting to change.
Kate: It is, and it’s exciting. Payroll is becoming its own recognised function. There are more courses now, and it’s growing as a profession rather than just sitting under HR or finance.
Shawny: What do you wish people outside of payroll understood?
Kate: It’s not nearly as simple as we make it look. Payroll relies on multiple departments working together. We need accurate and timely information from others to do our job properly.
It’s very time-sensitive. If we can’t clarify something quickly, it delays the entire process. It’s about working together — I always say to department heads, I understand you’re busy, but so am I. We need to support each other.
If data is incomplete or incorrect, it opens the door for errors — and that’s when issues arise, whether it’s employee queries or even public payroll errors. A lot can go wrong from just a small missed step.
Shawny: Totally agree — payroll teams want to get it right.
Kate: Exactly. Payroll people are control-driven — we want everything perfect. But we can only work with what we’re given. We can’t assume data — we have to verify everything.
Shawny: What advice would you give someone in a senior payroll role wanting to step into leadership?
Kate: Give it a try. Payroll processing becomes second nature over time, but leadership is a different skillset. It involves ownership, team support, training and communication.
If you’re open with your leader and they’re willing to mentor you, that helps immensely. I’ve been lucky to have great mentors who supported my growth.
Put your hand up, ask to learn more, and step outside your comfort zone. Leadership requires confidence and the ability to communicate at different levels. It all starts with being proactive.
Shawny: That proactivity is exactly what we look for in candidates stepping up.
Kate: Absolutely.
Shawny: What are the top three skills that make a great payroll officer?
Kate: Attention to detail — understanding that everything starts with accurate data. Analytical ability — identifying issues, understanding impact, and improving processes. And fire — that drive to push through pressure and meet deadlines.
Payroll is time-sensitive, so having that urgency and resilience is critical. The technical side can be taught, but those soft skills are harder to develop.
Shawny: Couldn’t agree more — urgency is hard to teach.
Kate: Exactly.
Shawny: What has been the biggest change in payroll in the last two years?
Kate: Two major ones. First, remote work — payroll used to be very office-based, but now flexibility is possible, which helps reduce burnout.
Second, STP2 and reporting to the ATO. Now payroll data is submitted each pay cycle, removing the need for group certificates and reducing admin tasks long-term. It’s going to significantly reduce interruptions and manual reporting in the future.
It’s a huge change and very exciting for the industry.
Shawny: It’s definitely been a big shift.
Kate: Absolutely.
Shawny: Final question — any advice on managing burnout in payroll?
Kate: Communication is key. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, speak up. Payroll is high-pressure, so it’s important to recognise when you need a break.
Mental health days are now recognised, which is great. Flexibility, like working from home, also helps manage pressure.
Building strong relationships with your team is important too. Something simple like grabbing a coffee together and disconnecting from work can make a big difference.
Shawny: I love that — those small moments matter.
Kate: Definitely. And having something to look forward to helps too — whether it’s a holiday or a personal milestone. It keeps you motivated.
Shawny: That’s such a great note to end on. Thanks so much for your time, Kate — really appreciate your insights.
Kate: Thank you for having me.