Payroll mistakes don't usually come from carelessness — they come from a process that never quite settled into a rhythm.
The four most common payroll slip-ups
- Late superannuation payments — Superannuation Guarantee contributions are due quarterly, and the ATO is increasingly strict about on-time payment.
- Incorrect leave accruals — Personal leave and annual leave accrue every pay cycle; let them drift and year-end becomes a fire-drill.
- Wrong pay-rate updates — The Fair Work Award rate changes (usually each July). Failing to update wages on time is a compliance issue.
- Misclassified employees — Confusing a contractor and an employee can trigger back-payments and penalties.
A simple monthly payroll routine
- Reconcile your pay-run against the bank the day it processes.
- Check that super has been paid (or set aside) for the period.
- Update any new leave taken.
- Review Award-rate changes once a quarter.
The principle: payroll should be invisible to your team — always correct, always on time. It's trust, not just admin.
If your last pay-run needed a manual fix, that's the habit to fix before it becomes a penalty.