Tata Chemicals' payroll manager on streamiling sustainibility

Last month, we spoke to Karen, the Payroll Manager at Tata Chemicals, about their experience implementing and managing the Octopus Electric Vehicles salary sacrifice scheme. We delved into all things finance, employee feedback, and how the scheme aligns with Tata Chemicals' sustainability goals From the ease of payroll management to the growing adoption across various levels of the organisation, it’s easy to see why innovative companies like Tata Chemicals are joining the electric revolution.

Karen: I got involved after the scheme was launched. Our HR director and finance director initially met with Octopus Electric Vehicles to set up the program. They then got me involved because everything related to payroll would come through me, so I needed to be able to sign off on orders and ensure all tax benefits and deductions were approved for payroll purposes.

Elise: How have you found handling the financial side of the scheme?

K: It's been straightforward. When one of our employees takes out a contract with yourselves, I get notified the month after delivery. The vehicle hire agreement I get sent contains all the information we need, including benefit-in-kind details, gross deductions, and salary sacrifice amounts. From a payroll perspective, it's really easy to set up on our end.

Elise: That's great to hear. And do you have any insight into why your company chose Octopus for this scheme?

K: I wasn’t involved in that stage of the process but I do know our directors looked at a few different providers for a while. They chose Octopus Electric Vehicles because you offer the best deals, tariffs, and rates.

E: Having the whole package in one place is what makes us unique! Have you received any feedback from employees who have taken up the scheme?

Karen: Yes, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone has been super happy with the scheme. There are bound to be some challengers, like with delivery times, but that's due to the manufacturers, not Octopus. Our account manager, Ryan, has been fantastic in handling any delays, and even contacting employees directly when needed. The communication has been excellent.

Elise: That's wonderful. Have we come by for any events at your office yet?

Karen: Yes, Ryan and a couple of other team members attended our last employee benefit day in November. They brought a snazzy demo car and set up a stand where they showed employees how to use the portal and get quotes. It was quite successful, especially considering we run a 24/7 manufacturing site and not everyone could be released to attend.

Elise: Sounds like a fantastic day, how has the adoption of the scheme progressed since then?

Karen: It's been growing steadily. Before the benefit day, it was mainly directors who had taken cars through the scheme. Since then, we've had quite a few of our plant staff take them out too. We've gone from about 5 cars to 10 cars on the road, with 2 more on order and one pending my approval. It's definitely gaining interest.

Elise: That's impressive growth. Have you noticed any trends in the types of cars people are choosing?

Karen: We've seen quite a wide variety actually. Some people have opted for more affordable options like the MG, while others have gone for Tesla, Mercedes, Audi, and even Jaguar.

Elise: Interesting. Was sustainability a factor in your company's decision to implement this scheme?

Karen: Absolutely. We recently opened a carbon-neutral plant with carbon capture technology, and our energy team is always looking at ways to improve sustainability. We'd already installed electric chargers at all our sites because more employees were showing up to work in electric vehicles. The salary sacrifice scheme was a natural next step in supporting this.

Elise: That's fantastic. How does the charging work at your sites?

Karen: We have chargers available, and employees pay about 18 pence per unit to use them. It's cheaper than most public charging points, so many of our staff opt to use the workplace chargers.

Elise: It's great to see companies implementing workplace charging. So you help everyone else get behind the wheel but have you managed to get your own EV yet?

Karen: Yes, I actually have a Mercedes on order through the scheme. It hasn’t arrived yet but I've already had a home charger fitted, which was a very speedy and efficient process.

Not only has our salary sacrifice scheme helped Karen get behind the wheel of an EV, but it’s also had great take-up by the rest of the team. The important work Karen does on payroll to keep the scheme running smoothly is made easy by our slick, straightforward HR dashboard.

Find out more by getting in touch with our team today, or if you’re an employee why not convince your company to up your company's sustainability efforts just like Tata Chemicals.