Payroll clerks generally work in office environments and work during standard business hours. Part-time work is very common within this profession. The work of payroll clerks is usually supervised by accountants and their client contact is usually by telephone. In larger organisations, the duties of a payroll clerk may be divided among a number of different positions.

Payroll clerks are employed in a wide range of industries including finance, property, business services, manufacturing and government.

Payroll clerks may use traditional record keeping methods such as ledger books and filing systems, or they may use computers and data management programs. As such, payroll clerks need to be familiar with a range of software packages, from word and data processors through to accounting programs. They may also spend a significant amount of their time on the phone, and may also need to be familiar with other office equipment such as photocopiers and fax machines.