Barbara Frei leads the payroll and social security team at Ypsomed. Together with her team, she ensures that everything runs smoothly every month – from timely salary payments to social insurance and benefits. In her free time, the 53-year-old enjoys being physically active, whether skiing, hiking or biking. In this interview, she explains why payroll is much more than just payroll processing and what really matters in her role.
When and how did you join Ypsomed?
I joined Ypsomed in March 2025 because I was convinced by the company’s ambition to design processes in a professional and compliant way while always keeping employees in mind. Payroll plays a central role here. I was also attracted by the combination of medical technology, growth and an international focus – and of course by the fact that the Ypsomed sites in Solothurn and Burgdorf are practically on my doorstep.
How has your journey within the company developed since then?
My time at Ypsomed so far has been shaped by continuous development. In my role, I have been able to actively help shape and further develop the payroll function, with a strong focus on quality, clarity, transparency and collaboration.
For many people, payroll sounds like "salary calculation." How would you describe in your own words what payroll actually does?
Payroll is much more than just payroll processing. We ensure that salaries are paid correctly, on time and in compliance with legal requirements. This includes social insurance, taxes, benefits, interfaces with HR, finance and external institutions, as well as advising employees and managers. In the area of social insurance, this also involves administrative tasks such as registering for family allowances, maternity benefits, and handling sickness and accident reports. Payroll connects numbers, legislation and trust.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
There is hardly such a thing as a truly typical day. My day-to-day work ranges from operational tasks and technical clarifications to team coordination, alignment with other departments, process optimization and project work. This variety is exactly what makes the job so interesting for me.
What does it take to ensure that salaries are paid correctly and on time every month?
It takes well-coordinated processes, reliable data, clear responsibilities and a high level of accuracy. In addition, solid technical expertise and close collaboration with HR, finance and IT are essential. Payroll is teamwork – both within the team and across departments.
Ypsomed is growing and operates internationally. What new challenges does this create for payroll, especially with regard to global subsidiaries?
International growth comes with different legal frameworks, cultural differences and more complex coordination processes. For us, this means defining standards while also understanding and respecting local requirements. Exchange with international colleagues is becoming increasingly important.
Which changes have had the biggest impact on your day-to-day work in recent years – for example through digitalization?
Digitalization has significantly changed our work and will continue to do so in the future. Automated processes, digital interfaces and modern systems enable more efficient work and help reduce sources of error.
What is particularly important to you when working with your team?
Trust, openness and mutual support are especially important to me. Payroll requires a high level of accuracy, but good work also depends on sharing knowledge, asking questions and finding solutions together.
If you could share one thing about payroll with us, what would it be?
Payroll often works behind the scenes – but always with one clear goal: that employees can rely on their salary being calculated correctly, paid on time and handled transparently. At the same time, we are always happy to support as a point of contact if there are any questions or uncertainties.
