PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
# Be Payroll Emma Watson ACIPP, payroll manager at AWS Accountancy Limited, discusses why she became a member of the CIPP and how it has helped in her payroll career
Why did you choose to become a member of the CIPP?
as I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of government legislation and how to create contracts. Continuing my CIPP membership throughout, I completed the Foundation Degree Access Course in April 2021 and I’m currently in year two of the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management. What are your hopes for your future career? My hopes are to complete my Foundation Degree in Payroll Management late next year to complement my payroll management role. I hope that, as well as running a payroll bureau, I can introduce the option of payroll health checks to clients who process their own payroll, as I enjoy meeting people and helping them with their business needs. I’m currently working across both the payroll and tax department, so gaining tax knowledge is also important to me. We’re currently working towards achieving the CIPP’s Payroll Assurance Scheme accreditation. This would be a fantastic boost to the team and would mean receiving recognition for the dedication and hard work we put into our roles. I hope to keep gaining qualifications and experience to become the best I can within my role. Do you have any plans to study any CIPP qualifications or training course? I hope to complete the Certificate in Pensions Administration with the CIPP to gain all-round knowledge of payroll, HR and pensions. What advice would you give to those new to the payroll profession, who are just starting out in their careers? No two days are the same when you work in payroll. I’ve found, over the years, it takes certain skills to work confidently within a payroll bureau. You must be organised and have good time management and communication skills, but most importantly of all, you must be up for the challenge! It’s important to keep up to date with legislation, as this has a direct impact on the payroll department. Use all available resources to find your answers and be prepared to play detective when required. n
After joining the payroll department, I was curious about which qualifications were available within the profession. The CIPP came up top in my search engine, being the leading body for payroll professionals. I became a member of the CIPP to complete my Payroll Technician Course in 2018, to help keep my knowledge up to date with the constantly changing payroll world. How has your membership helped in your career? Membership with the CIPP has definitely helped in my career, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. The Advisory Service is a fantastic tool – the staff are very friendly and answer every query they receive. The monthly magazine advises on all the changes in payroll, as do the webinars and tools that are on offer. I love knowing that no question sounds silly and that the staff at the CIPP will support you to find your answer. What membership benefits have you used or enjoyed the most and can you give me some examples? I really enjoy keeping up to date with the daily news articles on the CIPP’s website, as well as receiving the monthly magazine. The Advisory Service was a lifesaver when we were calculating furlough pay. I also find it very useful receiving the Payroll Reference Book each year, as this is a great resource I can rely on to find answers to queries. Can you describe your payroll journey to us so far? I started my career in payroll in 2016 with no previous experience and began with on-the-job training. After a year and a half of watching webinars and reading documents from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, HM Revenue and Customs and The Pensions Regulator, I joined the CIPP, and started my Payroll Technician Course. This was a fantastic boost to my confidence as it confirmed my knowledge and understanding of the role. I really enjoyed getting my teeth into manual calculations and understanding the background behind certain tasks. I then completed a Level 3 human resource (HR) support qualification
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | November 2022 | Issue 85 14
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