COMPLIANCE
How do you use your PAS accreditation?
How do you ensure other areas of your organisation / your clients recognise the accreditation? KT: We share the logo in our proposals and via our social media channels. We also share accreditation news on our intranet. MJ: It’s part of our website and included as part of email signatures, again strengthening our brand message of high quality. EW: We have weekly meetings with all staff members to discuss what’s happening in our departments. This is where we inform other departments about the accreditation and how we’re using it as an advertising opportunity. Processes introduced in preparation for the assessment were amended and rolled out across the business to boost efficiency in other departments. We’ve also added the accreditation status to signatures across our business, and display our accreditation plaque in reception, meaning clients see it when they attend appointments. PH: We actively publicise every time we’re re-accredited, and we have the kite mark on work email signatures and our external webpage. We encourage our team to become qualified CIPP practitioners, to understand the benefits of being recognised professionals. What are the main benefits you’ve experienced since being awarded PAS? KT: The opportunity to chat through our processes with a professional assessor to discuss other ideas and / or improvements we might consider. This, in turn, allows us to stay ahead of the curve when considering our people in the payroll team. MJ: It’s a good part of the compliance piece of our sales process, to assure potential customers that what we’re saying is more than just sales waffle about how we work. EW: We gained our accreditation in March 2023. Since then, we’ve advertised this on our social media pages and added it to our
and existing) to contribute to and develop. Being aware of PAS requirements keeps us focussed on the key words of our trade: l compliance l legislation
KT: We use it to ensure our L&D processes and procedures continue to be robust, and to provide reassurance to clients of the quality of our payroll teams in the UK and globally. MJ: It’s generally used as part of our sales piece, to strengthen the message about our high-level service quality. Not only is our target to get calls answered within eight seconds, but we’ve also been a Bacs- approved bureau since 1994. Now we’re also a CIPP PAS-approved bureau. EW: We use the accreditation as a form of advertisement for the bureau across our social media channels and within the office. During meetings with payroll clients, we inform them of our newly accredited status, explaining how we’re included on the CIPP’s website along with some of the biggest names in the country, such as Royal Mail and the NHS. PH: To demonstrate: l accredited validation of our robust processes l knowledge and legislative compliance l our value to our clients l our continued commitment to providing the best service.
l process l accuracy l efficiency l innovation l improvement.
This encourages staff to investigate the world of payroll, promoting our profession and actively connecting with our payroll colleagues through the CIPP. How did you find the whole PAS process? KT: Clearly, time must be invested to do this properly, but the experience of the assessment was a positive one and worth the time involved. MJ: It was quite like Bacs albeit looking at slightly different things. So, we had experience in preparing for such inspections, but to be honest, our processes were already up to the standard required by the CIPP. This provided a good confidence boost internally that we were working at a high level of professionalism to ensure our customers receive the best level of service. EW: We approached the PAS process with positivity and excitement, as we knew gaining this accreditation would open doors to new opportunities for the bureau. Remaining focussed and driven throughout meant we were as prepared as possible. The assessment day felt like a breath of fresh air, and being able to talk confidently about the systems and processes the bureau uses, while discussing our future plans, made all the preparation worthwhile. The assessor made the day feel relaxed, which allowed the conversation to flow and calmed our nerves. It felt like an achievement in itself that we made it to the assessment, considering all the work which went into preparing for the day. PH: The process was smooth and seamless. Our assessor was clear, helpful, thought-provoking and inquisitive. The accreditation process provides a welcome challenge and platform through which to evaluate and demonstrate team performance and skills. It was a valuable opportunity to identify any gaps. The CIPP team is great to work with, making this an enjoyable process, which adds real value to our profession. n
What value does your PAS accreditation hold?
KT: It’s important to the team and to our clients. It adds value to our Bacs and SOC audit reviews. MJ: It provides strength to the message we’re presenting to prospective customers. Existing customers know how good our service provision is, but it acts as something relevant to our industry, whereas ISO standards are less meaningful to people as to what they actually mean. EW: Gaining this accreditation has been the biggest achievement for the firm so far. For the bureau to have recognition for the hard work and dedication it puts in to providing the highest quality service for clients is overwhelming. The accreditation helps highlight that payroll is recognised as a profession and not just an additional service to the business. PH: National accreditation is a recognised method of proving our service is fit for purpose and has raised our profile significantly. The drive to continually achieve reflects the value our team places on being an excellent progressive service, which continues to exceed expectations and shows how we, as an employer, invest in our staff.
payroll letterheads and signatures. We’ve featured in three business
magazines regarding being accredited with this fantastic award. We’ve also featured twice in the CIPP’s Professional magazine. We’re currently setting the payroll bureau up as its own limited company so we can advertise solely as payroll, as currently we act under an accountancy name. PH: The production and maintenance of standard operating procedures continues to provide a foundation for all staff (new
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 93 | September 2023
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