As a professional, I cannot afford to be complacent. Amitabh Bachchan (1942–)
Editor’s comment
Although real time information has reduced the admin burden at the end and beginning of tax years, there is still
(imminently) the General Data Protection Regulation (page 26). And just in case you become complacent (or blasé), there are changes in 2019 to provision and content of payslips (see pages 5 and15). I suspect these will pose a significant challenge for many employers, software/service providers and, of course, payroll professionals. April 2019 will arrive fast. All this brings me to the feature topic article (pages 40–42), which asks ‘what does it take to be a good payroll or pensions professional?’. I hope this resonates with you.
much that must be done at this time of the year (page 18). Perhaps I’m mistaken, but it seems this period this year is much busier than
I always find it encouraging, meeting and talking, to payroll professionals around the world about how passionate we are about our industry. I wonder if there are many other professions where the community is so close-knit, with many of us meeting up at events across the world and catching up as if we only met yesterday. Over the past couple of years, I’ve had some wonderful opportunities travelling to destinations that I had only ever read about, both with my day job – where I’m a payroll/human resources consultant working on an international implementation – and of course, through my role as chair of the board of directors for the CIPP. Last year, I visited several cities in the USA and Canada over ten weeks; this year, India for the first time, USA again, and Canada – and who knows where else. But throughout all my travels, there has been a constant: it’s critical the world over that if you’re in payroll you must keep up to date with statutory changes and ensure your payroll is compliant with whatever the tax authorities and other the same period in earlier years. Devolution of certain income tax raising powers to Scotland (with Wales to follow, soon) has clearly complicated matters (pages 16– 17, 43). In addition, we have to contend with: changes to employer- supported childcare, optional remuneration reporting, termination payments, and PAYE settlement agreements (page 19); increases to workplace pension contributions (which might provoke a peak in opt outs), and to national minimum wage and statutory payments rates; introduction of gender pay gap reporting (pages 31, 34) and Chair’s message
Mike Nicholas MCIPP AMBCS Editor
government bodies legislate. In the CIPP, over the last eighteen months, we’ve re-focused our efforts on our core services, training, qualifications and membership. We’ve launched Chartered membership and the new continuing professional development (CPD) tool so that all our members can maintain their knowledge with ease. We continue to provide all levels of qualifications, and free events for members to support their learning, as well as a comprehensive catalogue of training and other events, including the Scottish National Conference and our Annual Conference and Exhibition later in the year. Whichever events you choose to register on, be sure to maintain your CPD online; and when you’re ready to apply for Chartered membership, you will have all your learning documented and ready.
Eira Hammond ChFCIPPdip Chair, CIPP
Hope you find time to read the magazine this month! Yes – for our payroll members, here it goes, year-end once again and hoping there are CEO’s message
these views are particularly important in ensuring we continue to meet the needs of a wide and varied membership base. We will also review the strategic objectives set by the board in April 2017, which included setting out a clearly defined career and roadmap linked to our qualifications portfolio. On the training front, we have moved to a mix of in-house and external trainers, and this mix has facilitated consistency of excellence and quality control process on our materials and presentations. To conclude, it’s been gratifying to see the CIPP has become more inclusive with many organisations, companies and consultancies engaged in promoting our mutual industry in UK plc.
no glitches or reconciliations issues, and all goes smoothly. And of course, going into the next fiscal year, we have changes to automatic enrolment rates and the changes to Scottish taxation, to name just a couple. And still, the belief from many (even today) as a county councillor I spoke to on a recent rail journey remarked, “Don’t you just push a button now”? I did reply politely… It’s also the time of the year when the board of the CIPP set out strategic objectives. This is predicated through our Chartered status in ensuring we act as a standard bearer in payroll, pensions and reward for all our members and the industry at all levels in the UK. In addition, many of you recently completed our market insight survey and that contribution has certainly helped us focus in some areas you have identified. As a membership-driven organisation,
Ken Pullar FCIPP Chief executive officer, CIPP
1
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 39 | April 2018
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker