Personal development
# Be Payroll
Helen Sherwood ACIPPMCIPD, HRmanager, at Languageline Solutions, talks about the role CIPP has played in her development
Why did you become a member of the CIPP? Payroll is a key component of my job role, and with the legislation ever-changing, I need to keep continually up to date to fulfil this aspect of my role. Becoming a member of the CIPP has enabled me to join a large community of support, knowledge, and advice. It also provides me with peace of mind that I have access to the latest information and future developments at my fingertips. How has this membership helped you in your career? It’s important to me that I continually develop and improve professionally; being a member of the CIPP has given me this recognition. It has also given my organisation the confidence that I have the professional knowledge and backing to fulfil my job role and people trust what I am telling them when they come to me for advice. This, in turn, means that I feel more confident running the entire payroll process and improving processes and being better prepared for audits. Can you describe in three words what your CIPP membership means to you? My CIPP membership means: professionalism, integrity, knowledge. Whether a business employs five or five hundred people, payroll is a complex, highly regulated process that affects employees’ attitudes toward the company and its reputation in the community. Being a CIPP member proves that I am a payroll professional who is knowledgeable and works with integrity. What is/has been your favourite/most useful benefit of your membership, and why? The daily News Online updates arriving straight into my inbox are invaluable, particularly with all the current coronavirus legislative changes. As a member, I now receive 50% off the payroll update course which provides the latest legislation, case law and future proposed changes. I aim to attend two of these each year as a minimum and always walk away confidently, knowing my knowledge is up to date, and my organisation is compliant. What I really enjoy about these courses is asking questions to the group about real situations I am dealing with and sharing best practice.
What qualification have you studiedwith the CIPP?
I studied for the Payroll Technician Certificate at the start of this year. This is a 26-week online course providing the core skills required to administer
the payroll function. From calculating gross pay and identifying the differences between taxable and NICable pay, the course provided me with the methodologies for the manual calculation of PAYE income tax, NICs, student loan deductions and statutory payments. Each module provides comprehensive learning materials and knowledge tests, which you can take as many times as you like. There are also digital online learning tutorials and interactive scenario- based exercises that bring the course to life. After completing this course, I felt more confident that I could efficiently and accurately handle a wide variety of issues when processing payroll. Still, my learning isn’t stopping there, and the next area I want to focus on is pensions, so I’m currently looking into studying the Certificate in Pensions Administration course. Can you describe your payroll career/journey to us so far? Payroll has always featured as an add-on to my generalist HR role, but now it is a fundamental component of my role in managing the entire payroll cycle. As I gain knowledge and confidence, I am increasingly enjoying this aspect of my position, and wouldn’t say that without the benefit of having the CIPP membership. Howhas studying this qualification helped you in your career so far? It’s given me confidence that what I am doing is correct, and further enhanced my knowledge of tax codes and manual calculations. This, in turn, gives my organisation confidence in what I am doing and saying, and I hope to progress further in this field. What advice do you have for someonewho is thinking of studying a qualificationwith us? Don’t delay, start as soon as you can. The content is up to date, clear to understand, and whether you are just beginning your career in payroll or continuing your professional development you will find it invaluable.
If you are interested in being featured in the BePayroll series, please email marketing@cipp.org.uk
Be Knowledgeable . Be Developed . Be Recognised . Be Supported . Be Connected .
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 70 | May 2021
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