Alan Muir FCIPPdip recalls his payroll career and offers his views on developments End of an era
I n my early days, I was a trainee accountant. I spent time in each section of the finance department while studying for my professional exams on a day release basis. The exams were in five parts over five years and I managed to get to year three before getting stuck and eventually giving up. Job training was going well until it came to having to go to the payroll department, which had a terrible reputation for grumpy, unhelpful staff – and I refused to go! However, the chief accountant said it was an instruction not a request, so I went. We changed the staff and it turned out to be the best thing and I never looked back. I learned all I could and within a relatively short time an ex-boss head- hunted me to be payroll manager in a large public-sector organisation based in Glasgow. Over the years I gained invaluable experience of many aspects of work and life. When the BPMA (forerunner organisation to CIPP) launched a formal
payroll qualification I was delighted and signed up right away. I was part of the second cohort all those years ago. After qualifying, I became a tutor in 1994 and remained so for over twenty years. I left the public sector and became a full-time trainer for CIPP in 2002. After the 2008 restructure, I left and decided to become a self-employed payroll adviser. I continued to concentrate mainly on training and I can honestly say I enjoyed this more than any other part of my career. Significant changes The most significant change I have seen is the impact of the digital age. I remember a time before computers and to see the developments in hardware and software has been amazing. The introduction of real time information (RTI) where data is sent to HM Revenue & Customs on or before pay day is such a massive leap and everyone and every profession involved in making this happen deserves great credit as I believe it was introduced
by government in too short a timescale. However, the principle is sound and people made it happen and this should enable so many things to be actioned more quickly in the future as regards income tax and related events. Achievements The achievements which gave me the most pleasure were not really mine. When any of my CIPP students – especially those who started off as very unsure, not confident in their ability – gained their professional qualification I was delighted to have played a part. To watch them grow in stature when qualifying and often securing promotion was great. I always look back with pride at the payroll system I secured and helped to install in a previous workplace. The lengthy process I had to go through to convince senior managers that a new system was required was frustrating, soul destroying, time consuming etc. Coming up against people who did not understand what was required and who thought that the payroll team were only busy on pay day and simply pressed a button to make things happen, was quite frankly ridiculous. They would not go on the evidence in front of them, choosing instead to follow their outdated views. Breaking down the barriers and securing a system which was delivered on time and within budget was a considerable achievement. Regrets
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | July/August 2017 | Issue 32 14
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