Following the launch of the new CRO portal last month, there were a number of concerns raised by members both in terms of system glitches and regarding the introduction of new processes. We communicated your issues in a letter to the CRO on behalf of the CCAB-I. Whilst some of these issues may be temporary in nature, others are structural in nature and we were keen to engage proactively to determine if solutions can be found. The CRO have responded and provided an update on progress made to date. The Institute supports the move towards a fully online process and compliance is important to all members but the system needs to work efficiently to support users in being compliant. We are listening to your issues and concerns and we will continue to liaise with the CRO on your behalf and keep you updated on progress.   Updates are available on the CRO https://www.cro.ie/en-ie/About-CRO/Contact-Us/Whats-Newwebsite and on their twitter account which is updated more frequently.

Chartered Accountants Ireland is a global organisation, with members living and working all around the world. Our network of very active District Societies are a way for members to network professionally and personally. They are a great way to offer and give support, as well as for those living overseas to keep in touch with us here in Ireland. This week, Tuesday 26 January is Australia Day so we are taking the opportunity to reach out to our 1,037 members who call Australia home. So, where is everyone?   State Number of members  New South Wales  617  Victoria  227  Western Australia  91  Queensland  49  South Australia  6  Northern Territory  3  Capital Territory  3  Tasmania  2  Not stated  39 Australia Day is a national holiday, so we hope our members are enjoying a day off. We invite members to Tweet and tell us what you are doing to mark the day this week, using the hashtag #CharteredAustralia We'd love to hear from you! And don't forget that if you are a member living in Australia, your District Society would welcome you getting in touch. The Society Executive is Cathy McDermott, and she can keep you updated on events and activities the Society arrange.

"Ah, sure, it'll be grand" is an expression widely use in Ireland. Sometimes, however, your staff really do need help. Damian McCourt emphasises the importance of listening to your employees and offering support when they need it. “This is ridiculous,” I said, staring at the influx of work in dismay. “I’m never going to get through all this.” It was 2013, and I was a project manager with far more work than was good for me. I was feeling panicked. My manager looked across at me, shrugged his shoulders in a what-can-you-do sort of way, and announced, “it is what it is”. I put my head down, kept my mouth shut, and proceeded to work myself into a burnout. I didn’t realise it at the time, but I had just been ‘minimised’. Talking about our mental health is never easy. Even if your workplace encourages open discussion on mental health, the desire to appear capable, competent and – above all – strong can be a severe deterrent to asking for help. As a result, it often falls to the manager to ask if someone is okay. This is difficult even at the best of times. It requires planning, privacy and a careful, non-judgmental approach. Try doing this over Zoom with your locked-down kids, and you have a genuine challenge. The good news is that if you’re a careful listener, you won’t even need to initiate this conversation. People ask for help all the time – they just don’t make it obvious. Seemingly off-the-cuff comments on energy levels, mood and workload sometimes hide a call for help, and you can respond in one of three ways: Shift the conversation to you “Oh, I’m up to my eyes too! Wait ‘till I tell you what I had to deal with last week…” Shifting the conversation back to you isn’t helpful but it’s an easy mistake to make as a manager, especially if you’re feeling slightly stressed yourself. Do it often enough, and people will stop talking to you. Minimise the situation “Ah, it’ll be grand. We’re all in the same boat. That’s just the job. Man up and get into it.” Minimise is a put down, pure and simple. Everyone else is OK so you should be too. Pipe down and get on with it. For someone who is already worrying about their ability to cope, you’re doubling their anxiety by dismissing their concerns. Not only are you being supremely unhelpful, you’re giving yourself a harder conversation later on. Offer support “Are things really bad? Anything I can do to help?” We would all like to think that we’d be the one to offer support, and yet we all live with our own concerns and priorities. It’s easy to miss an opportunity to help. Remote working tools can actually make monitoring the health and wellbeing of your staff easier. Keep an eye on your Teams chat and watch for clues in email conversations. It’s easier to ask if someone needs help than if they are okay, and your offer of support might make all the difference. Damian McCourt is a freelance trainer and consultant specialising in workplace resilience, productivity and sensible leadership.