May 2022
6
Bright Welcomes Personal Empowerment Specialist, Nicola Connolly Byrne.
On Wednesday we were joined by personal empowerment specialist, Nicola Connolly Byrne. Nicola empowered our Bright employees to be positive and take action towards a confident free life.
Nicola was invited to speak to our Bright employees as part of National Workplace Wellbeing Day which was held on the 29th of April. Nicola presented her 12 steps to a positive mindset to our employees. Some of these steps included smiling and doing a random act of kindness. She ended the presentation with a Q&A, where our staff asked her for a positive mindset book and social media recommendations.
It was great to see our staff engage with Nicola and learn how to have a positive mindset during growth.
Having a positive mindset in the workplace can improve your professional life in many ways. Thinking positively at work may help you stay motivated and work better with others. It can also reduce stress levels, boost productivity and improve problem-solving. Nicola discussed ways in which we can change our attitude to think more positively such as performing self-care, surrounding ourselves with positive people, and practicing gratitude.
May 2022
3
Celebrating Earth Week at Bright
At Bright, we are committed to a cleaner, greener future for all. Our Duleek office which opened in May 2021 is built to be energy efficient, allowing us to record and monitor our carbon emissions. We have an amazing Green Team that educates, promotes, and inspires sustainability among our colleagues and our customers.
The Green Team members came up with a list of activities to help Bright operate in a more environmentally sustainable way.
Meat Free Monday: A plant-based diet can have a big impact on reducing our carbon footprint. We asked our staff to go vegan or vegetarian for the day or even for just one meal.
Carpool/walk/cycle to work Tuesday: We encouraged our staff to carpool, walk or cycle to work.
Compost Wednesday: We joined Alan at lunchtime he gave us a tutorial on how you can successfully start composting at home. Composting helps restore forests, wetlands, and habitats by improving the poor soil quality. It also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Litter Picking Thursday: At lunch, on Thursday our staff went litter picking around the office and the Duleek Industrial Estate
Save the Bees Talk Friday: Joseph from Trinity College Dublin presented a talk on the importance of bees and their positive effect on our environment to our staff via Microsoft Teams
To add to these events, we are encouraged our staff to make bird feeders from recycled plastic bottles.
Mar 2022
8
Celebrate International Women’s Day 2022 With Us
This year’s theme of International Women’s Day is “Break the Bias.” The day is marked globally to celebrate the cultural, social, and economic achievements of women. Break the Bias calls for an end to all kinds of discrimination women face in society. We are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions every day. At Bright, we want to help break the bias in the workplace.
Promoting Gender Equality at Bright
We are proud to say that we have always had a strong representation of women across our company.
- Our Senior Management team is 50% female.
- Our Marketing Team is 60% female
- Our Support Team is 67% female
We always look for ways to assist our employees. We offer paid maternity and paternity leave to ensure that we help new parents to be successful both at work and at home.
IWD at Bright 2022
To raise awareness of International Women’s Day within our company, we are holding a self-defence course on Wednesday the 16th of March. As an employer, we are fully committed to promoting an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves at work and outside work.
Women of all ages and backgrounds are constantly dealing with unsafe situations, whether they are walking home, riding in taxis or simply being in public places.
The safety of all our staff is extremely important to us as a company, and we want to help in any way possible to promote employee safety.
Together we can Break the Bias on International Women’s Day and beyond.
Mar 2021
16
TWSS Reconciliation – Important Update
One year after the introduction of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), the Revenue reconciliation process is finally underway. Revenue have now compared the total subsidy amounts paid to employees, against the subsidy amounts paid to the employer. This has allowed Revenue to determine the amount of TWSS owed back to Revenue from employers.
All employers who availed of the TWSS will receive a Statement of Account in their ROS inbox on Monday 22nd March 2021. Employers will have until the end of June to review the detailed information and accept the reconciliation amounts. Once you have accepted the reconciliation calculation, you will either be paid any additional amount due to you by Revenue or be required to repay any amount that you owe to Revenue.
Free Webinar
Join Thesaurus Software for a free webinar on Wednesday 24th March at 10.30 am. In this webinar, we will be joined by a guest speaker from Revenue who will discuss what you need to know about the TWSS reconciliation process. Plus, we will demonstrate how to cross-check reconciliation amounts with the payroll software and how payroll automation can help your business during COVID-19.
Agenda
- TWSS Reconciliation Process
- Reconciling amounts in Thesaurus Payroll Manager
- Reconciling amounts in BrightPay
- How payroll automation can help you with COVID-19
*** High demand for this webinar. Book your place now to avoid disappointment. ***
If you are unable to attend the webinar at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Related Articles:
- COVID-19 & Working from Home - 1 Year On
- EWSS Q&A - Common Support Queries
- Lockdown 3.0 - What have payroll processors learned?
Mar 2021
10
1 Year On – COVID-19 & Working from Home
It’s been exactly one year since Thesaurus Software sent all employees to work from home for 2 weeks as a mysterious flu-like disease called COVID-19 began spreading in Ireland. Those 2 weeks have turned in 52 weeks... and counting.
On March 10th 2020, employees were given access to all the tools and resources needed to work from home well in advance of the lockdown panic that came towards the end of March 2020. Thesaurus Software worked with employees to try and strike a balance between ensuring employees could be productive and focused when not in the office, whilst also juggling often hectic home lives as we all adjusted to lockdown. Keeping in-touch and keeping moral up was a key priority.
The company was in a fortunate position to be able to continue employing all members of staff during such a scary and uncertain time. Thesaurus Software’s COVID-19 response plan involved additional staffing and increased hours to assist customers. With payroll being an essential service and part of every business, the show had to go on!
Thesaurus Payroll Manager has been at the forefront for employers and accountants when it comes to COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Schemes and were the first payroll software provider to release software upgrades to cater for the schemes as changes were announced. Thesaurus Software’s overall response to COVID-19 was rated 98.7% in a recent customer survey, and this included payroll upgrades, webinars, online guidance and customer support.
BrightPay won the COVID-19 Hero Award (supplier) at the Accounting Excellence Awards that took place recently. BrightPay is created by Thesaurus Software, and although this was awarded to BrightPay, this is simply what our company is called in the UK - two different names, but the same company and the same 80+ employees behind this award.
Despite all the COVID-19 scheme changes, upgrades and webinars, the developers have been kept busy constantly improving the software and introducing new features. Thesaurus Payroll Manager’s optional add-on product, Thesaurus Connect now supports two-factor authentication sign in. This means you can add an extra layer of security to the employer login on your Thesaurus Connect account in case your password is stolen.
As remote and flexible working are now the new normal, Thesaurus Payroll Manager in tandem with Thesaurus Connect now allows for a completely seamless "working from home" experience where there are multiple individuals who work on or require access to the same employer files. Thesaurus Connect can help you prevent conflicting copies of the payroll, including an ‘other user check’ and a ‘version check’ when opening the payroll.
Let’s hope we all return to a somewhat normal life within the next year, and that I won’t be writing ‘working from home 104 weeks later’ this time next year. Thesaurus Software wishes you the very best as we enter Year 2 of living with COVID-19.
Related Articles:
- BrightPay awarded 'Payroll Software of the Year 2019
- 7 Steps To Rehiring Employees During COVID-19
- Lockdown 3.0 - What have we learned?
Mar 2021
8
International Women’s Day 2021
Thesaurus Software is proud to be supporting International Women’s Day 2021.
The theme of International Women’s Day this year is “Choose to Challenge”, a theme we wholeheartedly agree with. When we challenge the norms, the status quo, the “because that’s just the way it is”, we create change. At Thesaurus Software we firmly believe that change is necessary for development and improvement, so much so that it is embedded in our core values.
This year we are enhancing our Inclusion and Diversity efforts, in the hope that all staff will feel comfortable in bringing their whole self to work. International Women’s Day is our first day of celebration this year, our aim is not only to celebrate our women, but to raise awareness of inclusion more generally.
Promoting Gender Equality at Thesaurus
We are proud to say that we have always had a strong representation of women right across our company.
Our senior management team is 66% female. Across the Company as a whole, we are 64% female.
As we grow, we are continuously looking at how we can best assist our employees to grow and be themselves. In the last six months, we have introduced two key initiatives which help us achieve this.
- Firstly, LinkedIn Learning has been made available to all employees. LinkedIn Learning has been a game-changer for our employees and opened the window on learning and awareness.
- Secondly, we have just introduced paid maternity and paternity leave. We really hope that this will help new parents to be successful both at work and at home.
Our Female Leaders
We asked some of our female leaders for their thoughts on working in leadership;
“It’s important that all managers inspire, engage, and encourage their team. This is what I strive for. As a female manager, I’m very privileged to work for a company that recognises and promotes these values for both men and women equally. Females in any workplace should never underestimate what they are capable of achieving” - Karen Bennett, Chief Commercial Officer
“My advice to my 20-year-old self would be to think of your career as a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t ever settle on the first job or career path you undertake, if you are not invested in it. Allow yourself the time to discover what are you passionate about doing. Finding a job that I love has certainly helped me reach the point in my career that I’m at today.” - Victoria Clarke, Product Development Manager
“As a woman working for Thesaurus Software for the past 23 years and fast approaching retirement, I feel I am now entering the most exciting period of my career at Thesaurus Software and rather than winding down, the journey forward in this fast-growing company, supported by our amazing CEO, Paul Byrne has no limits.” - Ann Tighe, Senior Business Development Manager
“Working at Thesaurus as a woman in management, I feel inspired by other female leaders and peers within the company to lead my team with the same encouragement I feel every day. I have always felt hugely supported as a woman within Thesaurus which has provided me with the tools I need to motivate and empower my team, particularly as I progressed into the management role.” - Cailin Reilly, Sales Manager
“After joining Thesaurus Software as a Marketing Intern, I never thought that I would be where I am today after just 6 years. Working at Thesaurus Software has really given me the opportunity to progress, both in terms of personal and professional development. No two years have been the same and it has been an exciting time to be part of the team, helping the company grow to where it is today.” - Rachel Hynes, Marketing Manager
IWD 2021 in Thesaurus
Some of our fantastic team have taken part in the IWD challenge, standing up socially distantly and choosing to challenge. See their fab pictures below.
This year, we will also be using our LinkedIn Learning platform to raise awareness around inclusion and equity in the workplace. We have a series of short informative videos addressing a range of topics that we will share with staff remotely during March.
Our message to all our employees today is, bring your whole self to work, your thoughts and ideas are valued, we love to hear them. Working together, trusting, respecting and supporting each other we can only do great things.
Oct 2019
3
Free Webinar: One year later... Can PAYE Modernisation be considered a triumph?
Join Thesaurus Software’s Paul Byrne as he takes you through the PAYE Modernisation journey so far, and decides whether or not PAYE Modernisation has been a success. During the webinar, Paul will also review some of the most common mistakes employers have made to date and what employers should expect in 2020.
As part of this webinar, we’ll take a closer look at Connect and how important it is to backup your payroll data for PAYE Modernisation. Ian Jenkinson will take you on a whistle-stop tour revealing the hidden benefits of our self-service employee app and explain how Connect’s cloud platforms can improve your payroll processes.
We are delighted to be joined by our guest speaker Sinead Sweeney, who is the PAYE Modernisation Change Manager at Revenue. Sinead will discuss what has happened since PAYE Modernisation has gone live and what challenges businesses are facing.
The webinar is CPD accredited for accountants and payroll bureaus. The webinar is free to attend and takes place on 23rd October at 11.00 am for payroll bureaus and 24th October at 11.00 am for employers. Limited places available - book your place now to avoid disappointment.
Can’t make it? Register for the webinar anyway and we will send you the on-demand recording when it’s ready.
More upcoming webinars
Thesaurus Software is hosting a number of webinars over the coming months. More upcoming webinars include:
Aug 2019
19
Upcoming Webinars - Brought to you by Thesaurus Software
PAYE Modernisation Webinars | Guest Speaker: Revenue
Thesaurus Software has teamed up with Revenue where we will look back on PAYE Modernisation in 2019 and decide if the new real time payroll reporting system has been a success. The PAYE Modernisation webinar series features four webinars for employers and four webinars for payroll bureaus and accountants, starting with PAYE Modernisation: One year on - was it a success? which takes place at the end of September.
Payroll & Cloud Platforms
Cloud technology is here and it can easily compliment any SME workplace. This webinar busts the myth that employee related technology is only for the big employer. During our webinar on the 17th of September - Payroll and cloud platforms: What employers need to know (and why employees love it) - we take a look at exactly how you can manage your employee administration with cloud technology. Huge cost and time savings can be made by using the right technology.
Employment Law Webinars
Business Owners and Managers are all too aware of the ongoing challenges and constant changes in the area of Employment Law and HR Best Practice. This webinar will offer the opportunity to keep abreast of change and plan for the future, including terms and conditions of employment, gender pay reporting, parental leave and WRC 2019 targets. Join us on the 12th of September for 2019 HR & Employment Law Landscape to make sure you’re kept up-to-date with employment law.
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Feb 2018
22
Getting Ready for PAYE Modernisation
January 2019 will see the introduction of PAYE Modernisation - the most significant reform of the Irish PAYE system since its introduction in 1960. This new system will mean that employees’ pay and deductions will need to be reported to Revenue in real time.
PAYE Modernisation will be operational for all employee payments being made from 1st January 2019 and will make it easier for Revenue, employers and employees to ensure that the right tax is deducted and paid at the right time.
As a result, employers and payroll bureaus will need to review their current business processes and practices in order for the new requirements to be met.
Free PAYE Modernisation Webinars
To help with the rollout of PAYE Modernisation, BrightPay by Thesaurus Software have teamed up with Revenue to bring you free online training webinars. These webinars are designed for employers and payroll bureaus to discuss what PAYE Modernisation will mean for your business and to help you prepare for the transition to the new system.
Our next PAYE Modernisation webinars take place in March and are free to attend. Guest speakers include Sinead Sweeney (Revenue) and Sandra Clarke (Irish Tax Institute).
- 27th March @ 11.00 am
Employer Webinar: Are you ready for PAYE Modernisation?
Find out more | Register here - 28th March @ 11.00 am
Payroll Bureaus: Getting ready for PAYE Modernisation (CPD Accredited)
Find out more | Register here
If you are unable to attend the webinar at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Sign up to BrightPay’s newsletter
GDPR is changing how we communicate with you. After May 2018, we will not be able to email you about webinar events, special offers, legislation changes, other group products and payroll related news without you subscribing to our newsletter. You will be able to unsubscribe at anytime. Don’t miss out - sign up to our newsletter today!
Sep 2015
28
Free business event for employers in the North East - Taking care of business
After previous successful events, Revenue is participating in another free one-stop-shop event for SMEs, “Taking Care of Business”. If you own or manage a small business, or are thinking of starting your own business, you should visit www.takingcareofbusiness.ie to register as places are limited.
This is an initiative organized by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.
The events have been designed to help small and start-up businesses understand and benefit from the services provided by a range of State Bodies.
Attendees will:
• Meet with representatives from a number of State Offices & Agencies
• Get information & advice on running your business
• Find out ways to save your business money
• Receive support to help you in your business
This half-day event will take place on Thursday, 8th October in the Westcourt Hotel, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
To find out more and to register, please visit www.takingcareofbusiness.ie
