Webinars: flexible friends

 

Good CPD courses are like buses: nothing takes your fancy for months and then two come along at once… and then they clash with a busy calendar or are overtaken by the last-minute new job.

 

Why choose webinars?

The attraction to webinars has grown over recent years. Of course, networking is a need that webinars cannot fulfil, but they offer such flexibility, being available almost whenever and wherever you are.  Also, their affordability – not only direct cost, but the savings made on travel expenses and, most importantly, time – surely beat attending courses hands-down.  Another advantage is that you can be more selective about the topics that you want to learn about, rather than paying for a day’s course when only an hour or so really interests you.  I also know that some firms use webinars effectively by showing them team-wide, often sandwiched between the firm’s own training sessions.

Preparing webinars takes an age and, as a presenter, I have to say that they’re not as rewarding – I don’t enjoy a buzz from speaking to myself in an empty room – but they’re also not as nerve-wrecking, so hopefully my standard of delivery is better. We produce them because we believe that it’s important to spread the knowledge: insolvency legislation and the layers of SIPs can seem an impenetrable thicket and I think we could all do with as much help as we can get.  Regrettably also, it’s only over time that the full consequences of the minutiae are realised and “regulatory expectations” evolve so that even long-assumed immoveable standards take on new shades.

We try our best to pick up on these changes as they emerge and present webinars as soon as we ourselves have got a handle on the detail. However, we don’t ignore the old topics, as we recognise the value of refreshers as well as providing training and support for the next generation.  Of course, explaining how to be compliant is the primary objective of these webinars, but this doesn’t mean that we’re interested only in the theory; it necessarily involves exploring the practical application of regulations and standards and we try very hard to help clients see how their systems and processes can meet requirements effectively.

 

Forthcoming webinars

Over the next few weeks, we will be adding the following to our growing library of webinars:

  • The SIPs and other compliance concerns – new issues that have emerged since we presented at last year’s ICAEW roadshows
  • An introduction to insolvency: corporate and personal insolvency processes – designed to be part of firms’ induction programmes for new employees

Later, I will be recording my presentation currently doing the rounds of the R3 SPG Technical Reviews:

  • Fretting Over Fees: lessons to be learnt from IPs’ 2016 fee proposals (don’t worry, clients. I’ve been reviewing Companies House filings from over 50 firms)

 

The library so far

These additions will bring our webinar total to 10, as we have already recorded presentations on the following topics:

  • The Small Business Enterprise & Employment Act 2015 and the Deregulation Act 2015 (August 2015)
  • Employment issues for IPs as employers (September 2015)
  • Employment issues for IPs as office holders (October 2015)
  • The New Fees Rules (October 2015)
  • Health & Safety for IPs (March 2016)
  • SIP9 and SIP16 (March 2016)
  • Compliance Hazards (as presented at last year’s ICAEW roadshows) (March 2016)

 

The future

We are committed to producing at least 12 webinars each year. Are there enough hot topics to achieve this?  At the forefront of our minds, of course, are the 2016 Rules (when we eventually get to see them in their final form!), but the insolvency world is never short of new issues and developments to keep us all busy.

If you would like to explore our webinars, please get in touch at info@thecompliancealliance.co.uk.  For £250+VAT plus a small joining fee, you can sign up for firm-wide anytime access to our webinar library plus at least 12 new recordings throughout the year.