At the heart of modern business transformation, where digitalisation is no longer an option but a necessity, small accountancy practices such as Pillow May are paving the way for a more efficient and innovative future.

Pillow May is a boutique firm with a team of eight accountants, all of whom are working mothers. One of them, Caroline Chard, embarked on a journey of digital upskilling when she joined the firm in December 2022. Having spent more than two decades in a traditional finance department, where SAGE accounting records were kept on-premise, Chard was ready for a new challenge and the opportunity to immerse herself into the world of modern finance.

Although Chard had some prior experience with PCs, she wasn't digitally fluent and still grappled with tools such as Word and Excel. At Pillow May, Chard initially joined as a cloud bookkeeper, a role that demanded digital skills. After six months, she felt comfortable and fluent in her new digital environment. But how did she make that digital transition?

Tailored training

The firm recognised the importance of tailoring Chard’s training to her specific needs. They assessed her IT skills and crafted a learning journey that covered the essentials.The training began with fundamental aspects such as workflow management. Chard needed to understand the nuances of tools such as Outlook and Teams, essential for internal communication.

Having grasped these key platforms, Chard’s training extended to client-specific software. Pillow May took advantage of certification programmes offered by software providers such as Xero and FreeAgent that provided structured learning paths and ensured Chard acquired proficiency.

An important aspect of Chard’s journey was the opportunity to learn from her mistakes. The company encouraged her to take the time to understand her tasks and allowed room for experimentation. She had the safety net of tools such as Xero’s Find and Recode, which made correcting errors a breeze.

A supportive environment

By Chard’s own account, there are several elements that contributed to her success:

• Open communication: the team fostered a culture of open communication, allowing her to ask questions and seek help without hesitation.
• Reliable IT infrastructure: Pillow May invested in reliable IT systems, ensuring minimal downtime and a smooth digital experience.
• Fast internet connection: a fast and reliable internet connection was crucial to working seamlessly in a cloud-based environment.
• Time for learning: the business provided ample time for Chard to learn from her mistakes and grow without the pressure of strict timelines.
• Team collaboration: regular team meetings and process improvement sessions were key to knowledge sharing and innovation. The IT champion for each software product ensured a direct line of support and helped to keep the team updated on software developments.
• Efficiency and flexibility: Pillow May's digital workspace was clean and uncluttered, with no paper or bulky filing cabinets. She found herself working more efficiently and flexibly, with the ability to plan her work and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

How does Chard find modern working?

When asked what stands out about working at Pillow May compared with her previous, more traditional workplaces, Chard describes the firm as “a clean, uncluttered environment where there were no paper piles or dusty filing cabinets, creating an efficient and flexible workspace”.

Despite being more productive, Chard says she was less concerned about burnout as there were fewer mindless tasks to complete, such as filing and paper shredding. “Every task was purposeful, making the workday more enjoyable. Additionally, finding working documents was a breeze, eliminating the need to search multiple floors or even the basement, resulting in significant time savings and heightened efficiency,” Chard says.

Jessica Pillow, Director and Owner, Pillow May praised Chard for her eagerness to learn so she could see what the new tech was all about and how a modern finance department would run. “It was a crucial factor in her successful transition,” she says.

“Chard was also good at questioning things she didn’t fully understand at first and came to the team for help. We always made it really obvious that it was an open environment in this firm and that we wanted her to ask questions because we know that is the best way to learn.” 

• Jessica Pillow was speaking in a breakout session in ICAEW’s 11 September Digital Skills Workshop. Breakout sessions were not recorded, but a recording of the main presentations is available to members.