Year end

In the midst of probably the worse year end since my career with SIA began. A new CFO, an almost totally new team with limited knowledge of the company, a steep learning curve with everyone including myself totally unfamiliar with our job scopes, too many reporting changes and super tight deadlines.

This year end probably threw everyone off the line, each struggling to keep up. Submitted 3 papers in a quarter and contributed to the financial statement. 2 papers came back with super a lot of changes from prior year. To top it up, FRS changes and the early adoption of standards brought a lot headache to the preparation of financial reporting process. Honestly, many times, I wanted to throw the towel and just call quits. Sleeping for 4-5hrs a day was a norm and staying so far away doesn't help. I had OT for a month continuously including weekends and public holidays, yet in store every day at work are surprises, from different bosses. For the first time, I can't drag myself out of bed on certain days and had to report late for work.

During working hours, I spent the time coordinating with auditors, subsidiaries, teaching the 2 new team members, struggling to find my own schedules and answering bosses queries. I am just at the brink of typing the letter, but each time, thinking of the commitments ahead, I can't bring myself to. Work is just work eventually.

But I have to admit, at the same time, I am thankful for this year end. I have learnt a lot on both the financial and management reporting processes. From the management reporting perspective, it is not mundane reporting of papers, rather they are flexible arrears and only the skies is the limit. The queries raised by the bosses are valid points and indeed an oversight in prior years. Definitely it created a lot more work within the short turn around time, and there are no one stop solutions, but these are right methodologies to train management accountants to think about.

From the financial reporting perceptive, I have gained a much deeper understanding of the overall nature of the business. Not just that, I have learnt to handle new FRS requirements and coordinate a new team.

In this 1 year, I have learnt so much. It had been very tiring, but at the same time, very rewarding at work. I do not regret the year that past, but it may indeed be time to move on, giving higher priorities to other aspect of my life.

Just one more week to go to the official end to our financial year end.