The Practitioner: Taxing times in the New Year

THE EXCITEMENT leading up to the Christmas office shut down, and more importantly the office party that precedes it, lasts for the whole of December - if not longer. But the minute the office reopens in January the party is immediately forgotten, never to be mentioned again.

As the partners within the practice we are expected to leave the party earlier than the rest of the team, allowing them to let their hair down and enjoy themselves.

They obviously can't enjoy themselves while we are there - I mean what have they got to talk about if they can't talk about us?

I recall a couple of years ago that as the three partners left the restaurant an actual audible cheer could be heard from the remaining members of our party. It used to upset me a bit, but now I don't give a monkey's to be honest.

I'd rather be a partner and be in charge of my own destiny than a staff member with nothing better to do than look forward to the party!

I enjoy getting revenge during January with everyone get stressed up to the eyeballs completing tax returns while I spend most of the month having lunch with clients, bank managers, and solicitors. More importantly I spend every spare moment in the office looking online for the best ski holiday prices for February.

Having said that, January is probably the only month in the year that true teamwork in the office actually occurs. It is great to see the staff helping each other, swapping clients from one persons list to another. In every other month it seems to be everyone for themselves.

This year we are thinking of throwing an ‘end of January' party for the staff that want to attend; believe me, some of them would rather jump off a bridge!

At least they won't have to put up with me at the party, I'll be jumping off a ski slope somewhere.

The Practitioner's uncensored thoughts come from the coalface of a regional firm in the heart of England