Emma Styles: 22 Years at Shorts

After nearly 22 years at Shorts Chartered Accountants, our Assistant Payroll Manager, Emma Styles, will be departing the firm this month to join her husband's industrial painting company.

To celebrate over two decades of service to the firm, we caught up with Emma to reflect on her time at Shorts, what her favourite memories have been, how Shorts helped develop her career, and what she will be doing next!

Early career at Shorts

Emma joined Shorts in October 2000 as a Business Administrator. Following the completion of her NVQ Levels 2, 3, and 4, she made the move to our Payroll team two years later.

Nearly 22 years at the firm meant Emma got to see its growth and modernisation first hand. She told us: “When I first started at the firm, it was very different to how it is today. Everyone had their own little offices. We are now a modern, open plan office with a really flexible and accommodating approach to different working styles.”

Favourite memories

When we asked Emma about some of her favourite early memories about working at Shorts, she told us of her love for the many team social events that took place, such as go-karting.

“Maybe some of us used to take it a little too seriously! I can remember one employee of Shorts being embedded in the tyre wall for a good 30 minutes – luckily everyone was ok!”

Emma’s colleagues were always an important part of her day: “I’ll always remember being able to have a good old chat to Margaret and Marilyn in the old typist office, and the jokes Ady, Corey and Andrew used to tell on the top floor at the Fairfield Road office used to set me up for the day. And not forgetting Gwen, who was a mother figure to all the young administrators back then!”

What is Emma doing next?

After Shorts, Emma will be joining C.A.N Site Services, her husband’s Industrial Painting company. “I am being more hands on as the paperwork side needs much more attention than my husband has time for. I already do the Payroll & CIS but will be taking over the invoicing and other paperwork that comes with running a business.”

What did Emma have to say about Shorts?

So what are Emma’s thoughts about Shorts Chartered Accountants after just over two decades?

“I have enjoyed my time at Shorts over the last 22 years, and Shorts have always been accommodating with decisions I have made in the past, such as having 3 months off to go travelling around Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. I will miss Shorts very much, but now it is time for a new chapter!”