Employee Spotlight: Anne Kwok

Originally from Hong Kong, Anne plays an important role at WhiteWater—ensuring we all get paid! As our Payroll & Benefits Administrator Anne works tirelessly to make sure our team is well taken care of. Outside of the office she keeps busy with her daughter who is an active dancer and learning new craft skills.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I have been working in payroll since I immigrated to Canada 25 years ago from Hong Kong. I went into Accounting & Payroll because I was advised it was one of the easier positions for people with English as a second language, but I have really learned to enjoy it because I love working with people. I also have a daughter who is 15 and an avid dancer.

What do you do at WhiteWater?

I am the Payroll & Benefit Administrator, so I make sure everyone gets paid. I also work with our new hires so that they are enrolled in their benefits and RRSP programs and also balance the payroll account and general ledger.

What do you find to be the most rewarding about your role at WhiteWater?

The thing I find most rewarding about my role is when everyone is paid successfully because it means I haven’t made any mistakes. When no one comes to see me on a Friday morning to ask me questions about their paystub, it’s a good day.

What’s one thing that surprised you about working at WhiteWater?

The work life balance really surprised me. When I first joined, I was surprised by the flexibility of my department to help me accommodate my weird schedule. Because my daughter is a dancer, I have to work earlier in the day to be able to pick her up from school and drop her off at the dance studio. WhiteWater and the Accounting department made the accommodation to help me work around her schedule.

If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in something, what would it be?

If I could snap my fingers and become an expert in something, I would want to become an expert at cooking or crafting. I currently do both activities as hobbies, but it would be great to snap my fingers and be able to knit or crochet something without a pattern and do the design with my bare hands. I would love to be an expert at hand sewing and knitting.

What is one of the best lessons you’ve learned while being at WhiteWater?

One of the biggest lessons I have learned from being at WhiteWater is the need to check the payroll very, very, carefully because payday is something that everyone expects so if I make a mistake everyone knows about it right away. People tend to notice when money is not in their bank accounts so the biggest lessons, I have learned is to double and triple check everything that I am doing so that it is accurate.

What’s on your bucket list?

Some of the things on my bucket list is to go to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors, watch the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), and learn Chinese calligraphy in square style.

What’s your favourite summer activity and why?

My favourite summer activity is to stay at home with the AC on and relax while I do some crafts. I can’t say that summer is my favourite season!

What are some of your hobbies outside of work?

I like to cook and craft. I find it fun to make crochet dolls and coin purses.