Archive for October, 2011

Compassion is an international Christian child development and child advocacy ministry. Partnering with local churches, they are committed to the spiritual, economic, social and physical development of children living in extreme poverty in 26 countries, enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.

Compassion works in partnership with local churches in developing countries; providing resources, training and expertise to assist in the operation of holistic child development programmes.

Compassion works with the poorest of the poor in 26 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and South America.

Compassion are the latest charitable organisation to start using Cascade’s award winning HR software.

Cascade will implement its innovative HR software, developed using the very latest Microsoft .NET technology, which has been designed from the outset to span a whole organisation and not just provide functionality for HR departments. It has also been developed to engage employees and managers throughout an organisation to ensure best practice, efficiency and open communication.

The removal of paperwork and desktop delivery of actions and decisions, without any need for searching or technical expertise, has transformed the way that more than 320 Cascade clients manage their staff.

Compassion will implement the following combination of fully integrated, flexible modules; HR, Self Service and Workflow, backed with key functionality such as reporting and analysis features and integrated organisational charting.

This will provide a comprehensive technical foundation to Compassion’s HR functions, as well as allowing managers to effectively communicate with their employees.

Cascade look forward to working with Compassion UK who join Cascade’s growing client base of over 320 clients across a variety of sectors, from Christian charity Compassion UK to retail firm Hotel Chocolat and educational organisation National College.

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We are delighted to announce that AG Thames will be implementing the Cascade HR software solution.

Who are AG Thames Group?

Established in the early 1970s AG Thames Holdings, still today a private family Group, has maintained steady organic growth and targeted acquisition to achieve its current status as a major supplier for blue chip UK retailers, food service and wholesale markets of globally sourced fruit.

AG Thames is a structured, professional organisation that prides itself in providing it’s customers with a full complimentary service that includes experience and industry renowned professionals in produce sourcing, trading and technical specialisation, logistic, marketing and business analysts, IT specialists, financial and quality auditors.

AG Thames are proud of their highly experienced, dedicated and motivated teams that provide the necessary expertise to each field of operation. AG Thames maintains strong family traditions, ethics, commitment and enthusiasm across the Group providing complete focus to deliver customer excellence.

AG Thames will implement the following Cascade modules,

Graham Williamson, HR Central Services Manager from AG Thames shares his thoughts,

The pre-sales process?

“Excellent system demonstration; quick turnaround of proposal documents; helpful answers to queries; successful visit of IT director to your offices; your willingness to negotiate.”

The future goals you have?

“An easy to use system that will allow us to input data and produce reports and other meaningful outputs; the facility for managers to get involved in the workflows; employee self serve thus enabling improved information flow; streamlining of processes with reductions in time and paperwork; improved document management.”

Why you chose Cascade?

“It was a close call but all of my team favoured your product over the other one that we assessed. It looks and feels straightforward and intuitive and the reports functionality is impressive.”

What really set us apart from the other suppliers?

“Since I’ve been involved with the procurement I have felt like a valued customer. You have listened to what we have had to say and developed a proposal that matches our requirements.”

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FBC Manby Bowdler LLP is a 33 Partner regional law firm focused on and committed to quality and client care.

Their approach is client centred and their commitment is to deliver the greatest quality of service and advice possible. They are passionate about what they do, working closely with you as your trusted legal advisor to understand your requirements and deliver results-driven legal solutions tailored to your circumstances, and where relevant, in support of your business objectives.

The aim is to deliver excellence at every level; providing excellent specialist legal knowledge and advice akin to that of City-centre law firms but without the City centre price tags.

FBC Manby Bowdler LLP is recognised in the 2010 Legal 500 Directory and also the 2011 Chambers UK Directory evidencing their level of expertise and high quality advice.

Cascade’s core HR solution will provide FBC Manby Bowdler with a huge amount of standard functionality and key features such as Attendance and Holiday Management, Organisational Charts, Reporting and a whole host of other features.

FBC Manby Bowdler will also implement our fully integrated Self Service, Workflow and HMRC Standard Payroll Module.

FBC Manby Bowdler will experience a range of benefits from Cascade’s Payroll module such as simplifying and standardising their payroll processes. Full integration means that payslips can be displayed online for Self Service users and that double keying is eliminated. Checks and measures are user definable and ensure that you can authorise changes you want to and allow other changes to process automatically.

Supported by a dedicated Project Manager and committed Client Services team will ensure Cascade is configured to both FBC Manby Bowdler’s requirements and business objectives.

Cascade continues to expand its client base with over 320 clients across a variety of sectors, helping to maintain its status as the number one .NET HR and HMRC Standard Payroll provider.

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Two of Cascade HR’s most experienced payroll experts graduated with a CIPP foundation degree in payroll management last week, highlighting the level of knowledge within Cascade’s specialist team.

Payroll quality manager Joanne Knowles and product consultant Rachel Robertson donned their cap and gown to receive the prestigious qualification from newly appointed CIPP chair Ian Walters. Having enjoyed a day of well-deserved celebration in London, the two professionals have returned to Cascade’s Leeds HQ to share their knowledge with colleagues and clients alike.

Joanne Knowles explains what the degree has entailed: “Although at times it has been difficult to juggle my day-to-day workload with my studies and personal life, I naturally thrive on challenges like this, plus nothing can beat the sense of achievement when your name is called out and you go onto the stage to collect your certificate.

“As I’ve progressed through the different CIPP modules and my knowledge has grown, my outlook has certainly changed too. I now look at everyday payroll scenarios and problems from a different angle, which helps me to devise new solutions that perhaps I would never have considered before.

“I believe I now have greater empathy for the challenges that Cascade’s clients face when managing and processing payroll, and already my payroll management expertise has been put to good use.

“I don’t think my studying is going to stop here though. The concept of studying for a Masters degree in payroll management does excite me, but I think I’ll have a year out first!”

Rachel Robertson adds: “Qualifications from esteemed industry bodies such as the CIPP are becoming increasingly recognised, as they signify the detailed amount of expertise that you hold.

“Employer support is incredibly important though, not only from a funding point of view, but in terms of the opportunity to take appropriate study leave, and being able to ask colleagues for their guidance too.”

Commenting upon Joanne and Rachel’s success, Cascade’s client services director Heather Vitty said: “We are all very proud of what is an incredibly impressive achievement. I don’t always think people realise what studying for a foundation degree entails. It is a massive commitment due to the number of hours spent studying, researching, attending tutorials and writing assignments, and it takes a lot of dedication and willpower to complete.

“Not only does a CIPP (or indeed CIPD) degree benefit the individuals who have studied for the certificate though; it is of great importance to the employer too. In supporting Joanne and Rachel through their qualification we are optimising the fantastic talent that they have at Cascade, and we will utilise their expertise to enhance and improve the quality of our software and the service we provide to our valued customers.”

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Leading human resources and payroll software specialist Cascade HR has a surprise in store for visitors to the 2011 CIPD Annual Conference & Exhibition (ACE) in November. The company’s creative in-house developers have been busy working on some exciting new functionality – the first of its kind in the industry – which will be unveiled for the first time at this prestigious event.

Designed to bring an even more personal touch to Cascade’s innovative HR and payroll software, the unique tool – which has been named Mosaic – will provide users with a new way of looking at the data they work with on a daily basis.

Now, instead of displaying information purely in terms of words, names and numbers, Mosaic gives users the option of ‘visualising’ the information via grids and graphs made up of employees’ faces. Users can then further sort, manipulate or query the results, but findings are displayed pictorially rather than simply in data-form.

Sales director Richard Anderson explains the importance of this development: “Our system is renowned for being aesthetically attractive and incredibly easy to use. However we are continuously looking at new ways to improve the user experience.

“Human society has been evolved around our ability to recognise faces at a glance. We recognise faces before we recall names or even remember why we recognise a person. Indeed our ability to instantly recognise and place a face pre-dates language.

“Yet HR and payroll software – the very systems we use to manage people – have failed to take advantage of the oldest skill we have. Focusing more on names and data, these systems have bypassed our innate ability to see a face, recognise it and instantly recall a host of information based on that recognition until now.

“We wanted to bring more emphasis back to the human element of human resources. So we have developed Mosaic, a visualisation tool that holds individual photographs of every member of staff within the system, so that information is instantly recognisable.

“This is of particular importance to line managers who have been empowered – via their HR system – to better look after their own teams. For example not all members of staff will see their manager on a regular basis, perhaps because they’re field-based, work remotely, or they’re even located offshore. Furthermore, when assessing who is absent from work that day for instance, managers can see the actual faces of employees rather than simply viewing a proportionate pie chart or a list of names.

“Mosaic therefore aids familiarity and reminds organisations that their employees are more than a statistic.”

The Cascade team will be on hand at ACE to guide delegates through the way that the personable tool works.

Mosaic will be available from November onwards.

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Reynard Aviation aims to be the supplier of choice for customers that are seeking, innovative, customisable premium aircraft seating products that provide airlines with differentiation in the cabin environment.

When choosing a HR Software provider, Reynard Aviation made Cascade the supplier of choice!

Reynard Aviation is a premium seating manufacturer specialising in customisable seating products for long-haul airlines. Employing a unique blend of industrial, automotive and aviation design engineers allows Reynard’s to promote an open approach to aircraft seat design whilst complying with regulatory requirements of the industry. The diverse nature of their design team is key to the success of their seating products, enabling them to create radically different range of products which have not been constrained by traditional aviation seating design conventions.

Cascade’s core HR solution will provide Reynard with a huge amount of standard functionality and key features such as Attendance and Holiday Management, Organisational Charts, Reporting and a whole host of other features.

Reynard Aviation’s HR software will include our fully integrated Self Service, Workflow, Recruitment, Online Recruitment, Expenses and Cascade Mobile modules as well as our HMRC Standard Payroll Module.

Reynard Aviation’s employee expenses have now been made even easier to process. All expenses and mileage claims can be submitted online and paid through Cascade Payroll, saving time and increasing efficiency within the organisation.

Cascade Mobile will allow the HR team to engage even further with their employees, users can now access their tasks, book holidays and check their payslips ‘on the move’ with a web-enabled mobile device.

Reynard Aviation will also experience a range of benefits from Cascade’s Payroll module such as simplifying and standardising their payroll processes. Full integration means that payslips can be displayed online for Self Service users and that double keying is eliminated. Checks and measures are user definable and ensure that you can authorise changes you want to and allow other changes to process automatically.

Cascade continues to expand its client base with over 320 clients across a variety of sectors, helping to maintain its status as the number one .NET HR and HMRC Standard Payroll provider.

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Malaria Consortium works in partnership with communities, health systems, government and non-government agencies, academic institutions and local and international organisations to ensure good evidence supports delivery of effective services. Together, they work to secure access for groups most at risk, to prevention, care and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases.

Malaria Consortium is the latest organisation to benefit from Cascade’s Award winning HR Software.

Alongside Cascade’s core HR module Malaria Consortium will implement Cascade’s Self Service module which is unique as, unlike other systems where the Self Service module is a “bolt on” module and the only element of the system that is browser based, Cascade’s Self Service is, as with all modules, within the fully integrated total HR solution which is all browser based.

There are a variety of benefits derived from Cascade ranging from specific administrative savings to reductions in absenteeism and also improved decision making at management levels due to dynamic management of KPIs and reduced errors through proactive management of best practice.

Cascade is used by more than 320 organisations, including charities Malaria Consortium, St Gemma’s Hospice and Friends of the Earth, retail organisation Hotel Chocolat, Premier League football club Everton and legal firm Field Fisher Waterhouse.

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Donna Larvin, Cascade HR Manager comments on the latest absence statistics,

“Research findings revealed by the CIPD this week show that stress is now the number one cause of long-term absence in organisations. Troubled by heavy workloads and worries surrounding job security for example, manual and non-manual employees are experiencing greater mental health problems than last year, which will undoubtedly be having a negative impact upon organisations throughout the country.

Productivity and quality will undoubtedly be affected if employees are unwell or absent, which could subsequently lead to increased pressures being placed upon remaining members of staff. Because the wellbeing of the workforce is any HR department’s number one priority, this potentially spiralling issue is one that needs addressing at the earliest possible opportunity.

Effective leadership surely plays a crucial role in managing employee stress levels, especially during difficult periods of uncertainty or change. For example, open and honest communication encourages a level of trust and will help to overcome fear of the unknown.

It is important to take these preventative steps, but if stress is causing a problem for your organisation, how easy is it to spot, and how can the issues be resolved?

Empowering line managers and encouraging them to take greater responsibility for their team should mean that closer working relationships are fostered. In turn, this should increase the likelihood of spotting the early signs of employees struggling to cope with work for whatever reason.

But don’t forget that software can help to identify an issue and can guide line managers through the appropriate support process. With HR providing a consultative role if required, this should help to address any problems before they have a chance to escalate.

Trigger mechanisms within the software can notify line managers as to an absence, even if only short term, which the line manager can then address by following a best-practice workflow process. This will have been created at an earlier date by the HR team, and is likely to be bespoke to the organisation concerned. Line managers can be guided through the ‘Return to Work’ interview procedure for example, and they can be prompted as to when to seek occupational health intervention if the absence is prolonged.

The HR team can also drill down into the data using Cascade’s query builder tool. If trends and patterns can be analysed, and root causes identified, action plans can be devised as a result. Cost implications can also be assessed, which may be required at board level.

Of course the cause of the stress may not be work-related, but this considered, thorough and ‘early-involvement’ approach to managing absences can at least ensure a strong level of work-based support. This should help to ensure retention of staff – truly any organisation’s most valuable asset.”

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NCFE is a national Awarding Organisation, passionate about designing, developing and certificating diverse, nationally recognised qualifications and awards. These qualifications contribute to the success of millions of learners at all levels, bringing them closer to fulfilling their personal goals. Last year alone, over 340,000 learners from over 2,000 colleges, schools and training organisations chose NCFE as the Awarding Organisation to help them move their careers forward.

NCFE is a registered educational charity and has a strong heritage in learning, going back over 150 years. Dynamic and responsive with a buzz that sets it apart, NCFE is proud to be recognised for its exceptional customer service and friendly approach.

NCFE’s extensive product catalogue includes a wide range of general and vocationally related QCF qualifications in a variety of subject areas, as well as Competence Based qualifications/NVQs, and Functional Skills qualifications.

Cascade’s core HR solution will provide NCFE with a huge amount of standard functionality and key features such as Attendance and Holiday Management, Organisational Charts, Reporting and a whole host of other features.

NCFE will also implement our fully integrated Self Service, Workflow, Training and Self Service Timesheets modules.

Cascade’s Training module will enable NCFE to accurately measure their return on investment, in the shape of on-going workplace evaluation. This will allow them to see just how training has changed the individual’s ability to carry out their role and motivate people to put their newfound skills into practice.

Cascade’s Self Service Timesheets module will allow NCFE to gain efficiencies through minimising costs and maximising employee time. Authorisation processes allow review and sign off to occur with zero paperwork and maximum control.

Supported by a dedicated Project Manager and committed Client Services team will ensure Cascade is configured to both NCFE’s requirements and business objectives.

Cascade continues to expand its client base with over 300 clients across a variety of sectors, helping to maintain its status as the number one .NET HR and HMRC Standard Payroll provider.

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