HR Software | Payroll system

Proactive management of your most valuable assets

RA — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:05:09 +0000

“Review your approach to absence management or risk an increase in employee nonattendance” warned The City Region Employer Coalition earlier this month…

Government spending cuts are the most recent blow to the UK workforce. Whether it’s the threat of redundancy, a pay freeze or simply concern that the shake up will increase workloads; employees throughout the country are now subject to a whole new wave of stresses.

So considering reports that 13 million work days were lost in the UK due to anxiety-related illness in 2009, now is the time to shield your business and adopt a proactive approach to absence management, says Cascade sales director Richard Anderson.

If we consider a service-based organisation with a 1,000-strong workforce for example; 200 redundancies and a slashed budget could stretch employees beyond their capabilities, leading to a lesser quality service and subsequent customer complaints.

Increased workplace stress could then cause absence levels to rocket, thus placing further pressures on remaining employees and hastening the vicious nature of the cycle. While managers battle frantically to prevent service levels being further compromised, the support desk becomes overrun with complaints and the absenteeism issue remains unaddressed.

So how can we stop this worrying scenario from spiralling?

• Cascade’s workflow module allows companies to create a best-practice process for any given situation. Forms, screens and instructions guide users as to what action to take, which ensures the right decisions are made by the right people at the right time. Issues are addressed as they arise and no stone is left unturned. With absence management this is particularly important, as early identification is key
• Filters can be set up and attached to the workflow, so that the system runs a report and checks for matching criteria on a daily basis. Should the criteria – for example three days employee absence – be matched, the intuitive reporting tool then automatically starts the workflow process and prompts managers to take the necessary steps, when it is most timely to do so. This efficient, automated procedure eliminates errors, reduces unnecessary manual analysis and administration, and ensures issues are uncovered before they develop
• Cascade’s proactive software quickly becomes a valued and efficient member of the HR team, thus reducing the administrative workload and allowing the HR department to concentrate on a meaningful, supportive relationship with staff
• The self-service module within Cascade’s software empowers staff and helps to create a sense of involvement and responsibility among employees. This too alleviates the administrative workload within the HR department.

Crucially, it is important to remember that soaring absenteeism levels pose much more of an issue than simply the cost of sick pay and lost productivity. Maintaining staff morale levels and ensuring a positive feeling of wellbeing should therefore remain a priority, even in troubled times. This is not just a case of organising a corporate ‘away day’ every six months. Companies need to foster a culture of mutual trust, co-operation and open communication so that every day should is a wellbeing day.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Cascade sparks change at ICEE.

RA — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:17:27 +0000

ICEE are a specialist in the telecoms infrastructure industry offering fast, flexible, high calibre and cost effective service solutions.

ICEE offers full network deployment services together with experienced project managers, in house logistics, warehouse management and engineering support, including the design, manufacture and fitting out of bespoke, or Type 600 high quality electical telecoms enclosures and cabinets.

ICEE has invested in the Cascade HR Management solution. Cascade’s experienced project team, consisting of a dedicated Prince 2 qualified Project Manager and a team of Consultants and Trainers supported by technicians, will provide a range of services such as Project Management, Consultancy, Configuration, Installation, Data Migration and Training to ensure that Cascade is configured to meet ICEE’s requirements on Go Live and that ICEE’s staff are competent in all areas including System Design, Administration and the creation of Workflow.

To engage employees ICEE has chosen to 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. This means that ICEE’s staff can be given access to as little or as much as is required from the whole range of features in Cascade. Not just those designed into the Self Service module. Access can be granted to any given information or feature on a per user basis if required or in profiles applied to groups.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Methodist Church implement Cascade!

RA — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:12:42 +0000

The Methodist Church of Great Britain have chosen to implement the Cascade range of HR solutions.

The Church, with employees across the UK, will implement the Cascade solution including HR, Self Service, Training, Recruitment, Online Recruitment and Workflow.

Cascade’s Core HR solution is a powerful, proactive and dynamic solution that offers a huge amount of standard functionality . As users log into the system they are presented with their user specific dashboard which provides them with the key information that is relevant to them on a daily basis. This may include team attendance, workflow tasks or even company wide information should they be allowed that level of access.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Victoria & Albert Museum choose Cascade.

RA — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:11:21 +0000

As the world’s leading museum of art and design, the Victoria & Albert enriches people’s lives by promoting the practice of design and increasing knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the designed world.

The Museum’s key strategic objectives are:

• Access and Audiences: To provide optimum access to collections and services for diverse audiences, now and in the future
• National and International: To be acknowledged and respected as the world’s leading museum of art and design
• Creative Design: To promote, support and develop the UK creative economy by inspiring designers and makers, and by stimulating enjoyment and appreciation of design
• Efficiency and Effectiveness: To operate with financial and organisational efficiency

These are exciting times for the V&A - they’re putting on hugely successful exhibitions and events, opening spectacular new galleries and facilities, working nationally and internationally, and making their collections more accessible than ever before.

The V&A recognises that it needs great people to help it sustain this success. It makes the following statements on it’s website:

“Our purpose is to promote, support and develop creativity and this applies to our staff as well as our visitors. We champion diversity and equal opportunities and are committed to the professional development of all our staff. We also offer a wide range of first class benefits, including an excellent pension scheme and generous annual leave.”

“At the V&A we value generosity, imagination, coherence and rigour. We need our staff to be welcoming, inventive, clear, consistent, and engaging. These qualities are vital to our success. If you fit this description then apply to join us.”

The V&A identified the need for a dynamic, proactive HR Management Solution which encouraged innovative development within the organisation through flexibility and the presentation of forward thinking, progressive features.

The Victoria & Albert have therefore chosen to implement the Cascade range of HR solutions including HR, Self Service, Workflow and Learning and Development. Cascade will support the Museum’s staff management and development activities by delivering benefits from the huge range that can be 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.

Any organisation implementing Cascade should expect vastly improved employee engagement, more accurate and efficient training and development and effective, organised recruitment with reduced costs throughout.

Control, clarity and ease of access are additional benefits that present themselves through Cascade.

These are examples of potential benefits. Ultimately each organisation will derive different benefits depending on their sector, whether museum such as the V&A through to other organisations using Cascade such as Manchester City FC or Morgan Est. Overall Cascade will deliver efficiency, knowledge, flexibility and a proactive, dynamic approach to management of personnel from cradle to grave.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Football’s coming home, but are your employees still coming to work?

RA — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:56:18 +0000

With less than a week left to go, excitement surrounding the World Cup really has reached fever pitch. National pride is rocketing as families, friends and colleagues throughout the country cross their fingers and hope that 2010 will be England’s year.

This level of passion is certainly something to embrace and be proud of, but businesses cannot lose sight of the need to adequately prepare for the four weeks of potential workplace disruption, caused by such an event. We have read many stories recently warning SMEs of lost productivity and unauthorised absence costs – whilst many have dismissed these warnings as nothing more than scaremongering, we should certainly take heed of some of this advice.

A massive event such as the World Cup could potentially push your HR team to its maximum capabilities, but if managed properly it is a chance to show your employees that you really value their involvement in the company. Here’s how the functionality of HR software could help…

• Preparation is key. Before the hype of occasions such as the World Cup, you could create a policy detailing the compromises you will make during the event, and the procedures employees should follow if they wish to request an authorised absence for example. This could then be added to the company documents module of your software, and staff could even be prompted to tick when they have read the policy, for your records

• A simple option is to listen to radio broadcasts in the office, or if you have a plasma screen why not allow employees to watch the event whilst working? However if you think this may cause too much disruption, you could perhaps nominate one line manager to monitor the event and distribute internal e-updates, or group announcements using HR software

• Many employees will request authorised absences in order to attend or watch an event such as the World Cup. If using a paper-based system, your HR team will find it difficult to manage this volume of incoming requests, and may struggle to grant appropriate authorisations. For example if your company has a number of designated first-aiders, not all can be away from the office at the same time.

However HR software can help with ‘key man blocking’, by assessing pre-authorised absences and prompting line managers as to who can and cannot be off as a result.

Cascade’s self-service module also allows for transparency across the whole company. Individual members of staff could look at what annual leave they have already booked off, their remaining holiday entitlement and who else is on annual leave at any given time (using team planners). They could then plan their own requests for authorised absence accordingly

• If some of your staff are based in other countries this would not be a problem with Cascade. The software utilises .NET technology and can therefore be accessed via Internet Explorer, so employees have the ability to request authorised absences with ease, wherever they are across the globe

• Flexi-time could be offered so that employees can take time off to watch or attend the occasion concerned, and they could then work the time back to prevent lost productivity. *But with HR software you could also empower staff and make use of a ‘work from home’ authorisation tool within Cascade’s workflow module

• You could consider granting unpaid annual leave, as long as this doesn’t cause any workforce or productivity disruption. Rather than creating an added burden for your payroll team, HR software could record this unpaid leave, and – due to the fully integrated nature of the payroll module – subsequently aid payroll calculations.

It is important to remember that HR software is an undoubtedly powerful engagement tool. Branded to align with the look and feel of your own company, software can effectively communicate with staff, record this communication and manage what could otherwise be a very difficult, labour intensive process.

So if you don’t have Cascade’s software in place, maybe it’s something you should consider ahead of future major events such as the 2012 Olympics?

* During an event such as the World Cup, some of your UK employees may be supporting other nations, so it is important that your flexible working practices don’t centre solely upon the England games.

Remember as well that not all members of staff will have been bitten by the bug of the event. However that is not to say that they should be exempt from any temporary changes to working practices, as this would dampen morale levels.

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Ask a question. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Are you planning to visit the CIPD HR Software Show?

RA — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:59:49 +0000

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear how to build the business case for a HR software project, in a bespoke presentation by The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Amy Browne, HR Business Partner from ICE explains how they used intuitive HR Software to improve HR processes and add value across the business. Pick up tips and hints to help you build a business case to implement your own HR Software.

The seminar will cover the following topics;

Building a business case

What benefits did ICE set out to achieve?
How was authorisation obtained for the budget and the overall project?
How did ICE communicate the monetary benefits to the business?

Selecting your supplier

What methodology did ICE use to evaluate the HR software marketplace?
What processes did ICE go through to choose which supplier best matched their needs?
How did ICE ensure that the desired functionality would be delivered?

Preparing for your Project

How did ICE prepare for the Project?
- personnel involvement
- documentation review
- preparation of data map from source to the Cascade HR data template
- assessment of technical requirements
- involvement of IT
- data transfer
How did the organisation as a whole prepare for the new functionality?

Rolling out module by module

What information was discussed in ICE’s project initiation meeting, and how was this translated into a project plan?
What was the order of implementation and did ICE meet internal and external timescales?
How quickly did ICE start using the software’s functionality?
How easy/difficult was the work which had to take place internally to ensure success, e.g. payroll implementation??

Benefits gained

Has ICE measured success since implementation and if so, how?
What has the overall feedback been?
Has the solution proved easy to use?
Did ICE meet the needs of the business case?

Future plans

What does ICE want to achieve next with their HR & Payroll solution?

When is this seminar?
Thursday June 17th 2010 at 10.15am

Where is the seminar?
London, Olympia

How do you attend this seminar?
Simply click here to register online to attend the CIPD HR software Show.

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Ask a question. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Novacroft invest in the leading HR technology

RA — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:12:16 +0000

Novacroft have chosen to implement the Cascade range of HR solutions to take advantage of our innovative technology and service and support standards that have a reputation across hundreds of HR departments for outstanding quality.

Novacrost’s website states that;

“Novacroft aims to turn visions into reality by employing the very best expertise delivering your projects on time, on budget investing in research and development listening to our clients”

This statement is an excellent match for Cascade’s own. The grass roots intention to be the very best by employing, developing and nurturing the very best people is a vision that both organisations share.

This is reinforced by Debra Charles, Novacroft’s Managing Director, who comments: “It is our duty to future proof the needs of our clients through a combination of market intelligence and listening to our clients. Novacroft is an accredited Investor in People and believes that a successful organisation relies on positive staff motivation and teamwork.”

To further support this vision Novacroft have invested in Cascade and will benefit from our system’s flexibility, dynamic and proactive nature and powerful, yet easy to use reporting tools.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Cascade spans the pond with Craneware

RA — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:11:44 +0000

Craneware is the leading provider of solutions that improve financial performance for US hospital and healthcare organisations through strategic pricing, revenue cycle and supply management solutions.

Founded in 1999, with the introduction of the US healthcare industry’s original chargemaster management solution, Craneware is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. Craneware has established significant market leadership with a client base of more than 1,000 healthcare facilities of all sizes, from critical access hospitals to integrated delivery networks. With more than 5,700 hospitals in the US, and less than half of these having purchased a technology-based chargemaster management solution, there remains substantial opportunity for growth with Cranware is well positioned to take advantage of.

Craneware solutions support the transformation of healthcare organisations’ revenue integrity processes. Craneware’s Market-led revenue management solutions allow healthcare organisations to quickly see dramatic advances in sustainable financial and operational performance improvement. The high level of return on investment their software delivers to our customers, combined with Craneware’s strong partnerships and the growing pressure on the financial performance of US healthcare organisations are key reasons Craneware is well-positioned for growth and has decided to invest in Cascade HR’s range of HR solutions.

With an emphasis on powerful management information analysis and delivery of process management to ensure best practice and efficiency as growth introduces new challenges Cascade will be a key part of the Craneware team. Control of employee development will also be a vital area of HR management moving forwards.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Bywaters - ’service excellence delivered ethically’

RA — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:02:55 +0000

Bywaters have been in operation since 1952. Their ethic is ’service excellence delivered ethically’.

The organisation’s success is based on developing bespoke equipment, vehicles and services to meet the needs of their customers. This, combined with excellent customer service, has enabled Bywaters to retain some of their customers for over 20 years.

Bywaters now service over 2,000 customers in London and the South East. Their depth of expertise has allowed us to develop recycling and waste management solutions for a wide range of business sectors including corporate, commercial, construction and health.

Our staff and our community
Bywaters acknowledge that they could not have got this far without the dedication and expertise of their staff, 80% of whom live in the local community. Bywaters place high value on their people and consider their enjoyment and personal development vital to the organisation’s future success.

The business also takes it’s role in the community very seriously, supporting many local charities and initiatives. They continue to develop their training centre at Bow in order to be able to share their recycling experience with the wider community.

Bywaters stated aim is to become the leading supplier of recycling and waste management services to London and the South East by making recycling easy.

As part of this commitment to staff and their aim stated above Bywaters is committed to operating to the highest standards across all areas of our business.

As part of this commitment Bywaters has chosen to implement the Cascade range of HR Solutions with particular emphasis on HR, Workflow and Self Service.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…

Maximus maximise HR potential!

RA — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:10:22 +0000

MAXIMUS Employment & Training (UK) specialises in helping people who are disadvantaged in the labour market to gain employment. The organisation operates primarily within the statutory and voluntary sector contracting to provide a range of services.

These include employment advice; rehabilitation and work preparation; research and development of employment projects; training courses for groups of people with specific employment needs including disabled people and offenders. As a part of the MAXIMUS group of companies, the organisation operates throughout the UK, Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and Israel.

The Maximus website states, “We are committed to our most valuable resource, our staff. We pride ourselves on our recruitment and selection process and the opportunities we offer to our team. We encourage every member of staff to reach their true potential and encourage career development.” and as part of this commitment the organisation has decided to implement the Cascade range of Human Resource solutions including Workflow, Self Service and also back office Recruitment and Online Recruitment.

With an already established best practice for recruitment and other aspects of HR management it was absolutely vital that a system was selected that would adapt to proven methodologies and also new methodologies that fit with Maximus’s working methods rather than a system which expected Maximus to adapt to suit the software’s approach. The uniquely flexible nature of Cascade made it the ideal choice.

Ask a question. Click here…

Have a closer look at our software through a no nonsense, no commitment demonstration. Click here…

Read more about our software…