NSHousing
Formed in 2006 to manage homes transferred from North
Somerset Council, NSHousing works in partnership with local,
regional and national agencies to provide housing and related
support to approximately 8,000 people. Through its 190 staff and
6,200 properties, it aims to achieve smarter business, better homes
and stronger communities.
The need to change
Following the transfer of thousands of properties from North
Somerset Council and the subsequent increase in staff and workload,
NSHousing carried out a thorough review of the software and
technology it was using.
This included the HR information, which was held on an in-house
database, and the council-run payroll. Keeping the database up to
date relied on lots of manual record keeping and manipulation,
which not only proved time-consuming, but made reporting difficult.
In June 2009 a business case was made to tender for a new HR system with
the key drivers being the need for more flexible reporting, system
support and resilience and increased efficiencies.
"Quick, easy access to information was vital," explains Mick
Capern, Business Systems manager. "We were attracted to the
functionality that comes with SelectHR - for example, the
Self-service module enabling managers to easily query absence."
SelectHR was purchased in September 2009 following a tender
process. Included in this purchase were the Recruitment, Training and Development and
Self-service
modules. Mick and Hayley Pirouet, Senior HR Advisor, played an
integral part in the implementation of SelectHR at NSHousing.
Implementation
"SelectHR is so flexible. You really can make it look
how you want." Hayley Pirouet, Senior HR
Advisor
NSHousing
All Access Select implementations follow a proven
methodology to ensure a smooth project.
Access Select and NSHousing worked together to create a
comprehensive project plan. "With our joint input, we
were able to work together through the key stages," says Mick.
"These included mapping and changing our processes, extracting the
data from our existing database and creating our organisational
structures. Although we had some issues during the implementation,
Access Select offered helpful support to ensure we delivered our
key objectives."
"My advice for those companies looking to implement a new HR
system would be to resource it effectively - you can't do it all
and your day job," he continues. "Clear objectives and precise
project management from the outset is needed, along with managing
your users' expectations."
Hayley agrees. "You need to allow the system time to 'bed in',"
she says. "Be realistic with timescales and allow time to build the
system up to what you need."
System functionality
As SelectHR is written on the very latest web-based technology, it
gives users access to all the latest features available. From an
end-user point of view, this gets the thumbs up.
"SelectHR is very easy to use," says Hayley. "I like the simple,
logical layout and the way it guides you through all the
processes." Customising the system is straightforward, giving end
users the freedom to build tailored elements into their system such
as tick boxes, extra fields and columns. "SelectHR is so flexible.
You really can make it look how you want," she continues.
SelectHR allows you to hold all your HR information in one place
and report on any element of
it - something that's hugely improved efficiency at NSHousing.
"Using SelectHR means we can hold accurate data on all kinds of
subjects. For example, it makes sickness reporting much easier,"
says Hayley. "Most importantly, we can absolutely rely on the
quality of the data it provides without having to
double-check."
SelectHR also enables you to automate notifications such as
employees approaching retirement or the end of their probationary
period. This is another area that Hayley likes. "With all the email
triggers and notifications that are built in we can make sure
nothing falls through the net," she says.
What's next?
SelectHR is a modular solution, meaning that clients can add to
their system when it suits their needs and budget.
"Our plans for the future include linking the Recruitment module
to our website," says Hayley. "We also want to use SelectHR to
administer Learning and Development for
NSHousing. We would like to give all our managers the Self-service
facility and link it to the NSH Performance Management System to
enable them to do online appraisals."
Making the move towards a paperless office is another of
NSHousing's goals. With the document store and mail merge
facilities in SelectHR that is now possible. To complete the
efficiency gains, payroll integration is also on the
wish list.
"With the link to payroll, we can further avoid duplicating work
and reduce possible errors," comments Hayley.
Employee absence figures are at a near all-time low – so how do you ensure they stay that way? This guide explains how to accurately capture, measure and analyse absence and implement a robust policy that benefits both employees and bottom line.
Find out more »
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