Prepare, prepare and then prepare for the unexpected...

Peter Reeve Eve Adu-BofourHead of HR HR Business Partner

Prepare, prepare and then prepare for the unexpected...

Peter Reeve Eve Adu-BofourHead of HR HR Business Partner

Our Story

Who are we?

Where and why did we start?

Why Cascade?

How did we prepare - what did we want?

From plan to reality

What did we learn?

Who are we?

The HR Team

In 2014

Head of HR - Peter Reeve

1.5 HR Business Partners – Eve Adu-Bofour

Training coordinator

Administrator

Why did we change?

Business drivers

•Better cross-team working

•Lack of integration with payroll

•Build better relationship with Finance

•Difficult to produce basic data & reliance on ICT

•Need to improve the HR admin

function – lots of paper

Why did we change?

Major concerns about our previous system•Difficult to use reporting tools – not SQL•Underlying tables and source-code difficult to understand –even ICT struggled.•Attitude from previous suppliers•Beta-tested self-service module on the staff!

How we made the decision?

Learning experience so deliberately ‘over-engineered’ the process:

•Invitation to tender

•Supplier presentations and interviews

•Reference sites

•Decision

Why Cascade?

•Fully responded to the ITT •Were clear about what they could and couldn’t do –suggested work-arounds.•Consistent and responsive account management•Experience of SMEs and understood we are a charity

Any negatives?Linking the live building of the system and the training – we weren’t really ready

What did we want – the ITT

Clarify that the system would be able:

• To cater for all types of employee

• To support Association policy and procedure

• Report an accurate profile of the workforce

• Smooth communication with the Payroll module

The ITT – the kitchen sink approach!

•Who are we?

•Process and the timings – 1st parallel run date

•Who are they – staffing, technical support etc

•Reference requirements – take them up!

•If Payroll not already integrated

why not there is probably a ‘good’ reason

Work closely with them to build the tender

What do you need the system to do ?

It might seem obvious!How is your organisation different?

•Organisation hierarchy / structure•Payroll patterns and dates

Data fields – essential/desirableProcess map your policies, particularly sickness absence and annual leave – key dates.L&D and recruitment - do we really need the module?Reporting – detail (we had over 25 reports)Licensing, data migration and technical's – dull but necessary.

The implementation

Consider the impact of the

project on operational day to day activities

If you are offered

help...... TAKE IT!!!

Consider how the introduction of a new system will impact on your stakeholders and

communicate your progress

Our reflections / learning

•Prepare, prepare, prepare

•Prepare for the unexpected - even the best laid plans....

•Prepare for self-service – don’t rush

•Share the knowledge around the team

•Don’t trust anything described as a ‘development opportunity’

Any Questions?