Leading UK charity Comic Relief is implementing a human resource (HR) system from ASR Computers Ltd., a COA Solutions company. The HR Pro system with an integrated .NET Workflow module is ‘going-live’ in August 2008.
With HR Pro and .NET Workflow in place, manually-intensive administration tasks will be replaced with automated processes, freeing-up staff time which can be devoted to more value-adding HR activities and Comic Relief projects. Process automation will also cut costs and as management will have swifter access to key HR information, they will be able to quickly and more accurately diagnose personnel issues and respond accordingly.
Comic Relief required a system to replace the basic database it has been using to store all HR information. With the rapid growth of the organisation, this database was no longer fit-for-purpose and needed to be replaced with a more secure system which could automate day-to-day tasks. It also needed to provide reports at a touch of a button and enable electronic authorisations and the paperless flow of HR information.
Rebecca Hewett, HR Officer for Comic Relief, says “After researching the market, ASR’s system jumped-out as being most suitable for our needs as it provides the level of flexibility and functionality we require. ASR was also able to recommend suitable payroll software and can integrate its HR system into this software, which was a key requirement. Importantly, ASR demonstrated an excellent understanding of Comic Relief and our needs as a charity, which reassured us of the company’s charity sector experience.”
The system, HR Pro, will record information about all members of staff, automate various administration tasks and provide reports and workflow functionality as Hewett explains, “We will be able to automatically generate HR documents such as letters and contracts and will have access to reports within seconds. With the .NET Workflow module, paper-based approvals will be replaced with electronic authorisations and information will get automatically routed to the relevant people across the organisation.”
In time, all Comic Relief staff will be able to ‘self-serve’ by accessing their own HR information directly from the desktop, such as number of days absent, holiday dates and appraisal information. Eventually, Comic Relief will move down the e-recruitment route so that people can apply for jobs electronically and all of their details will be automatically pulled across to the HR system, eliminating re-keying of data.
Hewett adds, “The advanced functionality of our new ASR HR system will provide us with greater knowledge and understanding of staff and both improve efficiency and free-up staff time. It will also cut costs and allow us to keep costs in check, especially with automated processes saving us from having to recruit additional administration support as the organisation grows. Our ultimate goal is to replace all manual HR processes with electronic procedures to further improve efficiency. ASR’s technology will prove key to achieving this.”
About ASR Computer Ltd.
ASR Computers Ltd., a COA Solutions company since being acquired in April 2008, was formed in 1987 to produce HR systems and satisfy the need for a mid-range, human resources software provider. The company now has over 400 customers.
ASR’s solutions cover the complete spectrum of HR requirements including personnel, training, recruitment, succession planning, e-HR and payroll. These can be used separately or combined to form a fully-integrated solution.
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief was founded in 1985, as a fundraising and grant-making charity. Their vision is a just world free from poverty and their mission is to create positive change through the power of entertainment. The charity’s primary fundraising mechanism is an annual, televised event (Red Nose Day in odd years and Sport Relief in even years). Comic Relief has also become involved in a number of other high profile campaigns including Make Poverty History and the Global Campaign for Education.
For further information,contact:
Liz Ebbrell, COA Solutions
liz.ebbrell@coasolutions.com
+44 (0)1625 856505 or 07917 634 705
www.coasolutions.com
Ben Carey, COA Solutions
Ben.carey@coasolutions.com
+44 (0)1625 856505
www.coasolutions.com
