The power of technology is being increasingly acknowledged in the business environment, including the HR and payroll profession. We are witnessing an ever-growing acknowledgement for the fact that software – when well-suited to a HR department’s needs – will not just streamline administration and heighten workplace efficiencies. It can revolutionise a business too, if its value as a change management tool is truly harnessed. And the benefits to arise from a successful change management project, can be incredibly multifaceted.

One organinsation that has experienced a significant change management journey since is Together Housing Group. Formed in 2011, Together Housing combined six different employing organisations – each with its own HR team and technological infrastructure – to become the 11th largest housing association in the UK. Now with a £180m turnover, more than 37,000 homes in the North of England, and a geographically-spread 1,400-strong workforce, this is a well-established yet complex business.

The merger understandably brought about a significant level of change, felt throughout the Group. In early 2012 for example, the leadership team was restructured, as was the senior management team and then the wider organisation. The majority of terms and conditions were harmonised and a group-wide job evaluation was also carried out. In 2013, an integrated housing management system was also introduced.

It is perhaps therefore understandable that a staff survey, conducted in April 2014, revealed employee engagement levels had dropped to below the sector average. It was evident that a degree of cultural change was required, to ensure productivity, morale and staff retention, were not affected as a result.

The Group’s vision and values had to be reshaped and re-established. After all, employees came from different organisational backgrounds – some from ex-local authority stock transfers, others from more ‘traditional’ associations and a handful with a more commercial mindset. But how could Together achieve its goal of being a great employer, which provides consistently brilliant services and generates a positive social impact through its work in communities?

A business transformation exercise was required, across the HR and Organisational Development side of the Group. And the search for greater stability lie in consolidating the Group’s HR and payroll technologies, not least because the HR team reported the lowest engagement levels in two factors:

‘The systems technology I use enables me to do my job effectively’ was more than 30% negative

‘The ability to do my job effectively without working excessive hours’ was over 52% negative.

Together’s Head of HR Business Partners Emma Tomkinson knew a stronger technology set up would be a real enabler for greater employee engagement. One unified solution, rather than five disparate systems, would introduce more efficient ways of working and a central, intelligent and integrated piece of technology would enable the geographically spread HR teams to better ‘talk’ to one another.

Together therefore identified and documented both their immediate and longer-term system requirements upfront, keen not to lose focus as the project unfolded. This formed a strict basis for the detailed research, tender and shortlisting process:

• As the business is quite complex – with its matrix structure, employees in numerous locations and the provision of varied services – a highly configurable solution was needed
• Payroll had to go live after year end (April 2015) therefore the project timescales would have to be worked back from this date
• Achieving value for money would prove imperative, not least because sound investments –evidenced in annual value for money statements – form part of the housing sector’s regulatory framework
• Self-service functionality was sought, to empower line managers and employees in becoming responsible for more of their own data, and devolve unnecessary transactional work from the HR team
• The harmonisation and automation of various HR policies and processes would ensure a more consistent, best-practice approach to working across the Group
• This was also the perfect opportunity for the HR team to attain, interrogate and act upon robust management information, with relative ease.

Following a thorough investigative exercise, Together Housing was reassured it had made the right decision upon speaking to existing users of the chosen software – Cascade HR. The implementation of a fully-integrated HR and payroll solution therefore followed.

E-HRM champions were identified within the business, to help promote the benefits of the project to colleagues. This people-focused approach was enhanced by the experienced guidance of Cascade’s project manager and product consultants, who provided communication-rich support throughout. Everyone was aware of the clearly documented drivers for change, enabling the full organisation to work towards one goal.

Having streamlined processes, reduced unnecessary admin and shortened the time required to undertake tasks such as collating data for reports, Together’s HR team is now able to provide a value-adding, transformational service which offers support and guidance on strategic business issues. Timely, accurate data facilitates informed decision making and encourages the development of a more performance-driven culture. And because the technology is browser based and thus accessible regardless of location, HR professionals throughout the group have access to the same data and can work in a more unified way, wherever they may be.  Self service capabilities for staff are accessible through mobile devices which supports a wider business mobile working strategy that is not restricted by geography or being office based.

The system investment is also somewhat ‘futureproofed’ as Together can create new screens, build more best-practice processes and uncover further trends and opportunities in the software, as the organisation continues to evolve.

Sharing her advice for other people embarking upon similar system consolidation or new HR and payroll software implementation projects, Emma commented: “Plan carefully, and allow more time than you think you may realistically need, to provide an element of contingency. By breaking larger tasks down into bite-sized chunks, you avoid feeling overwhelmed and have the opportunity to celebrate milestones and achievements along the way, however small. This makes the engagement challenge so much more achievable, as confidence is continually instilled from the outset.  Training should be delivered on an equally incremental basis, to ensure the gradual and successful dissemination of knowledge.”

So has the change management project been a success? Emma concludes: “We are delighted with the transformation progress our service has made. For instance, we’ve aligned and reduced our number of HR policies from 74 to approximately 20, and all are in-keeping with the needs and cultural fit of the business. We have also formed a new payroll team, making effective utilisation of newfound capacity in the HR team. The cost savings that Cascade helped to recoup, given the value of the system, also funded the recruitment of a new Payroll Manager.

“And, perhaps most importantly, feedback to date reveals our efforts have been well received, with the new system praised for its intuitiveness.

“But the completion of this project is not the end. In fact, it’s just the very beginning.”

This just goes to show that with careful planning, meticulous execution and reflective learning, a technology implementation project can not just be successful – it can be revolutionary.