Digital marketing agency white.net is streamlining its people processes and improving communication between teams with the help of online HR software solution Cezanne OnDemand.
The business, which is based in Oxford Science Park, helps companies from a wide range of sectors with everything from branded content and search engine optimisation (SEO) to paid search and web analytics.
The management team realised that to support its growth, white.net needed to formalise HR processes and move to an on-line solution. Executive Assistant Esme Lucas was charged with finding a product which would meet the needs of the current 14-strong workforce, but which could also be scaled up as staff numbers increased.
After looking at a number of solutions, Esme opted for Cezanne OnDemand because of its flexibility, easy to use format and cost-effectiveness. “We wanted a system that would allow us to manage all our HR processes in one central place,” Esme explained. “Cezanne OnDemand came out top because of its attractive layout and wide range of features that we can adapt to suit our needs.”
The social portal, which allows employees to share documents, discuss ideas and collaborate on projects, was a feature Esme found particularly appealing. “We have a team structure and this seemed like a really good way to encourage teams to create groups, discuss issues and work together,” she said.
White.net managed to get Cezanne OnDemand up and running very quickly with the help of the product’s comprehensive start-up guide, a webinar tutorial and support from the help desk. “I had never even seen an HR software system before but I managed to set it up for us very easily,” said Esme. Once the basic employee data had been uploaded, she put together a short presentation and demo for line managers, who are now starting to use the system for both absence and performance management.
“The performance management module is key for us because it makes the whole process a lot easier and less time-consuming and actually encourages people to do it,” says Esme. “Before, we had one-to-ones and notes were taken but not necessarily formally recorded anywhere and it was all too easy for people to forget what had been discussed. Now everything will be available online and the whole process will be much more consistent.”
White.net plan to roll the self service element of Cezanne OnDemand out to all employees by the end of November, which will allow people to update their personal data and manage their own holidays on-line. Esme believes it will lead to a significant reduction in admin – and a stronger focus on getting HR processes right.
“It’s going to take a lot of pressure off managers and the fact that all employees will be involved through the self service element means people will be able to get quick answers to their questions and everyone will understand what’s expected of them,” she says.
About White.net
White.net, previously SEOptimise, is a leading digital marketing agency that helps move businesses forward through an innovative approach to marketing businesses online. With an award-winning blog and a team of driven, forward-thinking consultants, White offers a successful combination of agency experience and an in-house level of client business knowledge. The White.net team works on a mix of digital marketing projects including search engine optimisation, pay-per-click, branded content and web analytics. Operating from the Oxford Science Park, White's clients range in sector, from finance to travel and retail.
About Cezanne HR
Cezanne HR provides mid and small-sized businesses with powerful, secure and easy to manage online HR software that helps them reduce costs, streamline HR processes and enable employees to work together more effectively.
Cezanne’s HR software is delivered in the Cloud on a Software-as-a-Service basis. This means it is hosted and delivered online via a secure server, with updates automatically provided to clients as they are released as part of the subscription fee. There’s no need for customers to continually invest in their own hardware or software, or in installing updates. They simply log on via the Internet and have immediate access to the latest version of the system from wherever they are.
The online system is the first HR software solution to be offered on a pay-as-you-go basis, with monthly fees being adjusted up – or down – to reflect the average number of employees being managed each month. It is also the first to include, at no extra cost, an innovative employee portal that enables HR to easily share company information and documents and includes social features that allow employees to work together more productively.
Since releasing Cezanne OnDemand in the summer of 2011, the company has acquired an impressive customer base, many of whom are leaders in their field. Recent customers include Think Jam, Ward Williams, Evolving, Intelliflo, Invitation Digital, Core Technology Systems, Viking River Cruises, SiteMinder, NOW:Pensions, Grassy Creek and Procserve. The company has offices and partners supporting customers in mainland Europe and elsewhere.