Pioneer Investments
Kennedys Case Study - HR Software Systems
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| "This was the 3rd user group
I've attended & it was by far the best. I found that the opportunity
to sit down and talk through our system developments and receive
feedback/advice was invaluable." Finnforest UK Ltd |
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Leading
law firm Kennedy's has been able to streamline its HR Processes
and provide quality management information to partners thanks to ASR's
specific legal sector HR
software systems solution.
Founded in 1899, Kennedy's is known primarily as a leader in dispute resolution, both nationally and internationally. Insurers fund much dispute resolution, but Kennedy's also assists major companies in construction, manufacturing, transport and banking with dispute.
International Law Firm
Kennedy's has 83 partners and directors and over 450 staff. In the UK Kennedy's has offices in London, Chelmsford, Cambridge, Belfast. In addition they have an office in Madrid and two offices in the Asia-Pacific region in Hong Kong and Auckland. They also have an active network of associated offices around the world situated in Dubai, Dublin, Karachi, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Sydney and Warsaw.
Kennedy's is a vibrant practice. The firm has expanded considerably over the last 15 years, largely as a result of organic growth and lateral hires made to strengthen key areas of expertise. The HR function includes a team of 10 based at their head office in London.
Established Customer
Kennedy's has been an ASR HR Software customer for over 8 years purchasing ASR's legacy HR software solution in 1997, before upgrading to ASR's latest HR Software offering, HR - in 2002. Kennedy's HR software product champion, Claire Bissagar explains:
"Although not involved in the original purchase I was part of a project team of 6 that looked at ASR's HR Software - HR - and other HR software solutions that the market had to offer at the time. However, after seeing ASR's HR Software - HR - for the first time at one of ASR's HR Software User Group meeting's in London it was clear to me that other suppliers would be hard pushed to match the flexibility and comprehensive in-built reporting tool, which ASR's HR Software latest offering, HR -, had to offer."
Legal HR Software
After an extensive review Kennedy's opted for ASR's specialised HR software solution for the legal sector including modules in Personnel Software, Recruitment Software, Training Software and e-HR Software. 10 people in the HR department are now using ASR's HR Software - HR - extensively on a daily basis with 100 users across the company using the Self-service function of ASR's HR Software - HR -. In addition Kennedy's Hong Kong office is using ASR's HR Software - HR - and their New Zealand and India offices are soon to roll ASR's HR Software out too.
Kennedy's worked closely with ASR's HR Software project team to develop an individually tailored system that would manage all of their Personnel software, Training software, Recruitment software and e-HR software needs.
In-built Report Writer
Claire has found ASR's HR Software, HR - easy to understand and logical;
"All you need is common sense. Report writing is a cinch with ASR's HR Software, HR -". She is also impressed with the value it adds to the role of HR. Claire continues: "Partners are constantly demanding management information from HR and it is important that we can provide them with the facts. ASR's HR Software, HR -'s in-built report writer provides us with the ability to run off one of the many standard reports or write a new report ourselves. If a partner requests information on lawyers or they want to find out the cost of absence to the firm, we have to deliver and ASR's HR Software, HR -'s reporting tool allows us to do this."
On a practical level Kennedy's run a report on weekly absence to enable them to ensure that there are sufficient resources for different tasks and that reception and switchboard are accurately informed as to staff whereabouts.
Claire initially found the idea of training on a new HR Software system daunting but it very quickly became second nature;
"and then you start having ideas because you know what [the system] is capable of. And if you can't do it, support desk can show you or it often comes out in the next development."
Inherent Flexibility
One of the key features of ASR's HR Software, HR - is its inherent flexibility and its ability to evolve with the firm as business needs and processes change. Kennedy's, like other leading law firms, is continually expanding and has to adapt its business accordingly. Having the ability to create new fields, screens, validations, calculations and even new primary databases allows organisations to make changes when they need to and they are not reliant on the HR software company making those changes for them. The time and cost savings are immeasurable.
e-HR/Self-service
ASR's e-HR software, a new module for Kennedy's has been rolled out to some of the firm already including 15 Line Manager access views and all employees via self-service, which Claire says has been a ‘godsend' in freeing up HR time. Instead of HR receiving 10 phone calls a day from employees finding out what their holiday balances are, they are now only receiving one a week.
Recruitment Management
Kennedy's run a comprehensive recruitment and graduate training scheme that is managed through ASR's HR Software and 2006 will see a major streamlining of the recruitment processes. Mail merges, rejection / acceptance letters and contracts are all done through ASR's HR Software, HR -. In addition, Graduates Trainees' movement between departments, seats and secondments is all tracked and monitored through ASR's HR Software, HR -.
ASR Case Study - Human Resources Software System
Kennedy's is working closely with ASR to keep evolving their Human Resources Software system and Claire feels there is no better environment than attending one of ASR's HR Software Systems User Group meetings. Claire says;
"The User Group meetings are an ideal forum to find out about all the latest developments and seeing the new features often prompts ideas for the future. It is also an ideal forum to meet with other ASR customers from other law firms as well as meeting other HR -s from a variety of industry sectors to share best practice."
HR Software
To download the full Kennedys HR software case study please click here.
To find out more about ASR's HR Software:
