ASR ensure the South Yorkshire Housing Association meet all their HR needs with flexible HR & Self-service software solutions

Human resources continues to be one of the major success stories for the South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA), being one of the three associations short-listed as the National Employer of Choice for the prestigious National Housing Federation’s In Business for Neighbourhood’s awards.

The SYHA started life in 1972 with sponsorship and financial support from Shelter, the campaign for the Homeless. In 1975 the Association became ’registered’ and since then its work has been financed by Local Councils, Central Government (through the Housing Corporation), and more recently, by Local Health Authorities and Social Services.

HR Manager, Hilary Hughes was the prime mover behind the introduction of a new HR system in 2003. Hilary comments: “From the first time I saw ASR’s HR software at Connect Housing Association it always stood out, particularly in terms of its reporting capabilities, flexibility, stability of the product and the fact that the HR system could evolve with needs of SYHA.”

“Also, the fact that ASR has a depth of experience in providing HR & Payroll solutions to other Housing Associations giving us confidence that ASR really understood our needs and requirements and offered the functionality to match.”

SYHA’s HR function includes a team of 9 based at their Head Office in Sheffield, servicing 1 other office and 30 other sites across the Yorkshire region.

Hilary continued, “Key experience in the Housing Association marketplace should not be underestimated and ASR definitely, ticked all the boxes. So much so that another Housing Association also bought ASR’s HR software solution soon after us.”

“The ability to report on any field within the system means that any report requested by the Directors can be provided to them immediately, supplying them with the data that they need to make informed decisions on moving our organisation forward.”

ASR has been providing SYHA’s HR software solution for over 4 years now and the system has evolved significantly, thanks to the flexibility of ASR’s products. Utilising the functionality and tools within ASR’s Self-service software SYHA has set up email links that notify Line Managers and Payroll when a temporary contract is about to expire; providing employees who have been off sick with an email reminder to complete their absence statement and reminding employees with company cars that their insurance is due to expire. All of which have helped to generate a number of efficiencies that now benefit the whole of SYHA.

SYHA have managed to save considerably on recruitment costs because of utilising the recruitment functionality in ASR’s human resources software. Hilary commented: “Via ASR’s self-service software Line Managers are able to run a ‘reserve candidates’ report to view a list of reserve candidates before they have to advertise for a job, which saves SYHA an awful lot of money each year. Our recruitment for Project and Support workers will have the same job description and this will be very typical for most Housing Associations. So rather than spend all that time, effort and cost on recruitment we often identify candidates using ASR’s HR software.”

ASR’s HR software ensures that SYHA manage all Criminal Record Bureau checks effectively. In addition, the CRB report, which has to be run every three years, is fully automated within the product.

Like all Housing Associations, SYHA can be audited on Schedule 1 of the Housing Act. ASR’s HR software manages this process effectively and a complete audit trail is available from within the software to help ensure transparency.

Hilary believes: “ASR’s .net Workflow software will even provide Line Managers with prompts to ensure that the task is completed. Inevitably, we will see huge administration overhead savings and tasks completed more efficiently and effectively. I also see the module helping us to manage our 360-degree appraisals process.”


For further information:
Tony Flanagan
ASR Computers
ASR House
Arden Grove
HARPENDEN
Hertfordshire
AL5 4SJ
+44 (0)1582 714 800

Contact Information

Tony Flanagan

PR Manager

ASR Computers

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