This case study is based on a conversation with Yasser (Head of People Systems, Payroll & Data) from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards (DofE)
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, founded in 1956 by the late Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh has grown to over 1 million young people, covering over 144 nations. The awards compromising of Gold, Silver and Bronze, recognises achievements through challenges, tasks and various activities. They inspire many young people to develop skills, resilience and self-belief positively impacting their own lives and communities. Read more on their website here.
At the DofE I manage the people systems within the HR team (which we refer to as the People team). My role covers the management of various systems including recruitment, benefits and payroll. Ensuring data integrity, that the systems all work and our staff have access to, and understand them.
I started at the DofE in 2021 in a much smaller team (and organisation) and my main role was to evaluate the systems in place. During this evaluation, I quickly identified that we were using multiple systems (far too many for an organisation of our size). The question became: do we really need five or six different systems? The answer was no. We required a more integrated, intuitive, and user-friendly solution.
We went on a journey with a clear roadmap for change. The first step was to overhaul our HR system, then payroll followed by our appraisal system. Our appraisal system at the time, functioned to a certain level but lacked user by-in. Its history with the organisation is unclear, however it was evident to me that users found it unintuitive and difficult to use. I then began searching for an alternative that would simplify appraisals and one-on-ones. Something easy to use, intuitive, and modular in its rollout.
We discovered Actus through a consultant who reached out to one of my colleagues. Through subsequent discussions with Lucinda (Actus CEO), we explored our challenges and needs, and Actus emerged as a fitting solution.
One of the main advantages of working with Actus is the partnership approach. It’s not just a product you buy off the shelf and implement independently. Instead, it requires ongoing collaboration to ensure the system aligns with your organisational processes. And this is what Actus provides.
My advice for other customers looking to maximise their partnership with Actus is:
The relationship between Actus and the DofE is more than a simple partnership. It is an ongoing, collaborative effort that supports continuous improvement.
Our experience with the Actus team has been excellent. In particular Jane, our account manager, and Adrian, who provides technical support, have been particularly helpful in translating issues into technical solutions. The support team is responsive, ensuring rapid resolutions to tickets raised. As an example, when we needed to upload recognition icons for our company values, the icons initially displayed too small. After submitting a support request, the issue was resolved very quickly.
Additionally, Actus provides clear guidance on administrative tasks, such as bulk-uploading objectives, therefore ensuring a smooth user experience.
Our workforce describes Actus as very intuitive and easy to use. Unlike our previous system, where appraisals were dreaded due to system complexities, Actus enables employees to focus on the appraisal content rather than struggling with the software. The transition to Actus has been a very positive experience, improving efficiency and engagement across the organisation.
If you’d like to see how Actus can support your organisation too, explore more of our customer success stories or visit our Performance Management product page. You can also get in touch to arrange a demo, request a quote, or speak to our team about your specific needs.
I would 100% recommend Actus…The biggest transformation has been visibility. Previously, we couldn’t confirm whether appraisals were taking place. Now, we know with certainty that 98% of our staff completed an appraisal last year.
“Actus has been a great platform for us, we’re doing things differently in the business now and can continue to use it to underpin the HR strategy going forwards”
VJ Technology chose Actus Software after being very impressed with the software capabilities and professionalism shown by the employees. This continued throughout implementation and beyond.
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