HRA | We Know People

Robust human resource practices are more than a 'feel good' option for companies in good economic times, they are a key driver of success. A recent report from Aberdeen Group, shows that organizations with human resource information systems and analytical capabilities significantly outperform other organizations.

The study showed that organizations utilizing analytics achieved an average of a 4% improvement in both profit and revenue per employee, plus an 11% year over year improvement in employee performance. In comparison, those organizations not using analytics to help make decisions about their workforce suffered a 1% drop in revenue and a 5% reduction in profitability.

Good decisions need to be based on good information; good information is drawn from sound data. Companies that rely on sound data to make better human resource decisions deliver a better experience for their customers and their employees. The Aberdeen Group research found that leading organizations are much better at providing line managers with usable data on their workforce -- 45% of managers in these organizations have immediate access to current employee performance data on their team members. ( To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit Aberdeen's http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=6149. )

Are there human resource information sources and systems that are affordable for small and medium sized organizations? Yes, there are. This Getting Results issue of in the know outlines several products that we believe may be of interest to organizations that have smaller human resource budgets, but still want access to great information:

Talent management Rx: an employee engagement survey product that not only gives organizations a competitively priced employee engagement survey, but also gives access to benchmarking with other Atlantic Canadian organizations and other organizations in a similar business sector;

Sage Abra HRMS: a modular solution covering HR, payroll, benefits, training, recruiting, and compliance. Its flexible design features an integrated database, a comprehensive array of features, and the powerful reporting and analysis capabilities that you need to manage your workforce;

Halogen Software: a leading software tool supporting performance management activities such as appraisals and performance-based compensation, Halogen Software is scalable, meaning it is used in both large and medium-sized organizations. It offers powerful performance management tracking and reporting tools; and

LexisNexis PCLaw is a financial suite that is designed for consulting and professional services based organizations that HRA uses in-house for our own tracking of time. It is a good value solution for some of our clients.

In addition to the software tools, HRA knows that engaged people are key to getting results. HRA's own Jennifer Perry is featured as an individual who is passionate about community involvement and recently accepted an appointment to the Atlantic Region Board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

We hope you enjoy this issue of our e-newsletter, and find that it helps you get even better results.

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Payroll and Human Resource Administration Solutions

Sage HRMS, a leading human resource management system (HRMS) software solution provides comprehensive payroll processing, recruiting, training, and benefit administration in a single seamlessly integrated database. It is designed for small to medium size businesses to ease the flow and tracking of important information.

Sage HRMS is modular so organizations can customize the solution according to your needs, desired level of automation, and budget. It offers modules for payroll, benefits, employee self-service, attendance, recruiting, and training. It includes support for companies in both the U.S. and Canada, and can even support companies with employees in both countries.

Sage also includes Web-based employee self-service, benefits enrollment, and workflow features to keep your workforce connected at all times, as well as reporting and analysis tools that enable organizations to fully utilize the data they gather.

In addition to these essential software solutions, Sage HRMS offers a number of modules to help companies understand and fully utilize their workforce's collective skills, talents and experiences.

Abra & Accpac eRecruiter

Abra & Accpac OrgPlus

Abra & Accpac Attendance

Abra & Accpac Alerts

AWC - ESS (Employee Self Serve)

Abra & Accpac Train Module

Clients also appreciate the support that comes with Sage, including technical expertise, tax and legislative updates, and product enhancements. HRA's own Michael Cunningham is certified to provide technical support to Sage clients in Atlantic Canada. He will be happy to provide you with a demonstration of Sage products and discuss with you whether this solution is right for you.

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Performance management is not about paper

Halogen Software helps lessen the paper burden of performance management while giving managers and executives performance management information at their finger tips with several products that are being used by leading organizations in Atlantic Canada.

Halogen eAppraisal Employee Performance Management (EPM) is an award winning web-based system that simplifies and enhances the entire employee performance appraisal process. Its features include:

• automating every aspect of the employee appraisal process including getting the right documents to the right people at the right time and reminding managers and employees to complete tasks on time;

• supporting complex scoring and weighting;

• providing tools, content and authoring aids to assist line managers to create meaningful, professional employee reviews;

• supporting multi-rater/peer reviews within the appraisal process; and,

• giving HR and Line managers instant realtime status on every step in every process underway.

Halogen eAppraisal Healthcare™, has been exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association (AHA) as its EPM solution of choice for member hospitals and healthcare organizations across the United States, and is being used in various hospitals across North America. With over 100 health care organizations already benefiting from the solution, the endorsement solidifies Halogen eAppraisal Healthcare's position as a leader in EPM solutions for health care employers.

Halogen eCompensation is an affordable, web-based solution that automates the entire compensation adjustment process. It provides all levels of management with secure, simple to use tools to allocate merit-based compensation including base salary, variable pay, bonus pay, and stock options. It can be linked to the eAppraisal system if your organization uses pay for performance, and automatically verifies all recommendations against established budgets and pay guidelines, flagging those outside corporate policy, and keeps the entire process moving until final approvals are in place using automated workflow and reminders.

Halogen e360 is a sophisticated web-based 360 feedback software for self-assessment that streamlines the multi-rater process with point and click software to create evaluations, monitor the process, and generate reports.

Halogen eSuccession™ follows the Talent Pool model - a proven best practices approach to succession planning that establishes a larger number of "promote-able" employees, who are more likely to stay loyal and whose skills are better aligned with your organization's strategic plans.

While used by larger organizations, this Canadian product can be scaled for organizations, and can be hosted on-site or on-line by Halogen. The quality of the product and its flexibility make it an option to consider, which is why HRA is a referral partner. Michael Cunningham can give you more information about these products and arrange for an on-line demo so that you can see how these products work.

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It's about good business

Every successful business has a sound bookkeeping system. HRA uses LexisNexis PCLaw. This is a financial software suite that is designed for professional services firms. It is very suitable for organizations of 1 to 100 employees, with the power to handle payroll (link with ADP), invoicing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and trust accounting. HRA uses this software for its own business operations. Our own Linda Boswell is a, LexisNexis Certified Independent Consultant for PCLaw, who is available to assist our clients who use PCLaw with any issues regarding implementation, training, and support.

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It's about people

Pictured from the left, Catherine Johnston, Barbara Waite, and Jennifer Perry, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

Regardless of the product or service an organization provides, it really is all about people. HRA knows people engagement and performance, and in turn, an organization's success is driven by the energy and interests of individuals. That's why we are so pleased to acknowledge and congratulate our own Jennifer Perry for her work with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. She was recently appointed as a Director for the Board of the Atlantic Region.

This past month she inundated our reception area with pink-themed items to raise awareness and funds for the cause. Her passion for the Foundation's mission not only supports a worthy charity, it makes our workplace a fun place to be, and reminds us all that we work to make the world a better place. With this kind of energy and passion, we are sure to get results.

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