English Institute of Sport invests in Cascade HR

Having experienced significant growth since it was established in 2002, the EIS now has over 300 employees working nationwide. But as the Institute has continued to evolve, so too have the challenges being placed on its Human Resources team on a daily basis.

Cascade has therefore been appointed to provide cloud-based HR technology that will replace the somewhat outdated and labour intensive system that was previously being used. The move is designed to streamline efficiencies throughout the department, better empower managers and transform the Institute’s approach to employee engagement, appraisals and HR reporting.

HR Manager Louise Woodman explains: “It was clear that we were being held back by the restrictive software that we were previously utilising. Increased demand was being placed on our team for information we were not equipped to provide, and the time consuming nature of the processes we could carry out, was limiting the amount of input we could have into other value-adding activities.”

Before selecting its new software supplier, EIS therefore devised a strict list of criteria that the technology needed to fulfil, within budget. As well as being intuitive and easy to use, the chosen solution had to deliver self-service functionality that would empower managers and employees located throughout the country. It also needed to provide intuitive reporting capabilities that would heighten the level of management information the HR team could uncover.

Louise continues: “As EIS goes from strength to strength we need a clearer view of our employment landscape and how it is changing. We therefore sought reporting functionality that could generate useful metrics and trends that will allow us to effectively engage with and develop staff, whilst planning for the future.”

Cascade has therefore been appointed to deliver core HR, self-service, workflow, recruitment, online recruitment and training manager modules, which it will deploy through the cloud. The software is currently being rolled out to a pilot group of EIS users, before being made available to all in September. The full system, complete with training, appraisal and online recruitment functionality, will be wholly operational by next spring.

Aiming to be a world leading Institute and working to increase the probability of Britain’s medal success on the international stage, every tool and process within the organisation must match the same high standards, believes Louise. “From the look and feel of our HR software, to its ability to support change within our progressive organisation, everything must be right. We have invested for the future with Cascade and know that our HR team can now make a strategic, confident contribution to the wider business.”