The integrated HR and LMS system that gives Bring Energy room to grow

New businesses don't inherit an HR system, they have to choose one. When Bring Energy became a standalone company, HR started with nothing in place. They needed an integrated HR and LMS that fit its profile as a young, independent SME rather than the corporate group it came from. Watch Hannah Waddington, head of HR, explain what they built with Ciphr, and what the learning management system, in particular, has enabled their organisation to achieve.

"We were pretty much starting from scratch. So the HR system that the previous company used was very different. We didn't have access to that directly... We then procured Ciphr to set up what we wanted and what worked for the business in its standalone form, so that we could really shape it into being fit for purpose for becoming an SME business rather than a large corporate organisation."

Three things mattered:

• A full HR and LMS suite that worked as a single platform

• Room to grow into modules like talent management and case management

• A system that could carry the new Bring Energy brand

"We were really keen to have a full suite of HR systems that could all talk to each other, so that within our HR department we had all bases covered. So we wanted something that was configurable for our size [of] business, that had all of the different options of HR, LMS, payroll, and then the additional modules around onboarding, talent management, case management were really attractive to us... The ability to have the look and feel of the HR system to reflect our branding as Bring Energy was really attractive to us."

"The biggest difference that Ciphr has made to the team is really to bring together the practices that we're putting in place as a team for the business, so that we can build and incorporate those practices in one place... We've been able to have one place where we can hold not only people's personal details, terms and conditions, but also where people capture probation forms and performance review information. It's where new starters go to input their own information at the very start of their journey with Bring Energy, and then continue to use it within their employment."

Bring Energy works in high-risk environments where staff qualifications and certificates have to stay current:

"Since we've launched the LMS to the business this year, it's had a massive impact, especially to our operational teams. We're an operationally biassed business. We work in high-risk health environments, so making sure that people have the right qualifications and certificates is really, really important for our teams. 

“Historically, it's been managed a bit hit and miss in terms of where people held their qualification records... Being able to bring all of that information together into one place that's really easily accessible, for people to not only see their own qualifications and training records but for their teams, we can start to track when training is coming up for expiry, so we can forecast how much training is going to cost year on year. We're able to proactively plan the training that's coming up for expiry, that has been really helpful."

"The biggest change that I've seen in Ciphr more recently is really the genuine interest in what having the HR system, or LMS, or payroll, what it really means in practice to us as customers... [There's been a shift in] how Ciphr understands what we do day to day, [and] our frustrations of the HR system, at times, in terms of how we use it. Feedback I've given has been listened to and implemented as well. It feels like I am really listened to, which is great."

"We've built up some really good relationships with people within Ciphr. With our customer manager and the project managers that we've worked with, once we're able to get across the context of how we're working and what we're trying to achieve as Bring Energy, everyone's been really open to helping us get there. And it's been really positive that we have regular meetings with our payroll director, and regular meetings with our customer care manager. It has been a positive experience building up those relationships."

"If someone asked me if they should use Ciphr, I would say that it's definitely worth exploring whether it's the right system for you and your business. For us as an SME, it is useful  to be able to configure it how we need to, and to build on it whilst we grow as a business... So if you can really get across what you need from the HR system implementation from the start and be able to work together collaboratively to build the system that is fit for purpose for your business, Ciphr is definitely able to do that and will work well with that sort of approach."

A new business, an HR system built from nothing, and a learning management system that keeps safety-critical training on track. Watch the video to hear Hannah Waddington explain how.