Product: HR case management.

"The Sunrise system has enabled us to substantially improve our query and case management recording, making it more efficient and robust. The system has been jointly configured to meet our specific service needs and capture the stages of a formal case. Being able to log queries via the HR Service Desk (including our Advisory and Payroll teams) and escalate those that need formal case support to our Business Partners has been invaluable. The reporting capability has enabled us to assess volumes, make changes to the system and communicate more widely with the organisation about HR policies and procedures. We are looking forward to rolling out the self-service portal to enable our customers to access our HR Service Desk Advisory and Payroll services in one convenient place." - Sarah Dadswell,  HR Manager (Data Management & HR Service Desk)

Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for providing a wide array of public services to the residents of Hertfordshire, a thriving county in the southeast of England. With a population of over 1.2 million people, the council's duties include managing children’s services, adult care services, education, growth & environment, community protection and public health. As a large and complex organisation, Hertfordshire County Council employs circa 8,000 employees, making effective HR query and case management crucial to maintaining smooth operations and ensuring that staff needs are met efficiently.

What Hertfordshire County Council were looking to achieve

Managing formal HR cases within such a large organisation posed significant challenges for Hertfordshire County Council. Initially, their HR team relied on large spreadsheets to log and track HR cases. However, this approach proved to be inefficient due to the volumes of data being collected and the number of staff needing access to it on a regular basis. Reporting became cumbersome and the lack of a structured system enabling multi-access and the ability to keep detailed records and store document was problematic.

At the same time, a new HR Service Desk was implemented, and a system was needed to record the detail of the queries raised, with the ability to store attachments, capture the advice given and report on volumes of queries.

Hertfordshire County Council needed a solution that would streamline their HR case and query management, offer robust reporting capabilities, and provide a clear, auditable trail for every contact. The goal was to replace their cumbersome methods with a more efficient, automated system that could grow with their needs.

How Sunrise Helped Hertfordshire County Council Achieve Their Goals

After exploring several options, Hertfordshire County Council chose Sunrise as their HR case and query management solution to address their challenges. According to Sarah, the HR Service Desk Manager, Sunrise stood out because of its ability to adapt to the specific needs of their HR team.

Sunrise provided Hertfordshire County Council with a system that allowed them to:

• Streamline workflows: With Sunrise, the HR team was able to run processes efficiently, ensuring that cases were effectively categorised, managed, and each stage recorded. This significantly reduced the time and effort required to manage ongoing cases.
• Enhanced case management: Sunrise's escalation feature ensured that HR queries received through the HR Service Desk could be escalated to the formal case side of the system for the Business Partner team to allocate swiftly and progress with the case. The system's flexibility meant that cases could be categorised and managed according to specific criteria, leading to more effective prioritisation.
• Improved reporting and data access: The HR team now had access to robust reporting tools that allowed them to easily analyse the types and categories of HR cases and queries. This not only improved their ability to track trends and address recurring issues but also provided valuable insights that informed strategic decision-making.
• Audit trails and case history: The council were able to maintain a clear audit trail for every HR case. This feature ensured that all case notes and actions were recorded in an orderly manner, making it easier to track the history of each case and provide accountability.
• Self-Service Portal for Employees: Hertfordshire County Council is enhancing the employee experience by introducing a self-service portal. This feature will allow employees to submit requests and track existing queries independently, providing them with greater transparency and control over their HR interactions. The portal is designed to streamline communication, reduce response times, and ultimately improve the overall efficiency of the HR Service Desk.

Overall, the implementation of Sunrise has been a game-changer for Hertfordshire County Council’s HR team. It has transformed what was once an unmanageable system into a well-organised, efficient process that supports the council’s commitment to supporting it employees and managers and fulfilling its obligations to the residents of Hertfordshire. .