Empowering social impact: How Awesome CIC streamlined HR management

Awesome CIC is a social enterprise that provides high-quality play services for children and young people in the London Borough of Islington. Operating six adventure playgrounds, their mission is to ensure every child in the borough has the opportunity to develop positively through play in a fun, safe, and challenging environment.

By working closely with Islington's most vulnerable families and children, Awesome CIC creates positive community impact through safe and welcoming spaces. They also foster local ownership, contribute to the local economy, and prioritise sustainable growth through ethical practices like employee ownership.

Their core values focus on putting children, young people, families, and carers at the heart of everything they do, building a culture of ownership among their employees, investing surplus funds into improving our services, supporting local employment and spending, and committing to professional development and innovation in the field of play.

We spoke with Guy Lawrence, one of Awesome CIC’s founders and Managing Director about their journey to finding the perfect HR solution—Appogee HR Success. 

The challenge: Why Awesome CIC needed a better HR system

As a growing organisation Awesome CIC required a reliable and user-friendly HR system that could integrate with their existing financial tools, streamline leave management, and maintain accurate employee data. With a diverse staff structure, including full-time, part-time, and zero-hour employees, ensuring consistency and simplicity within an HR system was paramount.

The management team sought a system that could handle employee leave efficiently while also integrating seamlessly with their accounting software, Xero. 

The solution: Why Awesome CIC chose Appogee HR

In the search for an appropriate HR platform and after evaluating several options, Appogee HR quickly stood out for its ease of use and strong integration with Xero. Guy tells us, “The support received during the trial process was excellent from the beginning and has consistently stayed top-notch throughout. The team was always responsive and genuinely helpful, making the entire experience smooth and reassuring. I truly appreciate their unwavering support and commitment”. 

Since implementing Appogee HR in 2016, several key features of Appogee HR have been “instrumental in enhancing HR operations at Awesome” explains Guy. 

1. Leave Management: The system’s ability to book leave and view both individual and team leave calendars is incredibly useful. It makes identifying clashes straightforward and efficient.
2. Xero Integration: By integrating with Xero, Awesome CIC eliminated the need for duplicate data entries, ensuring personal data and annual leave is automatically synchronised with payroll. This integration drastically reduces errors and makes payroll management more efficient.
3. Document Management: Being able to upload documents and request acknowledgements for teams or individuals has been a “game-changer” for Awesome CIC. This streamlined process ensures compliance with internal policies and staff procedures across the business.
4. Reporting & Onboarding: The system’s robust reporting capabilities allow the team to track and analyse employee data more effectively, improving decision-making across the organisation
5. Newsfeed: The Newsfeed feature offers a platform for internal communication, enhancing employee engagement across the organisation. As one of the newest features to be rolled out, Guy sees the Newsfeed as having great potential for keeping the team informed and connected.

Results: Streamlined HR processes and enhanced efficiency

Since implementing Appogee HR, Awesome CIC has seen significant improvements in its HR processes, particularly in the areas of leave management, compliance, payroll, and employee engagement. 

The ongoing support from Appogee HR has been another standout aspect. Regular catch-up reviews, provided by the Customer Success team at Appogee HR, have allowed Awesome CIC to provide feedback, suggest new features, and stay updated on upcoming developments. “Having a dedicated and consistent point of contact for annual catch-up reviews has been a tremendous asset and something we truly appreciate” 

This consistent communication has enhanced the overall user experience, reinforcing the partnership between Awesome CIC and Appogee HR.

For Awesome CIC, the adoption of Appogee HR has been a positive and transformative experience. The system’s ease of use and robust reporting capabilities have been particularly valuable. Guy and his team have been able to focus more on their mission—serving the children and young people of Islington through high-quality play services—while enjoying the benefits of a streamlined and efficient HR system. The software’s user-friendly interface, strong integration with Xero, and superior customer support has made it an invaluable asset to the organisation.

Streamline your charity's HR with Appogee HR: Powerful tools, simplified

At Appogee HR, we understand the unique challenges that charities and social organizations face. Limited resources and tight budgets often mean sacrificing robust HR practices. That's where Appogee HR comes in.

We offer a user-friendly HR platform specifically designed for the needs of charities and social organisations. Our software provides you with the functionality you need to manage your people effectively, all delivered with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface.

Focus on your mission, not HR headaches. Appogee HR makes managing your workforce effortless, freeing you to dedicate more time and energy to the causes you care about.

Ready to experience the difference Appogee HR can make to your organisation?

Start your free 14 day trial today and see how our software can streamline your HR operations. Alternatively, our team can show you firsthand how Appogee HR can power your HR team and empower your mission with a personalised demo.