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PRINT.IT
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WORKFLOW
We originally
had a paper-
based system
but wanted
something
that we
could use to
capture hours
accurately for
all staff
Established more than 600 years
ago, St Andrews Links is known
throughout the world as the Home
of Golf. Each year, more than
230,000 rounds of golf are played
on its seven public courses, with
visitors also making use of three
clubhouses, five stores and a golf
academy.
The St Andrews Links Trust
employs a permanent workforce
of about 250 to maintain greens
and fairways throughout the year,
run the golf shops and manage
clubhouse facilities. In addition,
during peak periods, it takes on as
many as 100 seasonal workers.
Because the workload changes
throughout the year in line with
hours of daylight and seasonal
peaks, employees work flexible
hours. Seasonal workers are
paid by the hour, while permanent
staff members have annualised
contracts, under which they are
paid a set monthly amount, based
on a rostered working week over
12 months, with the agreement
that they will work flexibly to meet
seasonal demand.
To work properly, this system
depends on accurate time and
attendance records. The St Andrews
Links Trust used to employ a system
based on manual timesheets, which
was not only time-consuming to
administer but error-prone, with staff
sometimes forgetting clock-in/out
times and dates.
In order to eliminate these
inefficiencies, the Trust’s Human
Resources Manager Ann Stuart
turned to Carval HR Unity, a fully
integrated Payroll, Time and
Attendance and HR software
package.
“Our business is very seasonal
and we annualise staff working
hours to simplify administration and
make the system transparent and
fair. We originally had a paper-based
system but wanted something that
we could use to capture hours
accurately for all staff and generate
the payroll. Carval’s system could
do everything we wanted it to do
and we could tailor it to meet our
specific needs,” she said.
Now all staff, permanent
and seasonal, clock in and out
using proximity cards. As well as
recording and streamlining the
administration of working hours,
the software’s payroll function
integrates seamlessly with the
accounts department nominal
ledger from where BACS payments
are processed.
Having one automated system
for capturing hours worked and
managing payroll saves time and
has enabled St Andrews Links to
administer the process with just
one full-time manager and one part-
time employee. Such staffing levels
would have been unthinkable in the
days of paper forms and manual
processing.
Reduced administration
All department supervisors and
managers use the system to
manage staff hours, including
exceptions that would once have
created additional paperwork and
complexity.
For example, when events are
held off-site and clocking terminals
can’t be used, managers can log
a business absence within the
system to ensure that the correct
hours are maintained. An absence
tracking feature provides an audit
In the last issue of
PrintIT
, we published the results of a survey by Adobe showing that 78% of HR
departments are frustrated with paper-based workflows, including the inefficiencies of working
with paper forms. This month we show how St Andrews golf course is using HR software to
eliminate paper timesheets and streamline time recording and payroll.
Paper no longer a handicap
trail should there be an attendance
issue or dispute.
Holidays and sickness are also
administered through the system.
A self-certification form has been
created, as well as a return to work
form, saving time for managers and
staff alike.
The recruitment module within
Carval HR Unity has brought
further efficiencies to the HR team.
“The whole recruitment process
is handled automatically, from
receiving the application form to
completing the HR records. I really
like that – it saves a lot of time,”
explained Ann.
Easy to use reports
Another major attraction of the
software is its customisable
reporting function, which makes it
easy for the HR team to produce
accurate records for staff and
regular monthly reports for
managers and directors, detailing
staff numbers, hours worked and
associated costs.
“Staff and managers really
like the visibility provided by
the system. It means that they
can keep track of their hours,
take advantage of flexible work
requirements, knowing that their
hours will be balanced and that this
is managed in an equitable way
that is fair to all,” Ann said.
Summing up the benefits of
Carval HR Unity to St Andrews
Links Trust, she added: “Carval
HR Unity enables us to manage a
highly diverse workforce, delivering
a world class service to our
customers. We are able to meet
seasonal demand efficiently while
ensuring that our staff members
are looked after during the winter
months, when there is typically
less work. For example, our Castle
Course is only open from March to
November. This could have caused
staffing issues, but thanks to
Carval we can manage this.”
