Croner, the UK’s leading provider of workplace information and consultancy services, part of Wolters Kluwer, launches Croner Simplify www.croner.co.uk/simplify, a proactive business compliance solution integrating dedicated consultant support with a secure online resource. The new service is aimed at SMEs and is designed to reduce time and money spent on legal and regulatory issues, improving overall business productivity.
Croner Simplify helps SMEs benefit from expert support on HR, health and safety, financial administration and other commercial legal enquiries. Central to the service is Croner Simplify Online, a secure, web-based service that streamlines administration and provides guidance on common processes such as disciplinary actions or accident reporting.
A traffic light warning system proactively alerts businesses to any immediate actions, upcoming deadlines and potential problems, while also sending a message to their dedicated Croner consultant team, who will contact the business to talk through the situation, offering support and guidance when they need to act on a particular issue. This provides an opportunity to spot any trends such as regular employee absences, enabling the business to address the issue before it becomes a time consuming and costly problem. In the event of a crisis a local consultant will be available in person to help minimise the impact on the business.
Designed to be flexible to specific company needs, the online solution enables SMEs to store and manage employee records in one central location, from employee details, holiday forms, sickness absence and health and safety assessments, replacing the need for paper and leaving a clear audit trail. The system is populated with over 400 document templates, including employment and health and safety documentation that can be tailored to business and industry specific needs and, if the business has existing documentation, this can be directly stored in the system.
“New research by Croner has revealed over half of people working in SME organisations have no formal HR training, and one in 10 spends almost two days a week on HR,” says Richard Smith, Head of Service Development at Croner. “While it’s important that companies adhere to HR processes and other business regulations, it’s also important they spend time focusing on business survival and expansion.
“With Croner Simplify, businesses can streamline administration and get the practical guidance they need to minimise the risk of issues developing. Croner has 60 years’ experience dealing with compliance information and our team of 140 dedicated Croner consultants are well prepared to advise. They can help them through all the legal and regulatory issues that can impact business, freeing up key people in SMEs to focus on the core responsibilities of their job,” Richard Smith added.
The online solution also includes up-to-date information on changing business regulations, allowing SMEs to learn about new laws and best practice through training podcasts and interactive webinars.
