Miele
How Virginia Hayward Ltd Transformed HR, Payroll and Time & Attendance
01
A single platform for HR, Payroll and Time & Attendance
One connected system replaced multiple manual processes, giving Virginia Hayward a central, accurate record of all employee data, documents and people management tasks.
02
Self-service tools that empower every member of staff
Employees can view payslips, book holidays and update their personal details directly through the self-service portal or the HBHR mobile app, reducing admin queries and freeing up the HR team to focus on higher-value work.
03
Tailored support from implementation and beyond
Dedicated account management and a highly responsive support team guided the business from implementation through to go-live and remain on hand for day-to-day queries beyond.
The Background
Virginia Hayward Ltd, is one of the UK’s most established luxury hamper and gifting companies, founded in 1984 by Gin and Geoff Hayward and proudly family-owned ever since. Handcrafting hampers from their base in rural Dorset, the business has built a reputation for quality over more than 40 years.
With a core team of over 85 full-time staff that at least doubles in size during the festive peak season, managing HR and Payroll is no small task. The business needed a platform that could handle both its year-round workforce and its significant seasonal fluctuations, flexibly, accurately and without adding to the administrative burden.
The Challenge
For a business that scales its workforce so dramatically each year, having HR, Payroll and time management working in sync is essential. Prior to implementing HBHR, Virginia Hayward’s HR and Payroll functions were managed across a combination of disconnected systems and manual processes, making it difficult to maintain an accurate, up-to-date picture of the workforce.
Absence tracking, holiday management, employee documents and payroll data were spread across separate tools, creating duplication and increasing the risk of errors, particularly at the business-critical peak periods when the team is under the most pressure.
The HR team needed a single, centralised solution that could be tailored to their specific operational needs and would be intuitive enough for all colleagues to use with minimal training.
The Solution
All employee data, documents, holiday requests, absence records and payroll are now managed in one place. The employee self-service portal, and the HBHR mobile app give colleagues direct access to their payslips, the ability to book time off and the tools to keep their personal details up to date, without having to go through HR.
The platform was configured around the specific needs of the Virginia Hayward business, with dedicated support from their HBHR account manager throughout the initial setup and in the day-to-day running of the system.
The Results
Since going live, the impact on Virginia Hayward’s operations has been extremely positive. The HR team now has one central, accurate home for all employee information, which is accessible on desktop and mobile. This has significantly reduced the time spent on manual admin tasks and improving the accuracy of data across the board.
With a scalable, tailored platform now in place, Virginia Hayward is well-positioned to manage its seasonal peaks with greater confidence, supported by a system that can flex with the demands of the business.
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“The ability to have a single source for all employee data, documents, holiday requests, and absence tracking is invaluable. It is incredibly easy to use for both the HR team and employees. Our Account Manager Emma has been a fantastic support throughout — from initial setup to answering ad-hoc questions; her responses are fast, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful. In short, HBHR is a strong tool for any business looking to streamline their HR processes and empower their workforce.”