Cezanne’s BIG Review of 2024

Cezanne’s BIG Review of 2024 in summary:

• 2024 was a significant year for the team here at Cezanne with multiple product launches and system releases. Notable launches included a hard-hitting investigative report, a new Learning Management System (LMS), and in-house Payroll software… not to mention monthly System releases throughout the year.
• We actively participated in various events, including the HR Tech Show, CIPD Festival of Work, and the CIPP Annual Conference. These events featured workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, highlighting our commitment to engaging with the HR community and showcasing their products.
• We received several accolades in 2024, including nominations for the TIARA Talent Tech Star Award for Customer Service and spots on Capterra’s 2024 Shortlists for training and leave management software. These recognitions underscore our dedication to delivering high-quality HR solutions.

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2024 was a biggie for everyone here at Cezanne.

From exciting new product launches to invigorating events throughout the year, the past twelve months have been a rollercoaster! So, how did it all play out? From big launches to headline-worthy milestones, here’s a whirlwind tour of Cezanne’s standout moments in 2024!

January

We kicked off the year with the launch of a hard-hitting investigative report: It’s All HR’s Fault. Created in collaboration with the brilliant HR Ninjas community, the report delved into why HR continues to suffer from a poor reputation – and some of the results certainly made for concerning reading! Our report discovered that:

• 83% of HR professionals believe HR’s is suffering from a tarnished reputation,
• Manual processes and unmanageable workloads are the biggest barriers to success for HR professionals,
• 54% of HR professionals rarely or never receive recognition for their efforts,
• Over half of HR professionals have considered quitting the profession.

The report was certainly a hit with readers and became one of our most downloaded investigations ever! Not to mention also being picked up by a number of press outlets here in the UK and abroad.

We also began the New Year with a System Release which focused on making life easier for HR teams. It added handy features to Cezanne: like reusable appraisal templates and better tools for setting up new hires. Plus, the search functions got a nice little boost. You can read more about it here.

February

February was a big month for everyone here at Cezanne! It saw the launch of our new Learning Management System (LMS), which makes training more engaging and accessible for everyone. With features like a built-in content creator, a library of ready-to-use materials, and smart automation, businesses can level up and supercharge employee development. It’s user-friendly, works on any device (even offline!) and integrates seamlessly with Cezanne’s existing HR suite. A definite highlight of the year!

Along with the new LMS, the February system release introduced significant user-driven updates to enhance HR efficiencies: including duplicable onboarding portals for faster new starter setups, streamlined documentation processes, and improved usability in compensation planning and Active Directory features. You can learn more about February’s release here.

March

March saw our very own Learning and Development Manager Grace Meritt-Hall participate in an enlightening panel discussion with The HR World on the topic of leveraging digital learning tools. The webinar made up of a panel of industry experts looked at how these tools can transform employee development. If you want to give it a watch, just follow this link.

And, following the path of our 2024 roadmap, we also delivered a new system update. March’s update included significant updates to enhance the user experience for all customers and streamline even more day-to-day HR tasks. Key features include automated document generation triggered by notifications, SCIM integration for easier and more secure user identity management, and mandatory biometric or PIN unlocking for the mobile app, improving security. You can read more about the release here.

April

The start of Spring signalled the beginning of festival season here at Cezanne. Our first of the year was the massive HR Technologies Show at London’s ExCeL Arena, where we debuted a new-look stand and demo pods – and it proved to be a big hit with visitors! We were visited by huge numbers of attendees over the course of the two days, who were all treated to expert advice and demonstrations of the Cezanne platform… not to mention generous handfuls of pick’n’mix sweets!

It wasn’t just our stand that gained a big audience, though. Our own Head of Customer Success Peter Hall helmed a lively workshop that dived into the art of successful HRIS implementations. Speaking to a packed seminar theatre, Peter discussed the key practices that can help businesses prepare themselves and their teams for the implementation of a new HRIS, and the central pillars for seamless implementations.

Away from the world of work, we rounded off the month with the first of many social gatherings during the year with a spot of swinging… at crazy Golf. Members of our London office headed out into the bright lights of The City for some friendly competition at Swinger’s Crazy Golf – with the Customer Success team proving victorious.

May

May was another massive month for everyone at Cezanne. Along with a big System Release, it saw the launch of our brand-new in-house Payroll software which seamlessly combines people and pay data to equip businesses with everything required to be both compliant and data-driven in their processes.

At the same time, we also successfully applied for FSQS registration and certification. This ensured that we have the processes and procedures in place to provide a secure and resilient service to all our customers – essential when processing sensitive payroll data!

However, it wasn’t just product-based news that was making the headlines. For the second year in a row, we were nominated for a prestigious TIARA Talent Tech Star Award for Customer Service. The award recognises excellence in client service and best value in the delivery of a Recruitment or HR technology solution. It’s a nomination everyone at Cezanne was incredibly proud of receiving! We’d discover if we won the award in June…

June

We were back at London’s ExCeL Arena in June; this time, exhibiting at sprawling 2024 CIPD Festival of Work – and what an event it turned out to be! The Cezanne stand was alive with energy throughout the two-day event! From back-to-back 1:1 demos of the Cezanne HR system to animated chats about the hottest trends in people operations, there was never a dull moment over the two days. By the time the doors closed, the team had definitely earned themselves a celebratory glass of fizz! But, it wasn’t the only big event in June…

Our Summer Sync Up event also took place and it gave both our London and Glasgow offices a chance to get together, catch up with the latest developments and plan for the second half of the year. The two-day event featured workshops, closer looks at upcoming system enhancements and an engaging panel discussion with clients of Cezanne. And, away from the internal networking, there was also an evening of axe throwing… within a controlled and safe environment of course!

The month finished with the launch of our Precision Pays Off investigative report and the glittering TIARA Awards, which took place in Belgravia, London. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the award this time; however, simply being nominated was a huge honour for us – and besides, there’s always next year!

July

July brought a change in leadership at Cezanne, with Simon Noble announced as the company’s new CEO. Stepping up from his role as Chief Commercial Officer, Simon spoke of his enthusiasm to continue the great work of company founder Alberto Gabbai, and making the business ‘the best possible version of itself’. And, as we reach the end of 2024, the company has enjoyed further incredible growth: with the Cezanne product developing into a true best-in-class solution for HR and payroll professionals.

Members of the Cezanne team also partook in a couple of lively events: the first being a panel discussion about the Good that HR does with HR publication The HR World, and the second being a new payroll event by the CIPP – Payroll Live. And, rounding off a busy month, a new System Release was launched which featured onboarding portal dashboard updates, new Payroll functionality, APIs and much more! You can read all about it here.

Rounding off the month was meant to be our traditional company picnic in Hyde Park: however, the Great British weather put pay to that! Instead, the Cezanne team indulged their sweet and savoury teeth at the wonderful Arcade Food Hall.

August

We’ll be honest: August was a bit of a quiet month here at Cezanne Towers. With the summer holidays in full swing and the majority of our personnel having their well-deserved summer breaks, the only real thing of note during the month was a new System Release! It brought additional payroll functionality, new events widgets and enhancements to the user experience – you can read all about it here.

September

The start of September saw us launch a brand-new guide: Your First 90 Days as an HR Leader – and it proved to be one of our most popular content offers of all time! The guide details how you can make the perfect start in an HR leadership role, avoid common pitfalls and drive impactful change within an organisation.

October

The start of Autumn began with a team from Cezanne attending the always-lively CIPP Annual Conference and Exhibition at the wonderful Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. Along with connecting with payroll pros and answering lots of questions about our HR and payroll software, the team also got their glad rags on for an evening of celebration at the CIPP Awards. We’re already looking forward to 2025’s event!

We finished the month with the launch of one of our biggest System Releases of the year: with new Clock In/Out Activities, added document flexibility, onboarding enhancements and much more. You can read more about it here.

November

We may have been approaching the end of the year, but the penultimate month had an absolutely packed schedule!

First up was the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition in Manchester, where a team from Cezanne hosted detailed 1:1 demos of our HRIS and talked all-things HR and payroll with literally hundreds of attendees. Our stand proved to be one of the more popular spots at the event – certainly helped by the delightful combination of pick’n’mix and bubbly!

Later in the month, we returned to the bright lights of Manchester to be part of the inaugural Evolving HR Conference; and what a delight it was! Our own CEO Simon Noble and Head of Customer Success Peter Hall took part in a lively panel discussion about how to support successful HRIS rollouts, and the team also got the chance to network with some genuinely talented and engaging people professionals.

However, our biggest event of the month – and indeed the year – was Cezanne Connect: our new and improved User Group Meeting! Cezanne Connect 2024 brought energy and inspiration, turning the London Stadium into a thriving hub for HR & payroll professionals.

With over 250 attendees, the event featured thought-provoking talks, engaging workshops and the first-ever Cezanne Awards, which celebrated client achievements. Highlights of the day included a keynote from celebrated HR consultant and founder of Ethica HR, Kirsty Baggs-Morgan, plus plenty of networking and hands-on sessions exploring people management challenges and exploring the future of Cezanne’s products.

Topping off an already October was the news Cezanne had earned not one but two spots on Capterra’s coveted 2024 Shortlists: being recognised as top-rated software for both training and leave management. These accolades are a testament to the system’s user-friendly design, flexibility, and powerful features that continue to impress customers. It’s a big win for the business, who are dedicated to making HR’s life easier by delivering tools that truly work for today’s organisations.

Oh, and we also launched another system release… phew… what a month!

December

With the end of the year approaching, December has been a time of reflection and planning ahead for 2025. 2024 proved to be a pivotal year for everyone in the business; so, the opportunity for everyone to celebrate our successes at our Christmas party at the F1 Arcade in London was the perfect way to round off the year.

2025 is shaping up to be another huge year in the history of Cezanne: with a range of new system updates and new features launching throughout the year. Plus, we’re also looking forward to attending more events than ever before, including an even bigger Cezanne Connect event! With so many good things going on, we can’t wait to get started.