One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is engaging directly with customers to hear their HR digital transformation stories. It’s inspiring to learn about their unique configurations, the challenges overcome, and the benefits realized. Our recent 3rd customer roundtable event was a testament to the value of these interactions. The 90-minute session was filled with rich HR insights into best practices and innovative solutions.
Our diverse group of attendees represented industries such as public utilities, manufacturing, and packaging. Their openness and enthusiasm were truly refreshing. As we discussed their successes, it became clear that the Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on many organizations. This period underscored the critical importance of HR data and content access, pushing many to prioritize their digital transformation efforts. The consensus was clear: Cloud solutions were pivotal.
Several organizations utilized OpenText™ Professional Services to digitize years of employee records. Initially, there were concerns about transferring sensitive records first to a secure warehouse, then secondly to have the original available in the cloud. Compliance with internal and external audits was also a significant consideration. Pre-digitization, inconsistent paper records posed major challenges, with documents often misfiled, leading to frustrating and time-consuming retrieval processes.
Digital realm:
In their new digital world accessing records became both fast and accurate. Even during the transition, the process was remarkably efficient. OpenText not only offered storage and management, but also excelled in document capture and transformation. The full-text search feature significantly reduced document retrieval times, and users were pleasantly surprised by the clarity of digital images compared to their paper counterparts.
Centralizing historical documents in a secure location ensured readiness for government and legal requirements. This newfound accessibility allowed teams to work remotely, accessing files from anywhere – a significant step forward. With eyes on the future, many are now focusing on further risk reduction. They are collaborating with legal teams to define purging schedules, leveraging intelligent records retention modules to apply different schedules to various record types.
HR self-service:
Another highlight was the discussion on self-service for document uploads. Organizations have developed cheat sheets and configuration options to ensure consistency across multiple sites. Recent product updates now guide users to upload specific files to designated folders, streamlining the process and enhancing accuracy.
The roundtable also highlighted the versatility of the OpenText document management solution, particularly for rapidly expanding companies. The ability to access documents online from anywhere proved invaluable, allowing for quick responses to unexpected requests and helping to balance work and home commitments.
One customer successfully implemented OpenText SAP® SuccessFactors® Extended ECM solution alongside SAP SuccessFactors in the cloud, addressing the challenge of managing a large volume of legacy documents.
Lesson learned:
An important lesson from one attendee was to make sure there was a separation of the HR platform from the corporate document management solution. For them it proved crucial, enabling easier and faster upgrades with fewer internal approvals. Their department transitioned to the employee workspace module easily as they use centralized records. However, their recruitment process meant there were no workspace or folders until the date of onboarding, this kept their system clean and removed unnecessary clean up processes.
Another innovative approach discussed was the integration of ‘WebReports’ module into the document management solution to automate the movement and updating of employee content and data to SAP SuccessFactors.
Looking ahead, several key requirements emerged for the future. Ensuring support tickets are correctly tagged and support teams well-trained were highlighted as critical factors influencing user experience. Effective communication within and outside the organization was emphasized as essential for project success, from document preparation to employee self-service transitions. More training for administrators was also deemed crucial for improved knowledge transfer, sustainability, and reduced service costs.
Future and roadmap:
A particularly exciting topic was document generation. Attendees were eager to explore how employees could create specific documents based on permissions, using SAP SuccessFactors data for bi-directional information flow. This capability could automate the creation of offer letters and contracts, with signed documents immediately available for people analytics.
Finally, we delved into the promising solution roadmap and SAP partnership developments, including advancements in analytics, AI, and deeper integration with other SAP SuccessFactors modules. The launch of the digital success toolkit, featuring product demos, how-to videos, updates, and success resources, was also met with enthusiasm.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who attended and shared their insights. I look forward to our next roundtable and the continued journey of innovation and success.
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