Today, there is no way around the digitisation of HR management. The CHT Group has also recognised and implemented the added value of a company-wide cloud-based solution for HR management. In order to ensure efficient and globally consistent HR processes and to meet the demands of modern HR work in the future, the rapidly growing company has transformed its group-wide HR processes.
Our HR department is now almost paperless. This speeds up our processes immensely and makes processing very simple and efficient for everyone involved.
Rainer Hallenberger
Group VP HR & Corporate Development, CHT Group
Globally integrated solution needed
Until 2018, whether in recruiting, HR controlling or even payroll, there was a strong reliance on manual paper processes. A ‘stand-alone’ HR management system could not meet the requirements of digital and efficient HR management. Besides the low user acceptance, there was also a lack of:
- A global, integrated concept that could be used quickly and cost-effectively in the worldwide companies
- A transparent overview of the globally distributed workforce
- Tools for digital recruiting and global human resources management
- Modern talent and performance management
End-to-end cloud-based HR management
The CHT Group had a clear idea of what a new solution had to offer. In addition to end-to-end cloud-based HR management, the focus was on a solution that would meet the needs of a company with complex structures and high growth ambitions, be agile and act as a future-proof foundation.
After an intensive selection process, CHT Group chose Workday's Enterprise Management Cloud, including the Workday Human Capital Management, Absence Management, Recruiting, Learning, Talent & Performance and Integrations solutions. CHT was able to complete the deployment in July 2019 after less than ten months of implementation.
Conscious investment in the change process
Preparing employees optimally for the change – that was a crucial point for the CHT Group. The change process was accompanied from the very beginning by appropriate training and a company-wide communication strategy. This approach was particularly important in order to make the change as simple and intuitive as possible for all employees and managers. Hallenberger comments: "Our aim was not only to increase acceptance, but also to clearly focus on the added value of the new HR system for each individual employee. During the implementation, we focused on topics such as recruiting, absence (leave requests, etc.), payslip and talent processes. The efficient further development and integration of HR processes were our main focus during the implementation."
HR with a mobile-first approach
With Workday, CHT relies on a cloud architecture that flexibly adapts to CHT's growth, accommodates regulatory changes, offers innovations such as AI and machine learning, and is updated twice a year with no additional installation effort. As a result, the midmarket company is positioning itself optimally for the future of HR and modern, hybrid work models. With the mobile-first approach, access to HR-relevant processes and data is possible for all employees on all five continents at any time, 24/7 for all 2,400 employees.
With heart and sustainability
People are a top priority for the CHT Group and are firmly anchored in the company's values. This is also reflected in the stated ambition of the global HR team: "Through smart HR services, we create a work environment at CHT Group where people love to work, are fully engaged and give their best." That's our aspiration, and it's what we champion every day.
Recruiting and onboarding are important areas for a company like CHT, which is growing both organically and inorganically. But adding new employees to the HR master data system in an uncomplicated and quick manner during acquisitions is also essential. Optimal employee integration from day one is important for a sustainably successful company.
Transparency for HR key figures worldwide
The digitisation of HR processes and a consistent system have significantly accelerated the application and hiring process at CHT: "Our HR department is now almost paperless. Pay slips, leave applications, HR reports, etc. are now only processed digitally. This speeds up our processes immensely and makes processing very simple and efficient for everyone involved," says Hallenberger.
The medium-sized company is now also creating greater transparency in talent management: employees can create their personal talent profile in the system and thus document individual competencies and experience, expand their skills through the learning offering, hold feedback meetings and advance their professional careers within CHT. In this way, the HR department gains transparency worldwide with regard to the global workforce, HR key figures and HR processes such as succession planning or performance management.
HR as a business-enabler
In order to position itself successfully in the competition for experienced and young talent, CHT wants to strengthen its position for the future in the areas of employee development, leadership and global cooperation.
Hallenberger sees the global HR team as a ‘business enabler’ for this change and an important success factor in being able to assert itself globally as a modern, attractive employer in the SME sector. He also believes that openness to new innovations and developments is a matter of course. "We will look at topics such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in HR. One example here is Workday's chatbot functions, which support us in constantly improving and taking efficient HR processes to the next level. In this way, HR can help to ensure that the CHT Group can continue to grow sustainably and profitably as ONE Winning Team.”