How HR becomes a value driver thanks to intelligent planning

“This has been the biggest value driver over the past year in optimising our HR function.” – Max Weber, Head of People, Workplace and Controlling

Enhanced insight into labour demand across store network

Quantifiable time savings empower managers to add value

In-house experts enabled to produce tailored training

AI allows people to focus on the factors that matter most

Launched in 2008, omni-channel eyewear retailer Mister Spex has faced a key challenge that affects many fast-growing retailers: decentralisation. 

According to the company’s Head of People, Workplace and Controlling Max Weber, “Decisions are being taken far away from HQ, which is typically where process, procedures and quality are managed across functions such as HR and finance.” 

Understanding the labour demand from store to store

“We have a much harder job managing quality in our 70+ stores, from Sweden to Switzerland,” says Weber. “You’re always rectifying the issues created by fast growth, in areas like underservice and workforce scheduling. “All the while you’re trying to increase profitability while improving processes, which has a cost.” 

But, as a Workday customer, the company has access to a highly effective solution, which has come fully into its own over the last year. “Having access to all the data we keep in Workday means we know the labour demand we’ll have in a particular store in a particular week and can prepare accordingly,” Weber says. “This has been the biggest value driver over the past year in optimising our HR function.” 

We can optimise how our people’s time is allocated, precisely calculating when they are required on the shop floor.

Max Weber, Head of People, Workplace and Controlling

Saving time, growing income 

Weber has been able to quantify the value of the time and resources that the use of Workday is freeing up. 

According to Weber, “Every week, we’re saving each store manager around 40 minutes of the time they would otherwise spend on HR-related matters. “That adds up to about one additional store manager per year who is not now needed, or time that’s liberated to generate sales.”

Weber emphasises how improved scheduling enables Mister Spex to realise even more benefits. “We can optimise how our people’s time is allocated, precisely calculating when they are required on the shop floor.” 

This is delivering a tangible financial advantage for the business. As Weber says, “It brings us a six-figure sum that we can save each month, enabling us to generate additional profitability. “That’s one of the fantastic benefits of the project.”

Delivering advantage across the business

The wider benefits of the Workday implementation at Mister Spex are visible across the business. According to Weber, these benefits can be seen from time tracking and recruitment to training and business partnering.  

“The gains we’re experiencing from better scheduling extend beyond our retail division,” Weber explains. “So we are expanding the use of our highly optimised time tracking to logistics and production, where many of the same challenges can occur.” 

Weber also emphasises the benefits of the additional Workday solutions the company has taken on. “With Workday Recruiting, we can bring people seamlessly from our careers page to payroll, with a significantly improved conversion rate,” Weber says. “And we’re increasingly leveraging the capabilities in Workday Learning too, enabling our experts in retail or production, for example, to produce training content that can better enable our existing staff members.” 

Another key area of improvement is in HR business partnering, extending far beyond simply coaching the company’s managers. “We’ve recently introduced Workday Peakon Employee Voice to help managers understand what their people are thinking and how they are feeling,” Weber says. “This is enabling them to formulate their own strategies and identify the projects required for a better employee experience.” 

With Workday Recruiting, we can bring people seamlessly from our careers page to payroll, with a significantly improved conversion rate.

Max Weber, Head of People, Workplace and Controlling

Freeing people up to focus on what really matters

Another factor that excites Weber is how Workday is accelerating investments in AI, which Mister Spex is leveraging across the business. 

As Weber says, “It’s great to see the tangible investment Workday has for some years been making in AI applications that really fit into a business process – apps that really make sense. “You don’t see that with many other platforms. 

“By applying AI, people can forget about 80% of the work and focus on the top 20% that really excites them,” Weber continues. “And you can clearly see that happening with Workday, which really sets Workday apart. “It can basically satisfy your company at every stage, from when it’s relatively small to when it scales into a large enterprise. 

“And, since a fast-growing business model often reinvents itself, you really need a partner who also regularly reinvents itself. “Once again, Workday is a great choice,” Weber concludes.


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