Information Systems case study
Case Description:SCP*, in Washington State provides electric power to 330,000 households and water to 19,000 homesthroughout a territory covering 2,200 square miles. In 2013, the Everett, Washington-based organizationtook a hard look at its 1,100-member workforce, which had many experienced and capable employees.Nonetheless, more than 35% were eligible to retire within five years. This impending staff turnover andassociated need to recruit IT staff, engineers, and other technical positions spurred SCP to analyze itsEmployee Resources (ER) department and recruitment systems.An aging human resources (HR) system had been used for employee data and benefits, with accessrestricted to HR employees. Managers in other departments could not make changes to employee dataor obtain information for their employees. Outdated processes included paper-based performanceappraisals and manually conveying employee data that originated in HR into the payroll system. Boggeddown with day-to-day tasks, the SCP ER department could not concentrate on the career developmentand talent recruitment needs for future success.SCPs CIO and ER director began searching for a self-service system that would enable employees toaccess and update their own data. Employees today, accustomed to instant smartphone access to allmanner of personal data, are put off by having to contact the HR department every time a minor issuearises. Also, high0tech employees today expect to be able to access information whenever and howevernecessary to perform their jobs.SCP decided to update its SAP ERP system to consolidate and create a single system of record and to useSAPs cloud version to maintain its HR records because SAP had a strong commitment to cloudtechnology. SCP also decided to implement in parallel SuccessFactors, SAPs cloud-based human capitalmanagement suite.Because both crews in the field and in-house employees would be able to access data from the cloud onany device from any location, a major challenge was assuring them that their data would be safe. A keycomponent of end-user training had to outline Success Factors built-in security measures for protectingemployee personally identifiable information and meeting the privacy requirements of the HealthInsurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).To implement SuccessFactors, the project team used a wave approach in which pieces of software werereleased to employees in stages so they could gradually get comfortable with the new system. TheProject Preparation stage began in March 2014. All fundamental business processes were examined anda business process design settled upon. Next, in the Business Blueprint stage, a detailed description ofthe business processes and system requirements was outlined to produce the project structure anddocumentation.By May the team was ready to launch the first wave of the Realization stage. ADP Payroll and twoSuccessFactors modules, Employee Central and Learning, were rolled out along with Benefitfocus, abenefits administration package. Employee Central is the core self-service HR system in which employees can enter data about their skills, areas of concentration, accomplishments, and proficienciesand where managers can enter information such as salary changes, promotions, and terminations.Employee Central is linked to Learning, the talent management module in which curriculum can bedeveloped, deployed, and managed.From November 2014 to March 2015, the second wave rolled out SAP Jam, the social collaboration tool,and SuccessFactors modules for compensation management, performance and goals, successionmanagement, career development and planning and the competency framework. The third and finalwave took place in August of 2015, deploying SuccessFactors modules for recruiting management,recruiting marketing, onboarding, workforce planning and analytics, and advanced reporting. TheRealization phase concluded within all business process requirements had been implemented.In the final preparation stage, the SAP ERP system was integrated with SuccessFactors to complete thefinal configuration. All HR data were now linked to security access controls, all processes for employeetime tracking, and ADP payroll. The Go Live and Support phase began in September 2015.The wave rollout created a climate of persistently building on success. This and the meticulouslyassembled project team propelled the project forward. Headed by a functional lead from the ERdepartment and assisted by several strategic subject matter experts (SMEs) who rotated in and out toperform system and end-user acceptance testing, the team also included SAP specialists from DeloitteConsulting.As with any project, there were a few issues. Despite the full support of management and the utilitysboard of commissioners, the project struggled with improper resource allocation. With all departmentsnaturally having to maintain normal operations, transferring team members in and out sometimesresulted in understaffing either departmentally or on the project team. Key ER staff members helped tonavigate these rough waters with their thorough knowledge of HR processes and complete familiaritywith SuccessFactors.Change management was addressed upfront and consistently emphasized. From the start, the projectwas presented as a company transformation as opposed to simply an IT initiative to foster anatmosphere of shared commitment. The Deloitte partners recommended a change champion process.Groups of employees were inserted in various departments to make sure that their colleaguesunderstood the system. They served as trainers, trouble shooters, helpers, and cheerleader. Assisted bysuper users, they used SuccessFactors Learning module to make sure that all employees would beready the Go Live day arrived. Each employee in the ER department participated in testing so that theywere well versed in every aspect of the new system and capable of helping the colleagues. A dedicatedinternal corporate communications team reinforced and encourage these efforts.Project objectives and targets were successfully met, in part because each core business process wasassigned to a senior leader. These business process owners had developed backup procedures. Thisfreed team members to make on-the-spot system implementation decisions without worrying aboutbusiness process interruptions It also meant that it was mainly broader issues that were shuttled up theexecutive decision-making chain.Centralized, transparent employee data have resulted not only in huge time savings but also in anoticeable companywide morale boost. Managers and employees can monitor goal setting and performance evaluations, enter feedback, and respond to comments in real time as opposed to thecumbersome paper system previously used. A number of anticipated HR systems and their attendantmaintenance costs were eliminated. ER personnel are no longer dependent on the IT department to runreports and perform analytics. All HR business processes have been consolidated into a single streamthat follows employees through their careers and beyond. Next up is to optimize the careerdevelopment and succession planning tools so that when positions are vacated, whether throughpromotion, resignation, or retirement, a ready and able replacement is internally available*Snohomish County Public Utility District
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