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Sigma wanted to introduce a clear HR-IT strategy for all Sigma companies with common and efficient digital processes

Sigma is one of the largest privately owned consulting companies in Sweden with 5000 employees spread out across 15 offices in 5 countries

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www.sigma.se

Purpose and goal for the HR system investment

To introduce a clear HR-IT strategy for all Sigma companies with common, efficient and digital processes.

Sigma Group wanted one common source of master data with the possibility to automate processes for increased efficiency, quality, security, traceability, GDPR, ISO and customer requirements. Sigma's complexity required the possibility to make company specific adjustments within the group, to ensure maximum business value for both the group and the individual companies.

The organisation has a dynamic work force, with a staff turnover of 25% every year, demanding a lot of administrative work for both HR and IT in handling on- and offboarding. The pandemic also introduced a high need for reboarding, when rehiring staff.  

Sigma wanted to move HR to the centre of the digitalisation, to strengthen the employee experience for enhanced competitiveness and employer branding, as well as supporting proactive and efficient leadership to give leaders more time for employee support.

  • Reduce quality risk and security risk
  • Improve traceability and better support to handle GDPR, ISO and customer requirements
  • Improve efficiency and reduce manual solutions
  • Improve the employee experience

 

Proof of real success

This was the first group wide project Sigma completed. Involvement from all companies made it possible to establish communication lines, exchange experiences around HR processes, learn from each other, and solve critical challenges.

By implementing a common HCM solution, Sigma now has a system that links processes, and makes it more relevant, transparent and easy to access for all employees. Internal surveys show that feedback from managers is positive.

Today, over 300 managers work according to a structured process that enhances both IT security, efficiency and leadership quality.

Christian Malmberg- Key factors for the success have been to get buy-in from internal stakeholders at an early stage, appoint project managers who understand on what grounds the decision was made, commitment from the steering group, and a great match with CatalystOne. It is crucial to build a strong partnership with the vendor, says Christian Malmberg, CIO Sigma IT. 

 

Significant reductions in time spent on HR administration: 

50% reduction in time spent during onboarding of new employees
75% reduction in time spent during employment 

40% reduction in time spent by the IT department handling HR-related matters like handling hardware, licenses, and subscriptions 

The implementation success rests on:

  • Good communication and dialogue all the way
  • High priority of the project from all parties
  • High understanding from the vendor of customer requirements and the extra complexity of ”the Sigma setup”
  • Broad configuration possibilities in the system
  • A lot of testing (in line with CatalystOne’s project methodology)
  • Fact based decisions and ways of working

Some of the proofs of success:

  1. More modules have been implemented after initial Go-Live, and potentially even more to come
  2. Companies not yet included actively ask to join
  3. The companies discuss new challenges in terms of ”can we solve this by using HR4Sigma”?
  4. When problems occur in other systems/projects they are often compared with how well things work in HR4Sigma
  5. ”How did we make it before HR4Sigma?”
  6. Developed a true partnership between Sigma & CatalystOne

 

Personnel matters during the pandemic

Eva Olsson Sigma- When the pandemic hit, the system made it possible for the managers to spend their time on the right task – taking care of the people . They needed to spend time with worried staff, and that was now possible because of all the information they could get from the system - you can access exact employee data by the push of a button. It also made it possible to handle furloughs, and for having discussions with the union and the people. Another important aspect was reboarding – the process of getting people back. Eva Olsson, Sr Project Leader and Business Development Manager

Having the system in place, made the company more recilient to the forced changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, with aspects such as:

  • Access to centralised, high quality personnel data
  • Well defined on- & offboarding workflows
  • Fast setup of a reboarding process
  • Data stored in correct location and with a verified and documented purpose
  • Everyone knows Where-What-When-How-Why through introduction of  workflows

Sigma won "HR System Project of the Year" in 2020 - and on that occasion we held a webinar where they got to share tips and experiences about the project. The webinar has already been recorded and is available to watch, follow the link below.

Ondemand-LI-HR-systemprojekt-eng

 

The challenge

Sigma Group needed a HR system to reduce manual processes and improve security as well as digital employee experience. As a world wide organisation - with seven different company groups, Sigma needed a group common, yet company specific solution. The different companies had unique needs and high requirements on quality, flexibility, fast decisions and adjustments, all at the same time.

The solution

As the first company wide initiative, involving more than 300 managers, Sigma has developed a common foundation with flexibility for individual company needs and add ons. Today, over 300 managers work according to a structured process that enhances both IT security, efficiency and leadership quality.

Goals and fulfillment

Sigma has managed to reduce time spent on HR administration with 50-75% (for the HR, managers and salary department) , and IT's time on HR related matters with 40%. The companies of Sigma Group now have systematic and thought-through workflows that create great business value and positive employee engagement. The system supported processes have resulted in compliance (GDPR, ISO, IT Security, Customer requirements) and the project has created improved relations - both centrally and locally - where exchange of experiences that didn’t exist before have taken form. Improvement measures have become easier to both discuss and implement, with less need for change management/education.

Now we have the foundation to build on

One set of master data with the possibility to automate and make processes efficient, putting HR in the center of digitalisation

Eva Olsson Sigma

“We have reduced the time spent on HR administration with more than 50% and IT's time handling HR-related matters by 40%. After implementing CatalystOne, the best feedback we get from managers is the question “How did we manage before?” And we are just getting started.”

– Eva Olsson, Business Developer, Sigma IT

Learn more about our Competency module

Do you have a solid understanding of existing competencies within your organisation?

TheVIT used CatalystOne Competence Developer to gain insight into the skills and competencies in their workforce. This solution gives HR, management and senior leadership a complete overview of skill gaps in your organisation or department. 

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