“We’ve invested a lot of time and effort over several years to build an HR system that will stand the test of time. Now, it’s about getting the most value from that investment. With Premium Services, we gain better oversight, deeper insights, and a more proactive way of working – helping us work both smarter and with a longer-term perspective,” says Åsa Engström, Product Owner for HR Systems at Svenska Spel.
Engström holds overall responsibility for all HR-related systems at Svenska Spel. She works in the HR department alongside 30 colleagues, while the company as a whole employs around 1100 people across Sweden. Svenska Spel is the country’s leading gaming company and a state-owned enterprise with a strong social commitment – including being Sweden’s largest sponsor of sports. It is closely related to Norsk Tipping in Norway.
For a company that operates in both digital and physical environments – and has high ambitions for both employee experience and operational efficiency – HR systems play a crucial role. When Svenska Spel partnered with CatalystOne in 2022, the goal was to modernise the entire HR platform and create a more future-oriented, data-driven way of working.
In short, CatalystOne was first implemented as the platform for HR Master Data. From there, Svenska Spel integrated it with several other core systems across the organisation. Although the transition involved replacing what had previously been a central HR and payroll system, Engström describes the implementation as both successful and efficient.
“It was an intense project, but it ran very smoothly. In fact, we’ve been highlighted as one of CatalystOne’s customers who completed such a large implementation in record time,” she says.
Since then, Svenska Spel has continued to expand its system landscape with new modules. Performance, Talent Management, and Engage for employee surveys are currently being rolled out. The goal is for all integrations to be fully operational by summer 2025.
With many new initiatives, modules, and integrations in place, Svenska Spel saw the need to ensure the system was being used to its full potential.
"When you’ve spent a lot of time focused on integrations and expansion, it’s easy to shift attention to other projects that had to be paused during the rollout. That can make it harder to stay disciplined about using the technology in the best possible way once it’s in place. That’s why we chose to activate Premium Services,” says Engström.
With Premium Services, Svenska Spel gains structured advice, system health checks, and concrete recommendations for improvements. This enables them to work more strategically and continuously on optimisation, instead of reacting only when issues arise.
“The first thing we did after activating Premium Services was a full health check of our HR system from CatalystOne. It gave us specific, actionable suggestions on how to improve our use of the solution. From there, we worked closely with CatalystOne to implement those improvements. It’s incredibly valuable to get an external perspective on how we can work even smarter.”
One of the biggest benefits of Premium Services has been enabling the HR department to take a more proactive approach. Engström and her colleagues now receive early access to information about new functionality, optimisation suggestions, and insights into how other CatalystOne customers are working. For Engström, this has become a clear strategic advantage:
“We’re no longer just users of the system – we’re closely involved in what’s happening at CatalystOne. Being seen as a customer that’s curious and engaged with what’s new has only strengthened our relationship.”
At the same time, Premium Services is also contributing to internal competence-building. By working closely with CatalystOne’s experts, the team is gaining a deeper understanding of both system functionality and best practices.
“Our employees are learning a lot and staying close to the technological developments. Over time, that makes us less dependent on external support while building stronger internal capabilities,” she says.
Svenska Spel has a clear vision: to deliver Sweden’s best digital employee experience. For Engström and her team, this is about more than just technology – it’s about using that technology to create real value, engagement, and wellbeing.
“Our systems are first and foremost a tool for us in HR and for all our leaders across Svenska Spel. But ultimately, it’s about how we support our employees through the entire journey – from onboarding to development and offboarding – with strong HR tech solutions.”
All photos: Svenska Spel
As a state-owned company, Svenska Spel is subject to public procurement regulations. They signed a five-year agreement with CatalystOne, with an option to extend, and have been focused from the start on governance, security, and future scalability.
“We chose a solution and a partner that give us both flexibility and peace of mind. With Premium Services, we get the best of both worlds: continuous improvement and stable operations,” says Engström.
What began as a successful implementation project has evolved into a long-term partnership for ongoing improvement. Through Premium Services, Svenska Spel has gained structure, support, and strategic direction – making them better equipped to achieve their vision of delivering a world-class digital employee experience.
“We see Premium Services as an investment that gives us much more in return than we put in. We work smarter, we learn more, and we stay ahead,” Engström concludes.
AB Svenska Spel is a state-owned company headquartered in Visby, with additional offices in Solna and Gothenburg. The company employs around 1100 people and offers a wide range of gaming experiences through digital channels and more than 5,100 physical retailers across Sweden. With nearly 4 million customers, Svenska Spel is a key player in the Swedish gaming market.
The company’s mission is to provide safe and enjoyable gaming experiences that also contribute to the greater good. All profits are returned to the Swedish state treasury—meaning every game played gives something back to society.
Svenska Spel is also Sweden’s largest sponsor of sports, supporting both elite and grassroots levels. Through initiatives like Gräsroten, the company has contributed significant funding to sports clubs across the country—strengthening community engagement, participation, and public health.
With a strong sense of social responsibility and a long-term commitment to sustainability, Svenska Spel continues to build a gaming culture where both customers and society benefit.
More than 200 Nordic organisations manage HR using CatalystOne’s HR software.
“We see Premium Services as an investment that delivers far more value than what we put in. We’re working smarter, learning more, and staying ahead.”
– Åsa Engström, Product Owner for HR Systems at Svenska Spel
