- Case Studies
- Overcoming Complexity: A Global HR Transformation
Overcoming Complexity: A Global HR Transformation
The client operates in over 30 countries, operating in the clinical research industry and supporting the process to bring drugs to market. The client had not scaled effectively with the growing organization. The result was skilled people being limited by the constraints of process, technology, and organizational structures that were siloed, reliant on generalists, and lacking in strategic capacity. Technology was overly customized, out-of-step with current needs, and difficult to maintain. HR processes were not optimized, varied by region, and dependent on individuals and manual workarounds.
The client’s HR organization was benchmarked in the bottom quartile for efficiency and cost. There was a need to shift its service model to yield clear and compelling HR career paths, with understood and consistent roles, more capacity for value-added work, and the opportunity for HR staff to deepen their expertise. Employees needed an improved experience with accurate and efficient support, better technology tools, and enhanced programs, policies, and processes. The business needed real value, including a more nimble HR organization, HR being able to act as a strategic advisor, and new analytics to drive decisions and continuous improvement.
Chazey partnered with the client in early 2023 to develop the HR Transformation Roadmap. We recommended a new global operating model built on the vision of “OneHR”, with a single shared services center, three global Centers of Expertise (CoEs), global business partnering, and a lean corporate function. Global process owners would drive standardized, optimized, and technology-enabled process worldwide. We also recommended that the client reimplement the HRMS, either reimplementing the existing SAP SuccessFactors or replacing it with Oracle Fusion Human Capital Management (HCM).
The build/deploy of the new operating model started in the fall of 2023, concurrent to an open RFP process to select a system integrator for Oracle Fusion HCM. In January 2024, the client selected Chazey to be the system integrator, recognizing the value from integrating the operating model and system integration projects under a single program management structure. Many system integration projects fail to achieve their promise, as they underestimate or do not consider the effort to transition processes and people to maximize the investment in new systems. The new operating model and new Oracle Fusion HCM went live in September 2024, achieving the business case targets, new operating model, and future state technology landscape.
The biggest challenge to the project was outside of HR: the concurrent and separately managed Oracle Fusion ERP project. The ERP project facilitated the decision to move to Oracle Fusion HCM, but also required significant coordination to align development cycles, data dependencies, cutover planning, and go-live dates. Chazey developed scenarios to understand the impact of delays on the ERP side, culminating in the client deciding to decouple the ERP and HCM projects, enabling the new HR operating model and HCM to go-live in advance of ERP with bridging solutions. Chazey’s experience with ERP and HCM system integration, as well as business transformation, enabled the client to successfully navigate and manage risks during the periods of coupled and decoupled projects, achieving the HR go-lives with minimal delays.
Oracle scheduled a major upgrade to its Fusion platform concurrent to the client’s HR go-live. Chazey identified risks of attempting the upgrade concurrent to the initial deployment, and supported the client’s decision to implement with the current version of Oracle, then to support the upgrade during the hypercare period.
The key milestones for the Operating Model and HCM projects did not align easily. This required some degree of re-work as requirements were refined over the summer and process documentation was updated for the results of HCM smoke testing and user acceptance testing. Chazey facilitated the successful training program, moving away from a train-the-trainer approach to Chazey directly providing the training facilitation, integrating process and technology training under a comprehensive framework with supportive communications and change management. Executive sponsorship changed close to go-live, and the Roadmap, detailed business case, and strong governance structure was key in not allowing leadership changes to impact project timelines.
With the stabilization of the new operating model and technology landscape, the client is looking forward to the Oracle Redwood upgrade, rolling out additional manager/employee self-service option in the fall of 2024, and activating the new benefits module in January 2025.