An agile workforce is a prerequisite for operational excellence in any organisation. But are the SAP HCM (Human Capital Management) modules you’re using right now giving you the flexibility, optimisation and speed you need in planning your people and resources? Probably not, writes Lee Hochberg.
As found by many companies with SAP HCM, its limitations to provide an all-in-one suite to cover the full spectrum of human capital management including workforce planning, forces them to look elsewhere as an adjunct to SAP. The use of Excel spreadsheets is not uncommon and there are a number of alternative workforce planning solutions in the market to cover the gap. However, does the choice you make provide the agility you need?
Let me illustrate my point with an example. A large provider of cleaning, catering and security services in the APAC region was looking for a workforce planning solution that fully integrated with SAP for its 30,000+ employees. The company went with a well-known workforce management software vendor, but it wasn’t quite able to deliver what the company actually needed – and that was agility. It needed a flexible solution that included rostering as well as a time and attendance management system on one platform for a number of diverse businesses units with very different work practices. It found that it just could not respond in an agile way to the service provider’s constantly growing and diverse requirements, and so they needed to go back to the market.
And that’s when Quintiq came into the picture with a workforce planning and optimisation system that enabled the generation of planning and operational rosters, along with the assignment of shifts and specific tasks to employees. Quintiq’s solution, integrated end-to-end with the service provider’s existing SAP HR and Payroll modules, enabled the company to respond to shifting workforce demands in real time.
The above example brings to light situations you cannot afford to leave unaddressed for long, given that speed and agility are crucial for the high-performing workforce of today. Inflexibility, a lack of real-time optimisation, poor scalability and sluggishness are just some of the shortcomings experienced in some solutions. Forgoing these elements would mean that your organisation never realizes the full extent of the benefits it can enjoy, such as higher customer service levels, improved efficiency and reduced costs that come from an agile workforce.
With disruptions, specialised jobs, complex labour laws and service expectations all on the rise, the need for speed, flexibility and real-time optimisation in the workforce has never been greater. But a human capital management (HCM) system from SAP SuccessFactors alone may not be enough to meet this challenge.
Are the gaps in your SAP HCM software getting more noticeable by the day? It’s time to consider an alternative. One that can maximise the potential of your workforce. Find out more in our webinar on December 6: Power up your SAP HCM system.
Lee Hochberg is senior adviser, supply chain planning and optimisation (Australia and New Zealand), Quintiq.
