Case Study
More Flexibility in Day-to-Day HR
Paper-based personnel files made it difficult to access documents from anywhere and created recurring administrative work. TOM TAILOR therefore set out to integrate documents centrally in Workday and cut down on manual tasks.
TOM TAILOR transforms HR department
Rethinking the employee file
TOM TAILOR is an international fashion and lifestyle brand headquartered in Hamburg. The company sells clothing and accessories in more than 40 countries and employs around 3,300 people worldwide. Its centrally organized HR department looks after some 1,200 employees across three companies in Germany, including staff at the headquarters and in the stores. With paper-only personnel files, however, it was becoming increasingly difficult to meet the growing demand for flexible HR processes.
Company
- International fashion and lifestyle brand based in Hamburg
- Around 3,300 employees worldwide
- HR team supporting 1,200 employees across three companies in Germany
Challenges
- Paper-based personnel files with no remote access
- Documents scattered across paper and digital storage locations
- Retention periods monitored manually
Growing demands meet rigid structures
Until then, TOM TAILOR had kept its personnel files entirely on paper. New documents had to be filed by hand, which was not always possible right away during busy periods. As a result, some files were not consistently up to date.
The limitations became especially clear as more people started working from home. HR staff had no access to the documents stored in the office, so some tasks had to be postponed or handled with help from colleagues on site. Retention periods also had to be monitored manually.
At the same time, rows of filing cabinets were taking up more and more office and archive space.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some documents were already being stored digitally. This created additional storage locations alongside the paper files, which would later need to be consolidated. The company therefore looked for a long-term solution that would bring all HR documents together in one place and simplify day-to-day work.
“For us, it was crucial to be able to access personnel files at any time, from any location.”
Key requirements for the right solution
Ease of use and intuitive operation were among the most important selection criteria. Employees from different HR teams needed to be able to work with the application without extensive training. A powerful full-text search had to make documents and individual pieces of information quick to find. Clearly defined access rights and automated retention periods for the different document types were just as important.
The solution also had to fit into the existing HR system landscape.
TOM TAILOR was already using Workday for core HR processes but needed a digital employee file to complement it. This meant the required master data had to be reliably transferred from Workday. The provider was also expected to handle the digitization of existing records. Around 1,200 personnel files, each containing an average of 100 documents, had to be scanned and transferred into the new solution in a structured way. TOM TAILOR wanted software and scan services from a single source, without bringing in another vendor.
“The solution had to be easy to use without lengthy explanations. That was especially important because several HR teams work with it.”
Software that delivers
Working together towards the Digital Personnel File
The HR department and IT compared several providers against their functional and technical requirements, and opted for the Digital Personnel File from aconso. Alongside the features, the deciding factors were the Scan Services on offer and the option to connect the system to Workday.
Before digitization, the project team cleaned up the existing records, weeding out outdated documents and files of former employees that were no longer needed. Next, aconso collected the personnel files in sealed containers. The GDPR-compliant transport and every single handover were carefully documented, so it was clear at all times which records were in the digitization process. In parallel, the tab structure and the roles and permissions concept were developed together with aconso. As some of the workforce is covered by co-determination rules, the project team worked closely with the works council and the data protection officer on the design.
After scanning, the assignment of documents was spot-checked. The HR administration and payroll teams were the first to use the Digital Personnel File, with further departments gradually gaining access to the system afterwards.
Central storage reduces administrative work
The Digital Personnel File brings all relevant HR documents together in one central environment. Authorized HR staff can access the records they need wherever they are working, giving them more flexibility in how they handle cases. At the same time, the full-text search makes it easier to find individual documents and information. The solution also takes pressure off the team when it comes to recurring tasks: automated retention periods are defined for every document type, so manual checks are no longer necessary.
Digital in-trays support collaboration between HR administration and payroll. Documents are passed on to the relevant team directly in the system, where they are ready for further processing. The required master data is also transferred from Workday into the Digital Personnel File, so new files no longer have to be created manually. Duplicate entries – and the errors that come with them – are eliminated.
Employees were informed early on about the purpose and process of the rollout. Training sessions and dedicated contact persons then supported the transition. Staff who were sceptical at first soon recognized the benefits of the new way of working, and the digital approach quickly became part of everyday work.
“Filing is no longer a point of friction in the team. We find documents faster and no longer have to keep track of retention periods ourselves.”
Ready for the digital future
The next step towards end-to-end HR processes
With the Digital Personnel File, TOM TAILOR has laid the foundation for further digital HR processes. Employees have recently been given their own access, allowing them to retrieve documents shared with them independently. If they need their employment contract, for example, they no longer have to contact the HR department.
Together with aconso, the company is now planning to introduce Automated Document Creation and e-signatures. In future, employment contracts, contract amendments, certificates and other letters will be created, signed and processed digitally. Standardized templates and the reuse of existing master data reduce manual input and potential errors. The Workday integration is also set to become more automated over time, so documents can be transferred directly to the right personnel file.
“Working with aconso, we rolled out the Digital Personnel File in a structured and efficient way. Thorough preparation on aconso’s part – with proven templates, a structured project plan and targeted use of insights from comparable projects – laid the groundwork for a smooth implementation. The Digital Personnel File has proven itself in our daily work, and we are very happy using it every day. At the same time, it paves the way for future digitalization projects,” concludes Melanie Boland.
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More customer stories
“The digitalization of confidential records is a fundamental requirement for the Group-wide HR restructuring. It enables us to carry out remote processing and we can optimize all the HR processes simultaneously.”
“Working with aconso has proven effective. The system is accessible to all, and our employees can easily access files via their mobile phones.”
“Although HR work usually involves a great deal of paper, thanks to digitalization, we have been able to significantly reduce our paper consumption and in turn help protect the enviroment.”
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