Success Story

International HR Business Process‘ Automation with XFT Personnel File

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty chemical company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders.

XFT Project Team Exceeds Expectations

“Providing our managers with the ability to re- view and manage employee records from anywhere in the world is a huge time saver, with the added benefit of eliminating all of the privacy and security issues associated with physically moving paper between multiple offices or manufacturing plants,” said Ms. Peterson. “The automation of common administrative tasks, such as completeness audits or document filing and purging, also dramatically reduces the resources required to manage files. The result is more time to focus on the strategic planning initiatives that are central to our business.”

The HR department was aided in all aspects of the implementation by an XFT project team, subject matter experts with decades of experience in paper-to-electronic file management conversions. During the design process, they helped to define requirements ranging from file and report structures to security roles, backfile conversion processes and test plans.

To speed up the deployment and enhance decision-making, the XFT project team used an interactive design approach to define the new system. This enabled the project team to create and modify proposed parameters on-the-fly during design sessions, perfecting how the new system would operate from Day 1 of the installation. Not only did this significantly reduce the time necessary to get the system fully operational, but it also enabled all of the stakeholders to clearly visualize folder parameters, timing issues and their roles in facilitating the project‘s success.

“The XFT project team understood our needs, listened intently to our feedback and executed beyond our expectations,” said Ms. Peterson. “They were knowledgeable, flexible, responsive and infinitely patient for the entire duration of the project. From my point of view, it was an extraordinarily productive customer-vendor relationship that removed many of the anxieties and uncertainties typically associated with technology upgrades.”

With backend data storage provided by a cloud-based SAP Content Server, Eastman quickly segued from a highly decentralized, paper-based administrative modelto a cloud-based electronic file management system backed by a shared service center.

In-Depth Evaluation Results in XFT Deployment

Following a thorough evaluation process, the HR team at Eastman decided to deploy XFT Personnel File. Unlike proprietary solutions the team evaluated, XFT Personnel File would enable them to leverage the company‘s existing SAP investments to streamline daily work processes and administrative tasks, while providing geographically dispersed managers with fast access to up-to-date HR information and files. Using an easy-to-navigate structured folder design with drill-down access to increasing levels of detail, it is a solution that has enabled Eastman’s HR organization to:

• Maintain a single repository for all employee documents, accessible via a desktop interface that is familiar to Eastman managers worldwide;
• Leverage the company’s existing SAP security protocols and user roles to provide access to all or part of an employee’s record, eliminating the need to create and maintain alternate lists or access protocols;Enhance the reliability and consistency of employee recordkeeping through review and approval processes that inherently promote conformity to the company’s policies and procedures;
• Generate the necessary audit trails and activity logs required by various local, state and national regulatory authorities, while supporting internal reviews and informational needs.

The Results – US Rollout Complete and International Rollout on its Way

With the U.S.-portion of the project completed, the HR team has transformed its personnel records system into an easily accessible and efficient resource for Eastman. Once former files have been scanned, more than 5 million records representing 25,000 current and inactive employees will be stored in Eastman’s personnel file system, available on-demand to authorized users regardless of where they are located.

“Now that U.S. users are fully trained on the new system — a process that was surprisingly quick and minimal — the international rollout has begun, which ultimately will result in another 10,000 active and former files added to the system,“ continued Ms. Peterson. “The flexibility to set up different versions of document types, retention schedules and user roles, will be hugely helpful in accommodating the variety of needs and concerns we see globally.”

Freed up from manual administrative tasks, the HR team is spending much more time on strategic planning initiatives. Electronic loaning of sections of employee files, for example, is helping Eastman target its succession planning investments, growing the talent necessary to respond to rapidly changing market conditions and competitive environments. |t’s a focus that reflects the remarkable success of its new electronic personnel file management system.