Client Problem

This major weather forecasting organisation underwent a period of significant change converting its payroll system to SAP. The organisation has around 1,500 employees in over 60 locations across Australia, offshore islands and Antarctica. They provide observations, forecasts and warnings services 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The complex payroll landscape therefore covers a unique array of unusual work hours, remote area allowances, part time observers etc. Changing the system carried significant risk as payroll errors had the potential to create major disruption to operations.

SMS Approach

The organisation faced a number of distinct challenges in moving to the SAP HRMS Payroll system. Firstly it was imperative that all payroll areas (Head Office and regional) were operationally effective from day one. Secondly enduring mechanisms had to be put in place to allow personnel to be effectively supported beyond the go-livedate in order to nurture and embed consistent and well understood operational practices. The objectives were to provide a learning and support framework for the SAP HRMS Payroll operational users that would lead to improved performances by:

• Providing positive user experience
• Transferring existing computing skills to the new technology
• Ensuring business continuity and no lost productivity
• Educating and informing users of the new SAP system
• Maintaining payroll processing in the new SAPsystem, without loss of productivity or accuracy

Recommendation

The SMS OpLC team created an integrated programme of key learning deliverables that addressed the issues of introducing the new system:
 

• Role based training handbooks: were created to address an individuals' particular daily work routine. These provided a mixture of conceptual and reference information as well as business process flowcharts. The material was developed to specifically address the business processes and system tasks relevant to the Organisation's payroll system.
• Company-specific training scenarios and training data: were developed to support the training delivery programme. These rovided meaningful and realistic examples reflecting the real business of the Organisation. Appropriate training example data was developed to permit trainees to practice SAP user tasks in a realistic way.
• Training delivery: focused on providing hands-on instructor led training courses for the SAP HR Payroll operational users.
• Quick Reference Guides (QRGs): were created to provide operators with printable 'cheat sheets' or desktop reminders. These QRGs are also available through the Online Help.
• Online help: was developed and linked to the SAP HRMS Payroll system. The help was made accessible from a menu or via a keystroke and displayed information relevant to the user context, e.g. the SAP transaction currently viewed.

Outcome

The Organisation's operational users responded enthusiastically to all training and support. They also gained confidence in their ability to use the new system and felt empowered with a new level of self sufficiency. The first payroll run on SAP was conducted without incident and has continued to operate smoothly.