UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The progress of the Human Resources Business Process Transformation (HRBPT) continues at a brisk pace, according to University leaders. This multi-year transformation is expected to change Human Resources at Penn State into a more strategic organization that operates more efficiently and effectively, leveraging up-to-date tools and technology.
The HRBPT will create a new human resources service delivery model, and a human resources organization that is accountable, provides more strategic support and increased customer service, adds value as a business unit, and is aligned across the University, said Susan M. Basso, Penn State’s vice president and chief human resources officer. Basso said it will achieve its goal through refinement in five key areas: organizational design, shared services, policy harmonization, process redesign, and the upgraded technology.
The transformation focuses not only on organizational design, but also technology and shared services. Among the most recognizable and impactful changes for the University community, HR organizational design is realigning personnel and redefining responsibilities, according to Basso.
In December, all employees performing human resources duties and all human resources budgets at University Park, regardless of business unit or college, moved under the Human Resources’ purview. While strategic level human resources will continue to be embedded in colleges and units, the shift in reporting will dramatically increase efficiencies, accountability, and strategy-building in human resources across the University and the Commonwealth, Basso said.
Basso also has been working with the vice president for Commonwealth Campuses on a sustainable regional HR model across Pennsylvania.
Another complex project overseen by Basso is the WorkLion technology, and specifically the Workday cloud-based human capital management (HCM) and payroll system, scheduled to go ‘live’ in 2017.
WorkLion will be a single-site, online resource containing a searchable human resources knowledge base, an HR portal to the Human Resources Shared Services Center, a link to the Learning Resource Network for performance management and career development, and the Workday system, a replacement for the currently used ESSIC – Employee Self-Service Information Center.
Workday is a significant upgrade to ESSIC, Basso said, and provides user-friendly input and reporting. It will include many human resources and Payroll components such as hires, terminations, promotions, etc., as well as performance management, timekeeping, employee payroll, recruitment and records management.
Basso said that the technology components of WorkLion are currently in an extensive testing phase, with focus groups, user acceptance testing and system testing taking place currently and in the near future to inform readiness for go-live later this year.
To help prepare Penn State employees for the transition to Workday will be the team of Human Resources Strategic Partners and University Financial Officers, who will act as WorkLion Ambassadors. Responsible for communicating key messages about Workday and the transformation to University employees, WorkLion Ambassadors also will collect and share feedback that will allow the project teams to better aid and prepare employees for the changes and transition.
The goal of the WorkLion Ambassadors’ program is to drive a thoughtful and holistic change across the University in the areas of both Human Resources and Payroll.