How Rusal digitized HR processes based on WebSoft HCM in 6 months. Project Overview

Adaptation, training and development of personnel, assessment of competencies, personnel reserve management - these and a number of other HR processes were launched by RUSAL on the basis of the Russian WebSoft HCM platform. The system covers more than 50 thousand employees. A large-scale project was implemented in just 6 months.

This case is about how to set the stage for increasing the level of engagement and productivity of company employees using the HCM system.

HR processes are built in a single logic, synchronized with each other and form an end-to-end and transparent process of personnel management and development.

The customer companyis RUSAL - one of the world's largest aluminum producers (trading code on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange 486, on the Moscow Stock Exchange RUAL). ‬‬‬‬

The project was implemented by GMCS, a WebSoft partner.

Project objectives

• Unify and comprehensively digitize HR processes within the group of companies in 6 months.
• Build a system for managing the full life cycle of personnel development instead of disparate systems that automate individual HR processes.
• Integrate a unified HR management system into your existing infrastructure.
• Provide employees with a single digital space in terms of their training, assessment and development.

Platform selection

The key criteria for choosing the WebSoft HCM platform were:
1. The ability to implement most of the project tasks using the standard functionality of WebSoft HCM, without deep customization.
2. The openness of the system code and the possibility of its further development by RUSAL's own resources.
3. The presence on the market of successfully implemented projects based on WebSoft HCM of comparable scale.
4. Cost of ownership and implementation of the system.

What they faced

RUSAL has a complex structure, a large number of legal entities, each of which approached the digitalization of HR processes in different ways. In this regard, the company had difficulties in managing, monitoring and collecting up-to-date statistics.

During the project, RUSAL specialists in a short time did a large amount of work on the formalization and unification of previously existing HR processes. Already organizationally and methodologically verified processes were laid down in the new HCM system. This is an example of a real transformation "on the fly."

What is the result

1. Employee adaptation.

Adaptation is an important element of corporate human resources management. The system implements mechanisms for automatically assigning adaptation programs to employees when hiring or transferring.

Employees have access to distance courses, electronic training materials in the system. The adaptation program automatically generates applications for participation in events and learning programs. The system monitors the result of the completed activities and assigns the appropriate qualifications, on the basis of which certain training activities will be automatically assigned to the employee in the future. The basic process is already working without additional participation of employees.

In less than 6 months, the adaptation program was assigned to more than 4,500 employees, of which 2,500 have already successfully completed the procedure.

2. Distance learning and testing.

RUSAL offers employees more than 300 electronic courses of various topics and directions, which are available for self-study and are used in almost all HR processes. This is mainly unique content developed by internal experts and specialists, including using the CourseLab on-line module. The most popular in the system are personal growth courses: "Finance for non-financiers," "Emotional intelligence," "Leadership," etc.

E-learning portal based on WebSoft HCM allows employees not only to access electronic courses and tests from any device in compliance with security requirements, but also to apply for e-courses with limited access.

3. Full-time training.

Important is the possibility of the system to provide information on the fullness of the formed training groups, the premises used, equipment and the load of teachers.

The calendar of training activities is formed in the system based on the data of the adaptation process, individual development plans (DPIs), applications from employees, as well as taking into account other approved training plans in the company. On the E-learning portal, face-to-face training is displayed through maintaining an event calendar, submitting an application for participation by an employee, and recording the result of his training.

In less than 6 months, about 700 training events were organized, attended by more than 7,500 people.

4. Compulsory training.

The company has a large number of personnel who must periodically confirm their knowledge of a number of training programs. The system automatically monitors the deadlines for the next passage of the necessary curriculum and assigns appropriate educational activity in advance. This process allows employees to confirm their qualifications and continue to fulfill their work duties, which makes the company's production cycle continuous.

5. Competency assessment.

The system implements several methods that use competency assessments in different cases, for example, for enrollment in the personnel reserve, building an individual development plan, etc.

In addition to the built-in competency assessment tools, the system has set up integration with the external evaluation center (Linkis) - the evaluation process is initiated from WebSoft HCM, after which the system accepts the results of the evaluated employee (from the external evaluation center). The results of all assessments are displayed in the employee's personal account on the E-learning portal, from where he can print them.

6. Personnel reserve.

RUSAL operates the Personnel Reserve program, within the framework of which professional, highly qualified, effective managers are trained.

To participate in the program, any employee can apply on the E-learning portal, or be nominated by a manager.

The process of forming and coordinating applications in WebSoft HCM is implemented taking into account the peculiarities of the hierarchy of subordination both at the level of managers and HR specialists.

The approved candidates may be assigned a competency assessment or the process of forming a development plan may be launched, taking into account the deviation in the assessment results from the target position.

More than 2,000 employees of the company have already taken advantage of this opportunity and applied for participation in the personnel reserve.

7. Individual Development Plans (DPIs). The formation of the FPI can be a logical continuation of the previous process. Based on the results of the competency assessment, the specialist responsible for the personnel reserve can launch the procedure for forming a PPI on the E-learning portal. You can add additional approvers (for example, a project manager) directly in the FPI form. Depending on the assessments received by the employee, a set of competencies is determined, and developmental actions are assigned.

After approval by all approvers, the system automatically assigns the necessary training activities (distance courses, tests, activities, generates applications, etc.), and automatically monitors the status and result of their passage.

For the development of employees who are not in the personnel reserve, an additional opportunity to independently create FPIs has been implemented.

Currently, employees have formed more than 2,800 PPIs in the personnel reserve and more than 100 PPIs outside the personnel reserve.

8. Collect training needs for budget planning.

As part of a centralized training planning campaign for the next period, it is possible to submit and collect training needs from unit managers.

Based on the consolidated requirements, the costs of training employees in the upcoming period are planned.

Project features

1. Comprehensive approach to automation.

The company's HR processes are linked into a single logic and serve a common goal of development and personnel management. From the first days of work, the employee is involved in transparent processes of his life cycle in the company, from adaptation to career planning and development.

Thanks to this comprehensive and end-to-end approach, it was possible to increase the transparency of HR process management, organize centralized statistics collection, and provide a single tool for employees, which increases their loyalty and productivity.

2. Complex technical architecture.

Complex technology solutions were needed not only for the convenience of employees, but also for optimizing system performance.

Taking into account the complexity, the volume of tasks to be solved, the planned number of system users, as well as corporate security requirements, the cluster two-circuit architecture was used to build the HCM system.

Thanks to this, employees can safely work with the system from their workplaces, in classrooms, as well as from personal mobile devices and home computers.

Project results

• A single digital platform of the RUSAL group of companies with unified and standardized HR processes.
• A cross-cutting and transparent process of human capital development and management.
• The ability to make more effective personnel decisions and increase employee satisfaction through a built-in system of corporate training and professional development.

Plans and prospects

• Development of the system functionality taking into account feedback and user experience.
• Automation of the processes of setting and evaluating goals, the effectiveness of employees' work in order to increase the involvement of personnel in the implementation of the company's development strategy.
• Automation of strategic management and establishment of qualitatively different communications between management and line personnel.