Improving Human Resource Management Capability in a

Higher Education Institution through Implementation of a

Computerised HRMS.- Lessons from the UWI Presentation
to ACHEA Conference

Raymond Eytle
Brigitte Collins
Background

 Efficient and effective Human Resource

Management in Higher Education is
critical to ensuring sustained Quality and
Competitiveness of any institution.

 Effective Implementation of an appropriate

Computerised Human Resource
Management System is critical to
enhancing the organisation’s Human
Resource management capability and
service delivery
Background

 Effective implementation of such a major

“Enterprise Administrative System” is a very
complex undertaking, and the Higher
Education environment has some added
complexities.

 The tradition has been for the focus to be on

technical implementation issues.
Background

 The functional user, usually administrative or

Management personnel, now plays a key role
in implementing contemporary systems.

 There are many lessons to be learnt from the

perspective of functional Human Resources
Personnel in the implementation process
The Human Resource Management System at UWI

 The Acquisition and Implementation of

a Computerised HRMS was not like
buying Microsoft Office at the Computer
Store and installing it.-

 It started with a vision.

Vision of Human Resource Function -1

 HR focus shift from Administrative to

Strategic, Facilitative, Consultative and
Developmental
 Improved HR Operational efficiency and
effectiveness in HR, in support of University
Mission and Objectives.
Vision of Human Resource Function - 2

 HR as a central source of timely and

accurate data to support processes, such as
 Workforce Planning and Analysis,
 Position Management,
 Recruitment,
 Staff Training and Development,
 Compensation Management,
 Skills/Competencies
 Career Management,
 Industrial Relations,
Vision of Human Resource Function - 3

 HR Processes which
 put information at the line management
level
 make data accessible to individual
customers for the specified purpose of
inquiry or change
 are automated
 allow for re-engineering areas of
functionality
Our HR Direction. -1

 A highly efficient HR Service to the

University/ Campus by
 developing a and implementing improved
and efficient processes and procedures
based on functions and customer needs
and not on hierarchy
 facilitating informed and timely decision-
making
Our HR Direction.-2

 Auditing processes and

practices for continuous
improvement
 Developing plans and programs
HR development using sound
data analysis techniques
Our HR Direction.-3

 Regarding process improvement as ongoing,

taking account of changing needs and new
technology, as it emerges
 Using appropriate technology - electronic
mail, intranet, internet, document
management - in order to improve
communication and data access across
campus.
Our Focus - Process Improvement

 Structured approach

 Positive impact on quality of services

 Meet or exceed customer’s expectations

 Add value -- Staff, Students,Campus/

University, Public
Our Challenges - External

 Financial constraints
 Rapidly changing technology
 Increasing competition
 Customers (Students and Regional Governments
) being more demanding and requiring higher
levels of accountability and performance.
Challenges- Internal

 Customer dissatisfaction with unavailable, incorrect

and inconsistent information

 Redundancy of activities-lengthy processes

 Structure and decision-making on organizational

hierarchy rather than on process and function

 Decision-making authority either too centralized or

 too bureaucratic
Challenges- Internal

 “Common & consistent

practices” are not part of the
culture
 Highly autonomous
organizational units
 Old systems should
accommodate all differences
STANDARDS
 No incentives for consolidation of
systems & practices
Challenges- Internal

 Strong Culture of Tradition and Custom and

practice.
 Hierarchy of Approvals
 Redundancy of information
 Organizational units reluctant to change
Challenges Identified-UWI -1

 No Executive Commitment to Radical

Change

 Inadequacy of Resources

 The process to change Ordinances,

Regulations and Collective Agreements

 Laws, Custom and Practice.

Challenges -UWI -2

 Multiple locations and cultures

 Multiple health plans

 Multiple vacation plans

 Multiple unions

 Wide variety of job groups & pay practices

Challenges -UWI-3

Resistance to Change
 Inertia
 High comfort  Lack of
level objectivity
 Success  Genuine
 History concern
 Value  Political
 Concern reasons
 Scorn
How Did We Get There?

 Piece-meal and Hierarchical

/Departmental approach to
development of processes and
procedures. This resulted in:
 Separate Personnel Administration Systems
evolving based on national and Campus situations
 Various sub-systems were developed to support
specific functions, based on group/ organizational
differentiation within the Organization
How Did We Get There

 Original assumptions that are no longer valid

Options Considered

 Radical Re-engineering of work processes

based on functionality and current available
technology

 phased process change

Opportunities for Change

 University Governance and Strategic Plans

and Operating plans have all identified
current process weaknesses and the need
for change.
 availability of successful HRMS technology
which is process-oriented
Re-Engineering - Definition

“...the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign

of business processes to achieve dramatic

improvements in critical, contemporary

measures of performance, such as cost,

quality, service, and speed.”

Hammer & Champy
PeopleSoft at UWI
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Before system was purchased a review and

analysis was done to determine the Human
Resource information and process
requirements.

 Peoplesoft HRMS was acquired by UWI in

1995 and implementation has been on-going in
phases since.
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 A RFP was prepared and responses from

vendors were judged by a multi-disciplinary
team on the following
 The general fit of the system -un-customised to fill
the defined needs
 Security of Data
 User-friendliness-query and report writing
 Cost and Maintenance
 Customer Support and Training
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Highlights of the System

 Comprehensive functionality
 Process-oriented
 User driven
 Client-Server moving towards n-tier architecture
 Security at several levels
 GUI - Windows at client end
 Easy interface with Microsoft Office
 User-friendly Query and Reporting Capability - Crystal
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Implementation Team both Technical and

Functional.

 Users play a major role in implementation

process

 Increasing capabilities of new Versions -

Resource issues
 Peoplesoft Functionality

Payroll Career Planning

HR Audit

Base Benefits Succession

Administration Planning Position/
Fund Acctg
Salary Competency Health and
Safety Reporting
Administration Management
Recruitment
Industrial
Administer Training Query
Position Relations
Personnel Administration
Management
Process Objectives

 Release of personnel from routine-non value

added tasks to Developmental areas such as
planning, training and staff development, on-
going process review

 Better monitoring of performance through

review of reports

 Framework in place for the future

Process Objectives

 Decision-making-:
 De-centralised : At the Department level
 Limit required approvals
 Electronic signatures and Authority
 Quicker decision-making
 Timely, consistent, accurate and “just-enough” information.

 Improved efficiency:-
 elimination of manual processes
 removal of redundant processes and process steps,
Process Difficulties

 Multiple forms with redundant

data
 Dual data entry, inconsistent
information
 Poor communications
 Much activity and no value-
added
 Expensive
 Error Prone
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Before system was purchased a

comprehensive review and analysis was done

to determine the Human Resource information

and process needs.

Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 A RFP was prepared and responses from

vendors were judged by a multi-disciplinary
team on the following
 The general fit of the system -un-customised to fill
the defined needs
 User-friendliness-query and report writing
 Security of Data
 Cost and Maintenance
 Customer Support and Training
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Main Highlights of the System

 Comprehensive covering most strategic and
operational requirements current and future
 User Friendly
– GUI - Windows at client end
– Easy interface with Microsoft office
 Simple Query and Reporting Capability – Crystal
 Security
Peoplesoft HRMS at UWI

 Implementation Team both Technical and

Functional.

 Users play a major role in implementation

process

 Increasing capabilities of new Versions -

Resource issues
Process Review and Implementation
Strategies -1
 Increase emphasis on process -- clearly identify
Centre/Campus - reengineer, standardize where
possible. Design processes that can perform well
across organizational boundaries.

 Replace obsolete systems .

 Re-engineer systems that will not be replaced.

Process Review and Implementation
Strategies -2
 Single point of entry for employee data.
 Ad hoc query, report and analysis capabilities.
 Employee data immediately available to
supervisors.
 Promote uniformity.
 Reduce paperwork.
 Process improvement as ongoing, taking
account of changing needs and advantages
of new technology, as it emerges.
Process Review and Implementation
Strategies -3
 Minimum Customisation
 Common standards within each campus and
across campuses for data, reports, policies and
processes.
 User focus
 Team approach (Functional/Technical)
 Provide information for Data based decision
making at all levels.
Process Review and Implementation
Strategies
 -4 for an action should reside
Responsibility
closest to the place most affected.

 emphasis on effective post-action audits

 build controls into the System where

possible.

 Integrate the use of E-mail into

processes, both for messages and to
convey documents.
 Process Review and Implementation
Strategies -6 standards within each campus and
Focus on common
across campuses for data, reports, policies and processes.

 Shorten the cycle time for processing transactions by at

least 60%. Achieve this by reducing: the number of steps,
manual effort, the number of handoffs, the number of
authorizations and by eliminating wasteful and non-value-
adding activities.
 Issues - reasons for implementation delays
 Lack of senior management commitment

 Lack of adequate implementation budget

 Lack of dedicated full-time project team

 project management
 technical team
 functional user involvement

 Lack of adequate technical infrastructure

Success Factors
 Executive Sponsor
 University Registrar’s relentless efforts, direct
involvement

 Implementation Budget
 Dedicated project management
 Presented realistic implementation budget
Success Factors
 Establishment of University team (across the
campuses)
 Functional Analysts
 Systems Analysts
 Project Coordinators
 Database Administrators

 Adequate technical environment

 Proper database servers on each campus
 Replace/acquire client machines
 Address network infrastructure issues
Implementation Overview
 Mona implementation
 focus for initial implementation

 addressed technical, human resources issues

 standardize processes across HR departments -

business process review

 public relations drive

 newsletters
 presentations (deans, department heads, unions)
Implementation Overview
 Cave Hill
 lack of HR functional user involvement/
ownership

 leveraged from lessons learnt at Mona

 results of BPR exercise
 user procedures

 St Augustine
 total lack of interest until payroll and Y2K
became an issue
Lessons - Opportunities

 Project management and Planning

 Training and Development
 Business Process Review and Re-
engineering
Functional Considerations
 Involved functional users at ALL stages -
one reason for success

 Obtained functional user buy-in early

 Ensured that dedicated functional users

were part of core team
 identify and obtain best talent
 full-time dedicated users to the project is very
important but almost never attainable.
Functional Considerations
 Payroll
 Decision to use PeopleSoft - workshop at Cave
Hill involving Payroll & Benefits representatives
from all campuses in June 1998
 prior to PS, each campus operated independently
 Pro - Integrated HR/Payroll system
 Con - Required customization - Taxes, payment
methods

 On-site Functional Training

 Introduction to HR
 Introduction to Benefits
 Payroll I and II
Functional Considerations
 Urgent customizations
 National Id Number
 Net pay distribution methods
 Calculation of taxes
 Tax reporting
 General Ledger Interface
 Annual Step Increase
Functional Considerations
 Implementation
 Vanilla testing
 Standardize across campuses
 Salary plan, earning codes – Initial “M” for Mona , “C”
for Cave Hill and “S” for St. Augustine
 Attempt to standardize pay cheques & payslips
 What to standardize and what not to?
– Decision not to standardize Paygroups, Earnings
Programs & Benefit Programs.
 Testing of customizations
 End user training
 Parallel run
Lessons Learnt
 Underestimated and Undercommited
Resources
 Human
 Physical
 Financial
 Unrealistic Expectations
 Unclear decision making framework
 Suspicion and skepticism
Lessons Learnt
 University approach

 Communication

 Don’t Compromise

 If we had to do it over again?

 First phase should include core HR and Payroll
What is Required?

 Pro-active and process driven approach to

Implementation
 Well defined strategy and plan for change
and change management
 Synergistic team with accountability
ownership, and LEADERSHIP!
What else is Required

 Networking, benchmarking and external

advice
 Careful attention to security control
 Early focus on Data conversion
 Phased approach
 Address integration issues early e.g with
Finance and Student Administration
Systems
 Plan for retaining highly trained project
staff
What else is Required?

 Ongoing Communication to all

players
 Management and User
Commitment and support at all
levels
 Dedicated resources to the
Process -Human, Financial,
Physical and Organizational
 Follow Through
The Reality
 It is an uphill effort

 It is an art form to balance:

 National and Campus cultures
 Logistics due organization
size and geographic spread
 Customer Expectation
The Reality

 It requires a thorough business process review,

and Fit/Gap Analysis.
 The project never gets finished
 YOU NEVER HAVE ALL THAT’S
REQUIRED,BUT NEED TO GET THE JOB
DONE!
 WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!