GCP Applied Technologies enhances productivity with cloud-based SAP platform

Today’s workforce expects a more personalized online experience, access to more information and self-service capabilities in an intuitive and easy-to-use environment to make business decisions. However, GCP Applied Technologies’ outdated HR system couldn’t deliver these new capabilities and lacked the analytics insights managers need to meet the business objective of future growth.

“Our existing HR system served us well, but the business has grown in ways it could no longer support,” says Charlotte Merrell, VP Total Rewards, at GCP Applied Technologies.

The new system needed to offer the company plenty of room to grow and extend as it sought to continue its human capital management transformation. There was a need to eliminate redundant processes and outdated technology to provide strategic guidance on human capital assets as well.

“With our workforce located around the globe, we needed a system that would streamline our HR processes, offer us more insights into employee performance and give employees much greater ability to access and manage their information and chart their progress,” Merrell says.

Fast HR modernization with SAP SuccessFactors

The company turned to DXC Technology to help select and then migrate to a new global HR platform, SuccessFactors, a suite of human experience management solutions from SAP. The new system supports multiple languages and enables consolidated reporting across all regions with accurate, consistent data. It enabled GCP Applied Technologies to transform its on-premises infrastructure into a flexible cloud-native solution.

Upgrades included a new global compensation management system and improved HR services functions that delivers a uniform HR service to every business unit while observing the specific needs of each country’s unique laws and regulations.

At the outset, the company needed to decide how it would standardize its HR processes. DXC organized a series of workshops with GCP’s global leaders to finalize their requirements. This ensured that the company began implementation with a consensus on how their HR processes would be implemented via the new system.

“DXC’s up-front planning helped us identify unforeseen issues and focus on managing the project,” Sanjeev Sinha, senior HRIS Manager, says.

Guided by a team of SAP experts from DXC, the company was able to implement SAP SuccessFactors in 7 months from the initial project launch. That process included migrating data from a global employee population with limited history records as well as integrating 15 downstream systems and vendors using SAP’s CPI Technology and Integration Center.

Streamlining processes

GCP implemented two SuccessFactors modules, Compensation Management and Employee Central, to address critical requirements. The compensation Management module includes new features for managing competitive compensation programs and motivating the workforce. Employee Central uses common building blocks to streamline most HR processes while meeting compliance standards in each region.

Because SuccessFactors is cloud-based, automatic updates keep the solution current with any changes in regulations, business practices and legal requirements.

Employee Central wraps everything with a consumer-grade user experience that provides critical self-service capabilities and improves employee engagement.

“The platform streamlines our business processes used to execute strategy and new initiatives, retain top talent, and optimize the workforce,” Merrell says.

GCP looks forward

One of GCP Applied Technologies’ initial requirements was to make sure the company could manage the new system itself once implemented. Continual knowledge transfer from DXC’s team enabled the GCP Applied Technologies team to quickly take ownership of the system. To accelerate the process, DXC leveraged a blend of onshore and offshore resources to extend available hours to optimize cost and delivery.

With this phase completed, GCP Applied Technologies is evaluating other areas that could be supported by SuccessFactors such as talent acquisition, recruiting and learning management.

“By working closely with DXC, we put a smooth process in place so we can build on our success,” Merrell says.

Managing a workforce of 2,000 employees over 35 countries was becoming a major challenge for GCP Applied Technologies, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based global supplier of chemicals and materials used in construction.