2,990 kg of wood, 52,091 liters of water, and 1,058 kg of CO² – Digitization also means conserving resources
One thing is clear: “Digitalization” or “Digital Transformation” has been a prominent topic for some time now. Is this justified, or are they just trendy buzzwords and marketing terms?
The prominence of digital transformation in discussions and the business world is certainly justified. It is reshaping processes and business models fundamentally.
While many first think of social networks, apps, and the “Internet of Things (IoT),” the digitalization of HR processes is often overlooked. However, it is equally important. Digital transformation goes beyond e-recruiting or talent management software in the HR world. Although it’s undeniably cool to take a virtual tour of your new workplace before your first day!
“New Work” through Digitalization
In the future, you will also find new working methods and tools in the HR department. Agile and collaborative approaches will be used here, just as in other business areas. Software tools with artificial intelligence (AI) will support various HR functions, including applicant management and HR controlling. However, many fundamental and routine processes in everyday work are still conducted “offline.” Some of these processes will continue to be carried out in person and “offline,” which is also essential for tasks like feedback discussions and workshops. For others, companies need to recognize the potential of digitizing these processes and take steps to implement digital solutions.
But what are the possibilities?
Many of these processes can be covered by an Employee-Self-Service (ESS). Here, various processes are displayed in a portal where employees and managers can digitally handle administrative tasks without involving the HR department. In addition to the extensive portfolio covered by SAP’s standard applications (editing personal data, recording working hours, booking further training, and submitting travel requests), some functional gaps are filled by SAP HCM add-on solutions. SAP Fiori, in addition to desktop PC access, also offers the option to access all services via smartphones (read more in our blog post).
But what does digitalization ultimately bring to companies and their employees?
A lot! Digitalization allows for the adoption and implementation of new ways of working, such as remote work, video conferences, and collaborative software tools. It also enables the automation of routine tasks, allowing organizations to focus on their core competencies. This potential can be particularly leveraged in human resource management. A modern infrastructure also says a lot about a company’s culture. Employer branding is significantly influenced by how digitally advanced a company is. When companies use modern tools and processes, it creates an image of being an innovative and progressive employer, which can be attractive to both job applicants and existing employees.
An important and not to be underestimated argument: resource conservation
The replacement of paper-based processes with digital ones offers every company significant potential for environmental conservation. The list of possibilities seems almost endless: from notices on the bulletin board to vacation requests, employee evaluations, travel expense reports, to all recurring certificates and documents.
A calculation example:
It is not uncommon for an individual employee to receive and print 40 DIN A4 pages per year from their employer – solely for various employee certificates. Certificates that could (probably) have been just as well provided as digital PDF files. Just think of the monthly salary and time statements. The income tax certificate, DEÜV report, statement of the company pension plan, travel expense report, or bonus letter are added to this.
A company with 5,000 employees quickly reaches about 200,000 DIN A4 pages per year. In addition to the enormous costs for paper, printing, folding, and enveloping (approx. 40,000 €), there are also significant environmental and climate burdens. Producing 200,000 DIN A4 pages of standard copier paper requires 2,990 kg of wood and 52,091 liters of water. This consumes 10,700 kWh of energy and emits 1,058 kg of CO². (Source: IPR) For comparison: the per capita water consumption in Germany is only 44,895 liters per year. The CO² emissions from paper production are equivalent to driving approximately 8,000 km in a mid-sized gasoline-powered car.
Are you interested in digitizing your HR processes? We would be happy to advise you on the various options for digital transformation in human resources. Feel free to reach out to us!
Our smart add-on solutions support HR processes and combine productivity and user-friendliness. This helps companies save time and money and present themselves as innovative and progressive employers.
Learn more here:
Certification Service
Reference Letter Creator
Vacation Planner