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Jumping into the future:
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 Next month, when the University switches over to the new Human Resources Information System, there will be a number of changes in procedures for benefits and payroll that will affect staff, faculty, and student employees. Last week, we spoke with Robert Foldesi, director of human resources, for a preview of what to expect.
fyi: Can you sum up what process changes people will see? Foldesi: We’ve instituted several process changes over the past few months. Most of them will be invisible to staff and faculty, but there are two changes that will be apparent. First, vacation and sick leave accrual and usage will not appear on the pay slip in the future, but there will be access to that information through the HRIS web center, and it will also appear on the monthly leave and pay adjustment report. Second, beginning in October we will make payments through the flexible spending accounts on a weekly basis rather than monthly, meaning that people will get their reimbursements much more quickly. Individual spending account summaries will be distributed on a quarterly basis. Another change that will affect some academic-year faculty is the change to a 12-month pay system. In the new system, the 12-month option will be the standard pay period for academic-year faculty appointments. Other process changes will have the most effect on the human resource representatives in each department. The largest of those changes is probably electronic forms processing. Representatives will be able to submit forms on the web and access human resource and payroll data. Of course, those most seriously affected by this switch are the human resource employees in central administration who will use the new system daily. fyi: And they’re affected because they have to learn HRIS, a whole new system? Foldesi: Exactly. We have embarked upon an intensive training system for our staff. Because the skills are lost if not used, we will be training right through the implementation in July. It’s a major change in daily tasks for all of our staff. Major changes like this can be upsetting for dedicated employees who have devoted years to development and maintenance of one complex system only to have it replaced by a totally new one, complex in different ways. This upset is a natural part of the change process, but I’ve been extremely pleased with the cooperation of staff and the enthusiasm for this new system. I think that staff see the potential of the new HRIS system. fyi: But will we see big improvements in July or August when the payroll is run with the new system? Foldesi: No, I think it would be a mistake to look for great improvements at the start of a major new system. People will be learning how to process forms with the web-based system, and they will be learning how to get data that meet their needs out of the system. This will require new skills and in some cases will require people to adapt to new ways of doing things, which will produce some anxiety and discomfort. It comes with the process. We think it will be short lived. While the central Human Resources staff will be the only people actually putting information into the new system, there is a great deal to learn. fyi: So in some ways the new system won’t be as good as the old one? Foldesi: Remember that this is a multi-phase implementation. The payroll and benefits modules are going live on July 1. The system, when fully installed, will have features and capabilities that far exceed our current system. Payroll will run, and benefits will be processed, but the full impact of the system will not be felt for some time. This system, unlike the previous one, is Y2K compliant, which will be critical for issuing paychecks on January 1. fyi: Maybe even some glitches at start-up? Foldesi: Almost certainly. The people we have working on this new system are extremely good, and I have every faith in them, but the task is extraordinarily complex. You only have to see the list of project action items to get a feel for the complexity of the change. Business rules, exceptions, sequencing, feeder systems, etc. all have to considered, and the work is done by several people working separately and in a coordinated fashion. So it’s reasonable to expect that there will be some problems during the start of phase one. I’ve been talking to a lot of users of the system and drawing a diagram of my expectation of the operations at start-up. The diagram is in the shape of a “J”. The left side is where we are now, and as we embark upon the implementation it will be like jumping off a precipice. Productivity and efficiency can be expected to decline somewhat while we learn the new system. After we become comfortable with these new tools, the embedded software systems will allow us to achieve higher levels of productivity and efficiency than before. We need to see the end line and not get hung up on that first leap off the precipice. fyi: Do all the process changes stem from the new HRIS system? Foldesi: No. At the same time that we started this implementation process, we began a review of our business processes in all areas of Human Resources. We did not want to incorporate outdated or ineffective processes into the new software. We have identified several things that should be changed that had nothing to do with the HRIS system. For example, in one of our reviews, we found that the Payroll Office spent a great deal of time obtaining time cards for people who did not have anything to report. Previously we requested all time cards be sent to Payroll, and zeros were entered into the system for those who did not use benefit time. It seemed to make more sense to change to a positive reporting system where only time off was recorded. This saves a great deal of time and still provides the campus with timely and accurate benefit records. fyi: Will there be more changes that might affect us in the months ahead? Foldesi: Change is one of the few constants. As we implement other modules of the HRIS system, I anticipate changed or new processes. With respect to the modules being implemented on July 1, I think we have already identified the changes required. We are working hard to communicate effectively with staff and faculty. We are trying to avoid surprises, believe me. fyi: What advice do you have for coping with this change? Foldesi: I think the best way to deal with change is to get comfortable with what is different. I hope staff will take full advantage of training opportunities on the new system and that they will practice with the new system as soon as it is available. Another thing is to ask questions until there is a clear understanding of the system’s capabilities and its application in individual areas. by Charles S. Drum |
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