Thanks to digitization, the business world and work processes are becoming increasingly interconnected. There are growing demands on the availability of data and the need for efficiency. Modern human resource management software addresses this issue.

The next step towards digitalization

Mey, a leading manufacturer of daywear and nightwear has now taken the next step towards digitalization after switching to a software-based pay and time management system.

This has the goal of being able to transparently map all processes in one system and to further modernize the company. The Mey family business, headquartered in Albstadt, is looking back on a 90-year tradition. As one of the leading brands for high-quality women's and men's underwear in Europe, Mey mainly produces in its own plants in Germany, Portugal and Hungary. Around 1000 employees work here on the design, manufacture and sale of the products.

At the beginning of the 2000s, the HR department's software was adapted to meet new requirements. The remuneration and time management software came from two different providers and were becoming obsolete. Especially wage processing in particular presented the company with challenges, because the program had been purchased without any support being available. Mey's IT department had to solve its own problems – with the introduction of the Euro, customization was no longer possible.

 The new solutions will not only guarantee legal compliance, but will also ensure compatibility as both stem from the same source. Mey were additionally looking for high user-friendliness. In the end, the HR specialist VEDA was chosen. Mey had been using their payment software since 2002, and the time management software was added the following year. The bodywear and lifestyle brand is now taking a further step in the direction of New Work: The VEDA Horizon suite is currently being implemented. A test group has been put into operation within the company.

Introduction during operation

The introduction of the HR software for pay and time management proved to be a complex process involving the carrying out of extensive parameterization. At Mey, the software needed to be able to map various work-time models and wage types such as hourly, piecework and normal wages. The peculiarities of shift work also had to be taken into consideration.

The implementation of the solution was set up within one week of ongoing operations. In spite of this challenge, the rollout went ahead smoothly and without problems. Employees were externally trained for a week in order to take full advantage of the new system. In addition, topic-independent individual training sessions were undertaken as required. Today, five employees make use of the system.

All in all, the HR staff are happy with the software and support. Inquiries for VEDA are recorded on the answering machine or logged as a ticket and usually answered in under an hour. Also taken into account are suggestions on how to display functions in a more practical manner.

 Both the wages and the time management software are considered to be up-to-date: Reports can easily be generated at the push of a button, and simulations are possible without having to interfere with the real data. For example, scenarios can be played out for if employees want to reduce their working hours, and the adjusted salary can be calculated. Many functions can also be carried out by the employees themselves. This means independence from – and relief for – the in-house IT department. In addition, analyses about salary structure and sick leave are easily accessible. The time management data is automatically transferred to the wage processing.

The future with Horizon

With VEDA Horizon, Mey has taken the next step towards a digital future. The suite offers a wide range of features for increased flexibility and action. Employees can view time accounts, monitor salaries and their histories, or utilize a workflow for vacation applications. Requests are automatically linked with the time management calendar.

 Mey's human resources department did not have a system solution up until now. "It brings many advantages. Significantly greater transparency has been made available for our employees and executives, and the HR department has been unburdened by self-service functions. Today, processes cannot simply take place on demand – they have to be mapped and documented in a system in order to ensure traceability," says Kerstin Ressel, HR Manager at Mey.

 The company introduced VEDA Horizon in the summer of 2017. The organizational structure has been set up and the software is currently in the testing phase.

 The new software brings Mey even more up-to-date in terms of human resources. It covers all aspects of personnel development.

 by Nadja Müller