Stanley Electric Partners with PwC for HR Transformation with SAP SuccessFactors
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Key Takeaways
⇨ Stanley Electric launched the first phase of its HR Digital Transformation platform using SAP SuccessFactors, prioritising a Fit to Standard approach for rapid implementation and minimising customisation.
⇨ The transformation shifts HR from a back-office role to a strategic function, enabling better visualisation of HR data and succession planning, thereby becoming a tool for talent visibility and management.
⇨ Adopting a cloud HR platform facilitates continuous innovation and AI integration for career development, positioning the organisation to remain competitive and responsive to changes in technology and employee expectations.
Japan’s Stanley Electric Co., Ltd., that provides automotive and electronic components, has officially launched the first phase of its new HR Digital Transformation (DX) platform, powered by SAP SuccessFactors. SAP Japan indicated in a statement that the implementation, a multi-year project supported by PwC Consulting and SAP Japan, is a key initiative in the company’s 2023-2025 medium-term management plan.
The project aims to fulfill Stanley Electric’s strategic vision of taking on challenges with speed by modernising its human resources systems.
Integrating HR Operations
The initial phase, which moved from requirements definition to full-scale operation in eight months, focused on unifying and visualising HR data for the parent company and its domestic affiliates. This integration has enabled a new, transparent evaluation process for management personnel, boosting motivation and providing clear visibility into key talent, including potential successors for C-suite roles.
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The implementation partners noted that a core principle of the implementation was a Fit to Standard policy, which prioritised using the standard functions of the SAP SuccessFactors suite. This approach allowed for rapid and efficient deployment while ensuring the platform remains agile and scalable. By adopting a global SaaS solution, Stanley Electric is positioned to benefit from regular feature enhancements and future integration with the latest digital tools from SAP.
The project is now entering its second phase where the focus will shift to enabling autonomous career development for employees using AI-powered tools within SAP SuccessFactors and extending the platform to Stanley Electric’s global affiliates. This collaboration leverages the deep industry knowledge of PwC Consulting and the technological strength of SAP Japan. Both partners will continue to support Stanley Electric in resolving complex challenges and achieving sustainable growth through strategic digital transformation.
What This Means for Mastering SAP Insiders
The initiative serves as a powerful example for manufacturing companies looking to harness cloud technology to empower their workforce and build a more connected, data-driven organisation. For Mastering SAP Insiders, this means:
- Embrace a fit to standard approach for rapid wins. Stanley Electric went from project kickoff to a fully operational HR platform in eight months. This was the direct result of its Fit to Standard policy, which minimises complex customisations in favor of adopting the platform’s built-in, best-practice processes. The key lesson here is to resist the urge to rebuild old processes in a new system. By trusting the standardised workflows in SAP SuccessFactors, companies can accelerate time-to-value, reduce implementation risk, and focus their energy on change management and user adoption, where the real transformation happens.
- Transform HR from a back-office operation to a strategic function. The first tangible outcomes for Stanley Electric’s HR transformation initiative were about visualising human resource data across the entire domestic group and identifying successors for top leadership roles. This elevates the HR function from an administrative necessity to a strategic nerve center. Here, a unified platform like SuccessFactors is a game-changer. It provides a single source of truth to identify high-potential employees, address skills gaps, and build a consistent leadership pipeline across diverse regions. The takeaway is to view a SAP SuccessFactors implementation as a strategic tool for talent visibility instead of an IT upgrade.
- A cloud HR platform is a launchpad for future innovation. Stanley Electric’s roadmap includes deploying AI for autonomous career development and a global rollout. This highlights that an SaaS platform is not a static product but an evolving ecosystem. By moving to SAP SuccessFactors, companies subscribe to a continuous stream of innovation from SAP without needing to manage massive upgrade projects. In a region where technology and employee expectations are changing rapidly, a cloud platform serves as a launchpad for adopting future technologies like AI and advanced analytics, ensuring the organisation’s HR strategy remains relevant and competitive in the long term.
