At the client's request, KPMG teamed with Workday to create and implement a comprehensive global HR transformation in record time. Because speed was critical, we employed the KPMG Powered Enterprise for HR solution to accelerate Workday implementation, reduce risk and deliver faster ROI. Instead of designing a solution from scratch, we collaborated with Workday to validate that the pre-built models worked for the company’s unique culture.

In our client’s world, their employees work seasonally on fixed contracts, ending their employment in a beach resort only to resume working in a ski resort two weeks later. Even though they are seasonal workers, many employees stay with the business for years, eventually working in back-office functions and then climbing into leadership ranks.

This singular combination of near-instant turnover and retention puts a premium on customizing the HR platform to identify and retain the right talent, onboard it seamlessly and provide the training opportunities that optimize career development. Another nuance: though most employees are 18 to 25 years old with high social-media savvy (to the point where they use Workplace by Facebook rather than email as their internal communications vehicle), our client is a user-centric culture.

The ease of deploying Workday’s highly digital platform was optimal because it fostered simplification and transparency of HR processes encouraging cooperation among managers and staff. At the same time, mobility is critical for a younger employee population bent on high growth, so we made sure our solution could be delivered on a computer, tablet or smartphone. KPMG’s team of two dozen professionals hit the ground running in May 2017. The team comprised professionals primarily from France, with support from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Singapore, the growth markets the owners were targeting.

Implementation of the new HR platform delivered by KPMG Powered Enterprise enabled by Workday occurred in waves to better manage the massive global and technical complexities and multiple languages involved.

The first wave occurred in China for overall human capital management and recruitment. The implementation necessitated building a new Workday interface to accommodate WeChat – the preferred social network, messaging, and mobile payments platform used in China – so that jobs can be posted directly to the site. Despite the challenges, the combined KPMG-Workday team implemented the new HR platform in only four months, half the normal time, collaborating with our client on the best ways to streamline the KPMG Powered Enterprise for HR solution to achieve the client’s goals.

The second wave – involving employees in global offices spanning more than 30 countries and multiple languages – encompassed recruiting, compensation and benefits, talent management, learning, payroll integration, absence management, time tracking and expenses. This wave, too, was implemented in four months, half the normal time. The final wave will go live in November 2018 in 13 different languages for employees in the rest of the resorts worldwide.