Centric Employee File at Vitra: Multilingual for international use

An internationally active furniture company, Vitra is represented by subsidiaries and branches in 22 countries. For employees, Vitra has introduced Centric’s digital employee file, which, owing to its multilingualism, can be used internationally and even for “difficult languages” like Finnish or Japanese.

A family business with a global presence

The Swiss company Vitra manufactures and distributes beautifully designed, high-quality home and office furniture. The third-generation family firm has a global presence. In addition to the headquarters in Birsfelden, Switzerland, Weil am Rhein, Germany, is an important location for Vitra – it’s home to the Vitra Campus and the Vitra Design Museum. The central HR team in Weil am Rhein introduced Centric’s digital employee file in Germany and Switzerland in 2022. Currently, about 1,000 files with completely digitized employee documents are stored in Centric Employee File. The larger international locations are set to follow: Following implementation of Centric Employee File in Hungary, subsidiaries in Finland and Japan, among others, will be changing over.

The central HR team in Weil am Rhein introduced Centric’s digital employee file in Germany and Switzerland in 2022. Currently, about 1,000 files with completely digitized employee documents are stored in Centric Employee File.

The larger international locations are set to follow: Following implementation of Centric Employee File in Hungary, subsidiaries in Finland and Japan, among others, will be changing over.

Fully integrated with SAP SuccessFactors

The availability of different language packages was a major plus point of Centric’s solution during the software selection process.

The seamless integration of the software into the existing system environment was also a key requirement. Here, Centric Employee File impressed Vitra with its tight SAP integration, with a direct interface to SuccessFactors. For example, master data from SAP and SuccessFactors can be automatically imported into the digital employee file. It also makes implementation and administration easier, as Vladimir Khatlamadjian, the Vitra IT expert responsible for SuccessFactors, explains.

„We can use SuccessFactors’ roles and authorizations concept for Centric Employee File as well, so we don't have to configure everything twice.“

Vladimir Khatlamadjian, HR IT Administrator, Vitra IT Services

Last but not least, the easy-to-use SAP FIORI interface was also an argument in favor of selecting Centric Employee File. The users from the HR service team who participated in the software evaluation were impressed by the clear, easy-to-understand structure and user navigation and therefore also favored the Centric solution.

Step-by-step implementaion

In August 2022, the Centric solution was implemented and configured. The company IT expert Vladimir Khatlamadjian, who worked closely with Centric’s consultants, praised their easy availability and quick implementation of requirements. A set weekly HR and IT project team meeting with Centric also enabled effective implementation.

The team set up the solution as a digital twin in a test-in-production system. In parallel to the implementation, a scanning service provider digitized the extensive employee files. Vitra was then able to start using the solution with the imported files in Germany and Switzerland in December 2022. After the implementation in Hungary, the solution will be rolled out in other subsidiaries, for example, in Finland and Japan, in the local languages.

Easy access, right up-to-date

During the customizing process, project manager Laura Diodene, HR Business Partner at Vitra, emphasized that the folders and documents used in the digital employee file should be based on the well-thought-out system of the existing paper files so that users can quickly find their way around. The 15 or so HR users who regularly work with Centric Employee File were trained in house. For employees who can access their own file, documentation created by the HR team in the company portal was all they needed.

The fact that employees can now view their own files themselves offers enormous savings of time and resources. Laura Diodene gives an example.

“Since we started uploading digital payroll to Centric Employee File, the amount of postal mail has been reduced many times over.”

Laura Diodene HR Business Partner, Vitra Services GmbH

Desks piled high with paper files are a thing of the past

Because all employee documents can be accessed in one place and the required documents are compiled or stored with just a few clicks, many routine tasks, such as borrowing files, searching, copying, or going to the archive, are obsolete, especially in the area of HR services. This also makes desks piled high with paper files a thing of the past and means the employee file is always complete and up-to-date.

„In the digital employee file, our employees' documents are always up-to-date, complete, and available at all times .“

Laura Diodene, HR Business Partner, Vitra Services GmbH

Accelerated HR processes

Easy access to the documents means the HR team can now complete all processes related to the digital employee file quickly and efficiently. Employees can handle more of their own requests themselves – they can inspect their employment contract and print out old pay statements or other documents. Managers can also directly access required HR information pertaining to their employees and, for example, they can look at changes to contracts or agreements themselves. All processes are based on SAP security structures and are GDPR compliant, with secure access and the highest level of data protection.

„Digitization eliminates many steps, such as searching for documents, printing, copying, filing, or going to the archive.“

Andrea Walser, HR Service Partner, Vitra Services GmbH

“By leveraging SAP technology, the Centric solution is efficient to administer and future-proof.”

Vladimir Khatlamadjian HR IT Administrator, Vitra IT Services