SAP and co-hosts Ingentis and OpenText, recently brought together an esteemed group of HR professionals in Johannesburg

On 28 March, the SAP SuccessFactors team, along with co-hosts Ingentis and OpenText, brought together an esteemed group of HR professionals at the Courtyard Hotel in Waterfall, Midrand. With premium guest speakers from AECI, Discovery and Sanlam, which have all successfully adopted new-age technology in their businesses, and SAP experts flying in from abroad to address the attendees, this exclusive conference was not to be missed.

The event, themed “HR Connect – change work for good”, aimed to explore how technology and culture can combine to improve the employee experience and maintain competitiveness in a digital-first world.

One of the major highlights of the event was the paramount significance of HR technology in revolutionising HR practices. By leveraging the power of cutting-edge technologies such as SAP in collaboration with Ingentis and OpenText, businesses can access a plethora of powerful tools that help them stay ahead of the curve and maintain their competitive edge in the fast-paced digital era.

For instance, SAP SuccessFactors provides businesses with solutions that help them manage their workforces effectively, from recruitment to employee development and performance management. The platform also offers intelligent analytics tools that can help businesses make data-driven decisions about their workforce.

Ingentis provides the ability to automatically access and visualise HR and organisational data from multiple sources. This enables greater transparency and understanding. With Ingentis org.manager for SAP SuccessFactors, you’ll be able to review the current status of your organisation, design desired states and optimise your structures. This, in turn, allows you to make better business decisions based on your data and better prepare for future challenges.

OpenText helps HR teams who are continually challenged by the race for talent, hybrid work, siloed systems, and new and complex privacy regulations. At the same time, they face increased pressure to drive efficiencies, streamline operations, automate HR processes, deliver strategy, and elevate employee and candidate experiences. Employee document management solutions for SAP SuccessFactors bring digitised employee documents, employee data and digital recruitment together in a single, secure, easy-to-access platform, giving HR teams time to build the relationships that matter.

More than just technology

More than just a technology initiative, this event aimed to bring together people, data and processes to drive a cultural shift towards more sustainable and resilient workplaces. It also explored the future of work, discussing how organisations can drive key business outcomes through people sustainability. As the workplace continues to evolve, it’s critical for businesses to be proactive in their approach to sustainability. By doing so, they can create a resilient and sustainable workplace that is equipped to deal with the challenges of the future.

So much value was added to the day by three guest speakers who each covered different but in practice topics related to human resources and organisational change. Tania Naude, from AECI, spoke on “Change work for good”, emphasising the importance of designing sustainable change programmes that benefit both employees and the organisation.

Desigan Govindsamy, from Discovery, discussed “Unlocking the value of HR investments” through the use of the VOI (value on investment) scorecard. He highlighted how this approach can help measure the impact of HR initiatives and improve decision making in the HR space.

Finally, Ronel Pfotenhauer, from Sanlam, shared how the organisation is using SAP SuccessFactors as a strategic vehicle for change in the post-pandemic world. She emphasised the role of people analytics in driving evidence-based decision making and leveraging technology to support a dynamic and agile workforce. Overall, the speakers offered valuable insights into the importance of HR investments and effective change management practices in today’s fast-changing business landscape.

The value of having the right partner by your side to guide you into the future of work was also a key theme of the event. With so much change and uncertainty in the workplace, it’s important to have a partner who can help businesses navigate these challenges and stay ahead of the curve.

Overall, the SAP SuccessFactors team’s event was a valuable opportunity for businesses to explore the latest HR tech trends, HR digital readiness in the region, opportunities and challenges around people sustainability, and what all of that means for HR as a function, employees as users, and organisational culture. By staying ahead of the curve and creating a resilient and sustainable workplace, businesses can ensure that they are well-equipped to face the challenges of the future.

This inaugural event marks the beginning of a series of planned events, with the ambition to establish this as the preeminent annual HR gathering. Its focus on cutting-edge HR practices and the evolving nature of organisational change management presents a rare opportunity for professionals to engage with leading experts, and learn about the latest trends in the field. With its steadfast commitment to offering invaluable insights, this event promises to be an indispensable fixture on the calendars of all HR practitioners seeking to stay at the forefront of their discipline. Be sure not to miss out on this exceptional opportunity.