Unlike TU/e, the University Groningen (RUG) decided in early 2020 to introduce the digital systems designed by AFAS, which resulted in a significant number of problems that remain unsolved to this day. In mid-September, the UKrant, RUG’s independent news platform, published a background story about all the misery it caused at the Groningen university. Just recently, it was reported that the system also complicates payment of salaries to student assistants. Staff members and managers often need to work around the system, according to the UKrant, and are starting to despair because things continue to go wrong.

Those involved with the introduction of TU/e InSite certainly don’t expect a similar abundance of problems. Managing director Laurent Nelissen, who has been supervising the introduction for the past two years, says that the transformation at TU/e occurs on a much smaller scale.

“RUG switched all its old systems for finances, payroll, human recourses and procurement to the new AFAS system in one go earlier this year. That caused considerable problems, and we’ve discussed that with our colleagues from Groningen. We won’t be making a complete switch like that. Here, only the HR system designed by AFAS will go live on January 4. The other systems will simply keep running as usual. We’ve tested the AFAS system extensively during the past year and will continue to do so until the final day before the introduction.”

Options model

It was also decided to add two of the HR system’s components at a later stage, says Mariska Brzözek, director of Human Resources Management. In one of these components, the so-called 'Options Model Employment Conditions', employees can indicate that they want to convert their surplus of leave into extra income, for example, or what they wish to do with their year-end bonus.

“That will be added to the AFAS system in April. Until that time, the existing system will remain active,” Brzözek says. “The other component, ‘Annual Appraisal,’ will be added in July. What will be conveniently placed next to each other at the start of 2021 however, is the possibility to apply for leave, to call in sick, to indicate that you’ve worked overtime, and to view your paycheck and personal details. The principle is that the manager will shift back responsibility for these mattes to his or her employees to a large extent.”

Nelissen adds: “This constitutes a new and different perspective on HR matters from what we were used to so far. We need to put an end once and for all to the mistrust that sometimes still prevails. Managers must feel confident that employees will fill in these matters properly, accurately and honestly.”

Brzözek: “Outside the workplace, people have also grown increasingly familiar with filling in matters at the source. That ranges from taking out insurance policies to booking travels. This will make our operational management much more efficient. The system also comes with a very user-friendly app that allows users entry 24/7. We’ve designed the support system in a modern way with instruction videos. But people can still always call in the help of a member of the auxiliary staff, naturally. We also expect that this way of working will reduce the paper flow, and that it will actually lead to a paperless office.”

Corona

Vice-president Nicole Ummelen is full of confidence. “It would be great if it functions perfectly from day one,” she says. “That’s what we hope for, but a few hiccups at the start can’t be ruled out with these kind of projects. A large number of auxiliary staff members are ready to assist users, the managers in particular.”

When asked why the university decided to introduce the new system after all, now that work is difficult enough already due to the corona crisis, Ummelen answers: “Since it is connected to our payroll administration, you can only introduce this system at the start of a new calendar year. At the end of 2019, we eventually decided to postpone it by one year, but if we would do so again, another year will have passed. That would mean a delay of two years. That’s why we decided to go ahead after all in these difficult times. This change will bring about extra work for our managers in particular, but we will supervise and support them in various ways.”

Will TU/e be introducing any other system changes within the foreseeable future? Ummelen: “No, the next one concerns our finance system, but we still need to start the procurement process for that.”