We are one team: Vattenfall and SD Worx's International Payroll Success
Vattenfall, a leading European energy company operating in Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the UK, partnered with global HR and payroll service provider SD Worx for their payroll services across the UK and Finland (as well as their pension payroll management in Germany).
Facing tight deadlines, compliance challenges, and the need for agile solutions, the collaboration between Vattenfall and SD Worx resulted in a seamless, timely implementation that exceeded expectations on an international scale.
About Vattenfall:
Vattenfall is a leading energy company that generates electricity from various sources, including wind, hydro, nuclear, and fossil-free energy. With a strong focus on sustainability, Vattenfall aims to be fossil-free within one generation.
The company is owned by the Swedish state and operates in multiple European countries, serving millions of customers.
Project Background:
Jay Chowdhury, HR Director for Vattenfall in Denmark, Finland, Poland, and the UK, acknowledged the project's ambitious timeline and the challenges in managing payroll complexities across different workforces.
Jay explained that there were a great amount of considerations as the team got underway with the UK project. Jay stated: "the headcount that you have in a business, is not the most important part of payroll, it's about the complexity on the payroll components on the different types of workforce, such as: shifts pay, different allowances, overtime rates, and as well as average pay and retro pay and family friendly pay both statutory and enhanced."
Challenges:
- Tight deadlines: The project had a tight timeline of 4 months, which Jay said would "typically take 8-9 months."
- Compliance and governance challenges: As a state-owned company, Vattenfall had to adhere to Sweden's PII data protection act and GDPR, among other regulations. Jay explained that “it is imperative for us at Vattenfall that we adhere to all elements of compliance, legislative, governance and GDPR to our master service level agreement as well as ensuring best practices are incorporated in our service model."
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Complex pay types across different countries: Varying pay types and regulations across countries added another layer of intricacy.
Solution Implementation:
SD Worx provided their international payroll solution, which allowed for a streamlined process while maintaining compliance across different countries. The close collaboration between SD Worx and Vattenfall ensured clear communication and responsiveness throughout the implementation.
Jay praised the partnership, stating that "throughout the implementation, the project objective and end goal was clear to all parties. Everybody was aligned."
Benefits:
- Effective Collaboration: The strong partnership between SD Worx and Vattenfall allowed both teams to address challenges creatively and in a timely manner.
- Timely Delivery: The project was completed on time, with Jay reporting "no disruption to the business whatsoever," which pleased the steering committee.
- Compliance and Governance: Both companies worked "practically 24/7" to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations without compromising their ethics, principles, or ways of working.
Conclusion:
The collaboration between SD Worx and Vattenfall laid the foundation for success, overcoming tight deadlines and complex regulations to consolidate payroll services across five countries.
Jay emphasizes the importance of teamwork: “Both teams worked immensely. I can’t emphasize that enough. The right competencies, skills, creativity, solution-driven, without these the project would not have been successful. At Vattenfall we see SD Worx, not only as a partner but as part of Vattenfall and we are one team.”
Both teams worked immensely. I can’t emphasize that enough. The right competencies, skills, creativity, solution-driven, without these the project would not have been successful. At Vattenfall we see SD Worx not only as a partner but as part of Vattenfall and we are one team.