SAP partnership to address HR efficiency with cloud solution software

The need to improve efficiency and quality delivery in human resources (HR) in organisations has given birth to human capital management software, SuccessFactors, anchored by global software provider SAP and Nigerian-based business and technology services firm, Twintech.

At a roundtable, which held recently in Lagos, the advantages of the software were highlighted. According to Ayokanmi Ayuba, channel development manager of SAP, the cloud solution is aimed at transforming the way organisations carry out their HR businesses and responsibilities, adding that with the changing roles of HR, it has become very strategic, therefore the need to improve the way HRs practise.

The partnership with Twintech, she said, will drive improved growth in HR practice in Nigeria through cloud-based solutions, stressing that in the Nigerian technology space, cloud solutions are still growing.

SuccessFactors requires fewer infrastructures, and it is a subscription-based model, Ayuba said.

 “You don’t have to invest in servers, networking and other hardware devices if you are to implement the solutions on premise (in-house). Nigeria is due for cloud solutions. A lot of our personal information is stored in the cloud. The country is witnessing a digital transformation and the revolutionary power of social media in helping people do businesses better.

“SuccessFactors is a good solution because it manages the employee. The solution has been around for a long time in Europe, Asia and America. Technology has improved, and every time, there is an upgrade to mitigate the security concerns of people as regards the use of technology.

“The first challenge for us here is to disabuse the minds of people about the insecurity threats they might have about using the cloud solution.  There are a lot firewalls in place so that data is secured. We are positioned for the growth of cloud computing in Nigeria. The country is positioned for cloud adaption and digital transformation,” Ayuba said.

Taiwo Alli, a managing partner at Twintech expressed disappointment that the practice of HR in Nigeria has been slow because of the lack of investment in technology solutions in Nigeria.

Companies in Nigeria are hesitant, he said, when it comes to investing money on technology, adding that most organisations believe in cheap labour to carry out their services, which he noted provides opportunities for fraud and other challenges.

“Investing in SuccessFactors will save a lot of infrastructural costs for the user especially in terms of buying servers and engaging the developers to install the application. All that is required is for them to come to us and state the number of users they need. Then we will give them the license and implementation cost. We might be on site for either a week or two and gather the requirements and go back to build the system for them.

“Everything is going to be delivered from the SAP data centre. This implies that we will gain access to data centre on behalf of customers to build their own subset of customised cloud solution for them based on the requirement provided to us,” Alli said.