Johannesburg, 04 Jul 2012
With every role comes paperwork. And process. And compliance- and governance-related activities that just have to be done. It's part of our everyday lives and critical in terms of running our business effectively. But, there can be a difference between effectiveness and efficiency. And a point when the ongoing gruel of process, especially manual process, can interfere with our core job function - whatever that may be.
So what is the answer? Often, it's not as complex as one might think. That was the case for Sun International, whose Learning and Development (L&D) team previously spent weeks of their time each year gathering data and compiling reports to meet B-BBEE and CATHSSETA requirements.
The information needed for all these reporting requirements existed, but, as is so often the case, in pockets across the organisation. Some in databases across multiple systems; some in spreadsheets; and some in people's heads. The data not only had to be gathered manually each time a report was required, but often was unreliable, sometimes contradictory, and given that it was all consolidated manually, often prone to error.
This made the reporting process time-consuming and onerous and difficult to validate from an audit perspective. Adding to the complexity was the fact that in the case of Sun International, the L&D function is decentralised, which meant that information from 16 business units spread across the country needed to be gathered and consolidated at a group level each time a report was required.
By introducing Web-based systems custom developed by ASG, Sun International has significantly reduced the challenges associated with L&D compliance reporting requirements. U Count, which first went live in late 2010, allows L&D managers and other stakeholders to capture skills development data in a series of screens pre-populated with headcount and training data in a secure, structured Web environment.
The system then generates a series of reports in a standardised format that can be used for B-BBEE reporting purposes. Dashboards give a birds-eye-view of key metrics, enabling easy visual tracking of strategic indicators. The system is roles-based, managed through user logons, to ensure that each user only has access to the part of the system they need. All information and reports can be viewed at either individual unit or group level, depending on user permissions. And the system has been endorsed by Empowerdex, thus significantly simplifying the B-BBEE verification process.
Similarly, Sun International now also uses an automated system for compiling its annual Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs). The added advantage of this system is that reports are generated in the required CATHSSETA formats without any capture required by the units. An export of the report has also been made available to CATHSSETA for direct import into its Web site.
Validations built into the reports help to ensure data accuracy and assist with the checking process at group and unit level. Additional customised reports and dashboards assist with monitoring progress of planned training activities against actuals, throughout the WSP period.