A Kronos® Solution Is Well Worth the Trip for STA Travel
STA Travel is a full-service travel agency comprised of 450 branches in 20 countries around the world that service more than three million students and young people each year. In the United States and Canada alone, the organization employs a staff of 650 in 110 offices and retail locations on or near college campuses.
From its inception, STA Travel had been a paper-based operation, and was still relying on manual processes for time and attendance and payroll when the company went through an acquisition. Essentially doubling in size overnight, it was clear that they would need to implement a comprehensive system to automate critical employee processes right away. STA Travel's North American division turned to Kronos for help, licensing a full suite of Kronos solutions — including human resources, payroll, and time and labor to help reduce costs and improve employee productivity.
The beginning of the journey
The first step was to seek out a scalable time and attendance solution. STA Travel chose Kronos' Workforce Timekeeper™, an integral component of the Workforce Central® suite. Julie Bartholic, director of HR at STA Travel, discusses the organization's decision to partner with Kronos. "We jumped on board really quickly with Kronos. With Workforce Timekeeper, there are huge benefits, huge time savings. We did a lot of shopping and we knew it was the best solution out there. It's tested and it works."
About a year later, problems with their existing HR and payroll systems caused STA Travel to entertain thoughts of a new solution that would better serve those needs. Bartholic explains, "We weren't happy with the quality and the output of the payroll. And we didn't feel like the vendor was progressive enough." Because STA Travel is comprised of a young-spirited and progressive workforce, they wanted a business partner more closely aligned with their company philosophy. "We wanted something that was more cutting-edge," explains Bartholic. "We didn't want old technology." The success they had realized with Kronos to date encouraged them to build on the system by adding Kronos' Workforce HR™ and Workforce Payroll™ for a full suite solution.
A world of benefits
When STA Travel doubled in size, the already difficult payroll challenges became twice as hard. Its North American headquarters is located in Los Angeles, but there are offices in every corner of the United States and Canada. Prior to implementing the Kronos solution, the Los Angeles office would send out pay stubs and live paychecks via an overnight delivery service to 100 offices biweekly in order to meet payroll deadlines. The elimination of this process alone made a world of difference. By the end of one year, they stand to save nearly $40,000 in shipping costs.
One of the biggest benefits of the Kronos solution is evident during audit time, when an auditor can look at the system instead of going through paper records for an audit trail. Bartholic relates, "I don't have to locate old archived records searching through a mass of paper. All I have to do is go into the system. It's all right there."
According to Bartholic, employee reaction to Kronos has been very positive across the board. "The staff really likes it. The important thing for us was to get the staff using the system on a regular basis." STA Travel made several innovative changes to the interface to welcome users, including customizing the web page with the company's look and feel, so it feels like home to employee visitors.
Self-service delivers empowerment
Bartholic believes that employee and manager self-service has made the greatest overall impact within the company as a whole. "Self-service is the thing that puts the face of HR out to the employee," she explains. Because they can view important data from any computer, it is as convenient as it is personal. "It's real to them," asserts Bartholic, "as opposed to getting just a pay stub every other week." Manager self-service give managers access to critical information about their employees, while employee self-service gives employees access to their own HR and payroll information.
STA Travel's HR department is proactive about educating employees. Everything they need is online, such as retirement planning, 401(k), and healthcare information, as well as links to training materials. This is an obvious benefit to the HR department, freeing up their time to focus on higher-value tasks. But it's also very much appreciated by the entire staff. Employees feel self-sufficient by being able to access information without calling HR. It's all there at their fingertips.
Good travel companions
STA Travel is committed to being there for its customers and employees, and wanted to partner with a company that would be there when needed — one that would provide and support a comprehensive solution. They found what they were searching for in Kronos. "Things went smoother during implementation because it was one vendor," explains Bartholic. "The training was great, and the whole system is simple to use."
By purchasing all employee-centric applications from a single vendor, STA Travel avoids the pitfalls of linking disparate systems, and reaps the unique rewards a single vendor provides. "We have a good relationship with Kronos, and that matters a lot. We get value out of that relationship. And if I have a question about one application and it impacts another, they understand, and that's important. Not only do they get it, but they care about it." Between the combined benefits of Workforce Timekeeper, Workforce HR, Workforce Payroll, and self-service, Bartholic confirms proudly, "We're definitely going to achieve ROI in 10 to 12 months, as projected. Senior management, of course, likes that."
Full speed ahead
STA Travel's HR department plans to keep moving forward, and the entire Kronos solution plays a major role. "My business plan for this year for my department is basically to maximize the system's capability," relates Bartholic. And the sky's the limit. "I love Web-based technology because you can do anything with it."
STA Travel's goals for the future can be met by what's on the horizon for Kronos.
One of the features the company is looking forward to adding is workflow, which further saves both time and paper through the automation of critical processes. Bartholic relates, "There's a huge potential with the HR and payroll modules when you build in workflow. We're looking to achieve a near 100% paperless environment, and Kronos is helping us get there."
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