Find out how we're designing a new way of working with our Digital HR Programme.
Overview
What it is: The Digital HR Programme will provide a modern experience for current and prospective employees, leaders and managers supporting them to work in an efficient way.
Why it’s better for you: Staff will experience streamlined HR processes, quicker response times to HR enquiries, easier access to their personal information and benefits, and increased transparency in HR-related matters.
Why it’s better for the University: The programme aims to improve both candidate and employee experience, making the University of Sussex a great place to work.
When it’s happening: The contract with our current payroll and HR provider expires in August 2025 and we aim to launch the new system in 2026.
How it will launch: This programme is made up of many different components and staff will be updated throughout the rollout of each project.
About the Digital HR Programme
In 2023, we launched the University’s People Strategy after consultation with the University community. There are four pillars that underpin the strategy, and the Digital HR Programme is our commitment to the ‘getting the basics right’ pillar.
As the programme progresses, we will be releasing details of our:
- programme mandate
- team representatives
- proposed team locations
- supporting policies.
What's included
The programme involves creating a comprehensive digital HR strategy and business case, outlining the rationale and tender process.
The programme is structured into four workstreams:
- Candidate Experience – focusing on streamlining and simplifying the recruitment processes while providing a tailored and transparent process to attract and engage candidates.
- Employee Experience – having clear policies and procedures enabled by a simple-to-use system that maintain a consistent employee experience.
- HR Ways of Working – ensuring that our systems, and the way we work help us to attract and retain high quality colleagues and make Sussex a great place to work.
- Data and Analytics – focusing on enhancing data access at various levels of the organisation to provide clear, consistent, and insightful information.
Expectations
Our digital HR system will:
- ensure efficient and effective service delivery
- deliver employee and manager self-service, reducing transaction times and delivering savings
- improve HR reporting capability
- implement e-recruitment to deliver a smooth, easy and positive candidate and recruiter experience.
Timeline
The contract with our current payroll and HR provider expires in August 2025. The milestones below are designed to enable us to smoothly transition from the old to the new system.
We are now working towards:
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Developing options and preparing for outline business case review
We have been mapping current processes and learning what changes are needed. This engagement phase will continue to the end of March 2024.
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System selection
Beginning April 2024, we will use the knowledge we have gained from engagement to scope and select systems that will best support the functionality needed.
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Implementation
Throughout March 2025 to March 2026 we will work to integrate our new systems into Sussex.
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Launch of new HR and payroll system
We aim to launch the new system in August 2026.
Once the outline business case is approved a more detailed timeline will be developed and will be added to this page.