Bunzl revamped its complex people function by automating and streamlining operations with the help of Zellis’ award-winning payroll and HR system, ResourceLink. Find out more below.
London-based multinational distribution and outsourcing business BUNZL consists of 23 separate operating companies. 80% of its staff - 4,000 of whom are located in the UK and Ireland - work remotely.
Bunzl had previously been using Ceridian to manage its payroll and HR activities, but the software was unable to support the UK’s shift to compulsory pension auto-enrolment without a significant upgrade.
As a result, the company decided to see what other options were available. Paula Eavis, Director of Human Resources, said “We wanted to benchmark our systems and explore the ‘art of the possible’ ."
Bunzl chose ResourceLink as it was able to meet all the organisation’s complex payroll and pension requirements. The initial phase of the initiative involved taking the payroll system live, with the provision of paper payslips following within nine months.
Since then, the company has migrated all HR administration and data processing activities to a shared service centre, which looks after the requirements of each of the company’s operating units.
Payroll team: unchanged at 3, despite employee number growing by 1000
Four main focuses led to these incredible results; a switch to digital self-service, a rethink of onboarding practices, using rich reporting and analytics, and consolidating the talent and performance processes running across the organisation.
Engaging employees with digital self-service
About nine months after Bunzl first implemented ResourceLink, it rolled out MyView for employee self-service, providing full support for staff during the changeover.
Paula says: “Being able to use MyView for things like booking holidays has made life much easier and also led to higher levels of digital engagement.”
The implementation of Zellis’ onboarding module helped streamline and make onboarding more consistent across roles and departments.
The system provides a reporting feature which can alert HR managers if action is required, as well as an e-learning module that enables new starters to complete mandatory training.
The software also reduces the admin burden by enabling the effective management of legal documents and scheduling compliance reports to indicate if any further action is needed.
Despite having between 100 and 140 new starters each month, only six people have had to be chased for relevant information so far.
BUNZL have introduced a feedback survey for new starters, which has garnered positive responses.
Bunzl eventually hired an HR Information Systems specialist (HRIS), which allowed them to utilise ResourceLink’s rich data and management reporting capabilities in new ways.
The software now enables the payroll team to undertake more accurate salary benchmarking activities across all operating companies which has helped prevent hiring issues and delays.
“The step change in performance has helped to win the hearts and minds of the leadership team as ResourceLink is now considered much more than just a payroll system. It’s an important piece of enabling technology,” says Paula.
The next step will be to fine-tune the system’s reporting capabilities to boost value-add further.
Consolidating the different talent and performance processes running in each of its 23 operating companies, led to a significant jump in employee engagement from an average of between 55% and 65% to between 70% and 80%.
In addition, the analysis of employee data, combined with the use of the Nine Box Grid methodology, has enabled the company to identify staff who pose a flight risk so it can focus more effectively on succession planning. Eavis describes such insights as a “powerful capability, particularly considering how dispersed the workforce is.”
The company has been collaborating closely with its IT Customer Account Manager (ITCAM) and the Zellis Independent User Group to identify and meet new requirements in line with Bunzl’s focus on continuous improvement. The transformation has been marked.
To find out how you can create business resilience with a strong payroll partnership, head over to our managed payroll services page or get in touch today.
“We can see the clear, positive cultural change brought about by working with Zellis. It’s more than just a piece of software – it’s a customer experience and service. It’s also the only system we’ve ever worked with that doesn’t require loads of workarounds.” - Paula Eavis - Director of Human Resources
