Afriflora Streamlines HR and Payroll with SAP SuccessFactors

Managing personnel processes for 15,000 employees in Ethiopia from the Netherlands posed a significant challenge for Afriflora, the world's leading rose producer. The solution came when they switched to an integrated HR cloud platform. With the help of SAP SuccessFactors and the expertise of SAP partner SD Worx, Afriflora enhanced its personnel management capabilities.

Afriflora produces approximately four million roses daily across three locations in Ethiopia, with exports to European supermarket chains like Lidl, Aldi, and Edeka. Previously, Afriflora relied on a local independent software developer for HR management, but this approach became unsustainable.

According to Monique Hoenderdos, Project Manager at Afriflora, "Our payroll was managed through huge Excel files. With 50 new employees joining daily, the system often crashed. It was also susceptible to challenges related to fraud and errors."

To address these issues, Afriflora opted for a single integrated system for both HR and payroll. SAP SuccessFactors was identified as the only solution that met their specific needs. Afriflora chose SD Worx based on their experience with similar projects in Africa, as Hoenderdos explains, "SD Worx had worked on payroll projects in Nigeria and had consultants familiar with the challenges faced by African organisations. This gave us confidence."

While the technical aspects of the project were executed smoothly, the biggest challenge was overcoming cultural differences. Ethiopia has a strong hierarchical culture, and employees are not accustomed to independently evaluating processes or thinking critically.

Hoenderdos noted, "Everyone primarily wanted to share their own story. We made a conscious effort to allow time for these conversations to build trust, while also closely monitoring deadlines and data deliveries. This balance of respectful listening and clear direction was crucial."

As of January, all 15,000 employees have transitioned to the new system. However, most greenhouse workers experienced little change initially. "Many of them don't have smartphones, so self-service modules are not yet in use. They still receive their salaries in paper envelopes," Hoenderdos explained. Nonetheless, the organisation's benefits are evident: data control has improved significantly, the risk of fraud has decreased, and processes have become more efficient through integrations with systems like biometric time tracking and bonus management.

"HR and Finance now collaborate much more effectively. Payroll no longer experiences delays, and we have direct visibility from the Netherlands, which brings peace of mind."

HR staff also benefit from the new system, gaining a better understanding of their crucial role in ensuring data quality and recognising the added value the system brings. "This creates enthusiasm on the work floor. We don't hear complaints; rather, we see understanding for the change," says Hoenderdos.

The next step is to further train employees and encourage them to take responsibility for their own data and reports.

"We want employees to feel ownership of the processes. If they don't understand something, they need to feel empowered to ask for help," Hoenderdos stated. While the introduction of technologies like AI is still distant due to local conditions, Afriflora focuses on practical improvements.

"Our current priority is to enhance employees' reporting skills and data literacy, which will provide a foundation for further professionalisation."

Hoenderdos speaks positively about the cooperation with SD Worx:

"Their pragmatic approach and experience with similar situations in Africa were invaluable. They were flexible and took our specific challenges into account. This contributed to a smooth implementation and a lasting positive impact, especially since SD Worx also provided an Ethiopian business consultant for local support."

Thanks to SAP SuccessFactors, Afriflora is well-prepared for future growth.

"With this solution, we can grow responsibly without our system becoming a hindrance."

Her advice for other organisations considering a similar journey is straightforward: "If you're operating in a production environment with many blue-collar workers, don't run a shadow project. Test thoroughly, complete your acceptance tests, and proceed to go live. The real learning curve begins once people start using it daily."