SAP SuccessFactors implementation at X-FAB Global Services

Products: Analogue and mixed-signal semi-conductor technologies

Employees: approx. 4,000 world-wide (2021)

Turnover: 657.8 million U.S. dollars (2021)

Headquarters: Tessenderlo, Belgium

Website: www.xfab.com

A Vision for Personnel Management

X-FAB is one of the world’s leading semi-conductor technology companies with a clear focus on automotive, industrial and medical applications. Operating entirely as a foundry, X-FAB contracts with customers to manufacture analogue and analogue-digital integrated circuits and other semi-conductor components. It’s all about the shiny round discs known as wafers. They are manufactured at six production sites around the globe. In addition to helping save lives, semi-conductors also connect people and contribute to climate-friendly mobility. X-FAB decided to introduce SAP SuccessFactors to help get its own HR processes going. That was quickly followed by a vision of a modern feedback culture and transparent target management. The company is relying entirely on the expertise of NTT DATA Business Solutions (henceforward NTT DATA) during introduction of the applications. While the Recruiting module is still in the implementation phase until the end of 2022, the Performance & Goals module has already achieved initial success.

System-supported Performance Goal Management

Leadership styles are constantly changing. “Top-down” management used to be the norm whereas today’s companies strive for flat hierarchies. There is a clear focus on a cooperative approach. Work is no longer delegated from above, but rather driven by collaboration. This new leadership style has opened the door to motivation and creativity, bringing teamwork, productivity and initiative-taking into our work. But what good is a new leadership style without a modern HR solution? Many companies face the challenge of motivating their employees to be successful and to continuously support their development. X-FAB decided on SAP SuccessFactors Performance & Goals (P&G) to meet these challenges. Through system-supported performance goal management, this cloud solution has a positive effect on employee performance and facilitates dialogue with managers.

Improving Performance, Maximizing Business Success

The new solution comes with some new functionalities. Based on employee roles and interests as well as supervisor input, targets are defined for the current fiscal year. Progress is then documented transparently for both sides in the HR solution, so that attainment of business targets can be analyzed during interim and annual reviews by means of a digital evaluation form. In this way, the probability of success and effort are transparently presented and an exchange of ideas  with management. Another advantage is the simple recording of employee feedback in real time, which enables forward-looking management. Managers are thus able to access current activities, achievements and feedback in order to improve their team’s performance and contribute to the success of the business. All of this has a significant impact on employee engagement and motivation. This is what modern leadership looks like.

Tomorrow’s HR Processes

The future introduction of the Recruiting module will make the search for new specialists even more efficient. Above all, the module facilitates the recruiting process from initial job posting to hiring to employee retention and development — and thus throughout the entire personnel life cycle. The simple use of intuitive tools for comparing applicants or easily evaluating candidates offers a big advantage here. It significantly improves the selection process and will ensure modern, holistic  HR processes for the future as well.