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Chemours Case Study

Chemours multi-country payroll accuracy in 18 countries with activpayroll

Highlight
Ease of integration and trust in data
Industry
Chemicals
Regions
EMEA, APAC, Americas
Solutions
Payroll, International Payments, Mobility
19200+ employees
18 countries
Payments in 13 currencies

Situation

Cristina Dias is the HR Business Partner at Chemours, a company that spun off from DuPont in 2015. Chemours is a forward-thinking global chemical company that offers solutions for a range of industries, including automotive, paints, laminates, advanced electronics, construction, energy, and telecommunications. Cristina has been with Chemours for seven years, gaining extensive experience in various HR departments such as benefits, total rewards, and payroll. She recently took on the role of International Payroll Manager, overseeing the payrolls which are split between US and non-US operations. In the US, Chemours uses ADP for approximately 4000 employees. The remaining employees, spread across Europe, APAC, and Latin America, rely on local payroll vendors.

Cristina’s responsibilities include managing payroll for 20 countries across 14 different currencies. In Europe, some countries share the Euro, while others use local currencies. She measures success metrics monthly and conducts internal reviews with her team. To ensure accuracy and timely performance, they use a spreadsheet based on the contract with each supplier and the associated service level agreements. Cristina also verifies invoices, integrates them into the payroll team, provides feedback to the payroll service provider, and maintains regular contact with payroll consultants. Her role as a bridge between the parent company and the team is critical, especially in handling payroll issues in a timely manner.

With increasing complexity caused by company growth and the stress and frustration caused by an unreliable and inaccurate payroll vendor, Cristina and her team knew they had to change vendors. This set Cristina on a path to search for alternatives that could better fulfil Chemours' changing requirements.

Complication

Following Chemours' spinoff from DuPont, the company outsourced payroll to a new vendor. However, the vendor’s performance was unsatisfactory, marked by significant inaccuracies in payroll reports and payments. This posed a considerable risk, especially for high-salary employees in Switzerland. Despite a two-year partnership, the issues persisted, leading the regional HR manager in Europe to bravely terminate the relationship due to continuous errors and lack of improvement. Executive management had not raised major complaints, but stress and frustration of recurring inaccuracies necessitated a change.

Chemours did not seek to evaluate other vendors as activpayroll was strongly recommended by a senior executive in the US. The primary requirements were accuracy and flexibility. ADP was not cost-effective and could not meet Chemours' needs in Europe. Therefore, finding a suitable solution that could integrate payroll systems and spreadsheets was essential. Cristina and her team were frustrated with the previous system’s avoidable mistakes and frequent vendor changes, which hampered consistency, particularly in Switzerland. This inefficiency underscored the need for a reliable and consistent payroll solution.

Furthermore, managing payroll for 20 countries with different currencies and regulations presented a complex challenge. The varying timelines for each country added to the complexity, making it difficult to finalise inputs in a coordinated manner. Cristina’s team had to collect data for benefits and other payroll inputs from multiple sources outside the payroll system, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. This disjointed process highlighted the urgent need for an integrated and flexible payroll solution that could streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.

Turning point: The transition to activpayroll

Cristina and her team transitioned to activpayroll, driven by the need for enhanced accuracy and flexibility. From the outset, the new system demonstrated significant improvements in payroll accuracy, which was crucial for Chemours. Despite challenges in some countries over the past five years, the overall accuracy across the 20 countries was commendable, particularly in Switzerland, Belgium, and France.

The transition to activpayroll was not met with reluctance or anxiety by the team; instead, it was a welcomed change. activpayroll’s trustworthiness in providing accurate data and comprehensive coverage across different countries were key differentiators. As a small payroll team, they relied on activpayroll to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, alleviating the need to validate every detail and allowing them to trust the system completely. This compliance was crucial as the team lacked in-depth knowledge and only had a payroll panel to rely on. Having a payroll partner to ensure compliance and provide peace of mind was vital for Chemours.

The immediate improvement in payroll accuracy was a significant "aha" moment for Cristina. The previous system had been plagued with simple yet frequent mistakes that could have been avoided. activpayroll's implementation demonstrated a commitment to detail and the improvement that had been missing.

Another pivotal moment came when activpayroll seamlessly integrated with Chemours’ existing HRIS systems. This integration provided a unified solution that automated key processes, saving Cristina and her team valuable time and reducing the risk of errors. The flexibility to adapt to various countries' needs, combined with the ability to input information using both the payroll system and spreadsheets, proved to be a high value activpayroll capability.

Resolution: Outcomes and impact

Anyone who has transitioned payroll vendors will know it is incredibly complex and not for the faint hearted. The implementation of activpayroll was not without its challenges, particularly with Chemours colleagues in Spain who resisted the transition to a new in-country provider. Despite this, Cristina and her team persevered and agreed to change the in-country provider in Spain. activpayroll’s integration resulted in a significant improvement in payroll accuracy, reducing errors and ensuring timely payments. The comprehensive coverage and trustworthiness of activpayroll allowed Cristina and her team to manage payroll efficiently across various countries.

Cristina aimed to improve efficiency and reduce costs by better managing her team. For instance, she considered having three people handle payroll for Europe instead of four and assigning another person to manage the rest. Despite some ongoing challenges in countries like Spain and the UK, the overall performance was smooth in most regions. The next step was to focus on better automation and the use of technology to ease the resource burden.

activpayroll proved to be a strong partner for Chemours in terms of payroll accuracy and reliability. “activpayroll’s strength lies in its flexibility and trustworthiness, covering many countries effectively”. With ongoing efforts to enhance technology and coordination, Cristina was confident that Chemours could achieve even greater efficiency and success in their payroll operations.

Cristina's journey with activpayroll also highlighted the importance of proactive communication and feedback. By maintaining regular contact with the service delivery leader and payroll consultants, she ensured that any issues were promptly addressed, and continuous improvements were made. This open line of communication fostered a collaborative relationship, allowing Chemours to leverage activpayroll's expertise and resources effectively.

Moreover, the integration of invoices into the payroll team and the use of success metrics to measure performance monthly helped Cristina maintain a high standard of accuracy and efficiency. This systematic approach ensured that Chemours' payroll operations remained aligned with their strategic goals and contractual obligations, further solidifying the reliability of activpayroll as their payroll partner.

Through these efforts, Cristina demonstrated her commitment to optimising payroll operations at Chemours, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency, while continuously seeking ways to improve processes and technology for better outcomes. Her leadership and proactive approach played a crucial role in transforming Chemours' payroll management, making it more robust and adaptable to the dynamic global business environment.

Ultimately, the successful implementation of activpayroll allowed Cristina and her team to focus on strategic HR initiatives, driving value for Chemours beyond payroll management. By freeing up resources and reducing administrative burdens, they were able to contribute more significantly to the company's growth and development. This holistic improvement in payroll operations underscored the critical role of a reliable and flexible payroll partner in supporting Chemours' global operations and long-term success.

“activpayroll’s strength lies in its flexibility and trustworthiness, covering many countries effectively”.”
- Cristina Dias, HR Business Partner, Chemours

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