How Bekaert leverages AI for HR with SAP SuccessFactors
Belgian steel manufacturer Bekaert aspires to become a people and datadriven company. This requires a thorough strategic and cultural transformation, in which AI plays a crucial role. The get started, they set priorities, leveraging the embedded AI capabilities already available in their exisiting HR tools, like SAP SuccessFactors. By focusing on a few use cases, they are already exploring the AI benefits!
HR is the perfect playground for AI
"AI is a means to achieve our goals, a logical extension of our HR strategy" says Jorn Waterschoot, Global Head of HR Technology at Bekaert.
AI's growing capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and versatility are transforming businesses by enhancing user experiences, enabling experimentation, and encouraging adoption. At Bekaert, these strengths are leveraged in HR while carefully managing hidden costs and focusing on end-to-end implementation to maximize AI’s potential.
At Bekaert, the goal is to make AI feel like a candy store: once employees experience its versatility, they are encouraged to explore it further.
AI as a logical extension of SAP SuccessFactors
So how does Bekaert implement AI in HR? By prioritizing the embedded AI options that are available in SAP SuccessFactors.
" We focus on embedded AI—off-the-shelf solutions provided by our partner Flexso. The goal is to integrate the technology into SAP SuccessFactors, the software we use for HR processes, that employees already use and are familiar with. In this way, they are more eager to actively use it. Plus, we can make the most of existing data."
Beyond embedded AI, Bekaert also uses off-the-shelf stand-alone AI tools, seamlessly integrated with their existing HR software "These AI features improve interactions with candidates, generate engaging training content, or leverage people analytics to reveal previously hidden insights. In other words, we deploy AI to refine the quality of the data that powers our AI solutions—that’s where the real added value lies."
Bekaert deploys AI indiscriminately across the organization.. We roll it out gradually, through a number of role-specific use cases. Each application delivers meaningful benefits to a specific profile within the company.
An elevated manager experience
The first group that benefits from AI in HR are the line managers. Jorn: "We implemented SAP Joule in SAP SuccessFactors, which comes with an AI-driven chatbot. Managers use it to quickly search for relevant information and initiate certain processes, such as a promotion or the launch of a job requisition. This empowers them to spend less time on administrative tasks and fully focus on leading their teams to success."
Boost recruiting efforts
In SAP Joule, recruiters leverage AI to create and refine job descriptions."The tool provides side-by-side comparisons of previous and AI-generated content, enabling HR employees to make final adjustments in no time. More than time gains, the refined descriptions also attract higher-quality talent—truly a win-win."
The early AI bird catches the worm
For Jorn, the question isn't if companies should start experimenting with AI in HR, but when. "AI is here to stay. Every day, new tools see the light of day, so why wait? There are countless opportunities to enhance HR processes with AI, whether in recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and development or workforce planning. The key is to start small and prioritize use cases that truly make a difference for your employees."
"Companies have every reason to be early adopters of AI. There are countless opportunities to incorporate AI in HR. It's just a matter of identifying the right ones."
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