Client Profile

Customer Name: Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)

Established: 1987

Customer Since: 2021

Employees: 3897

Sector: Transport

Introduction

Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), the heart of Ireland’s public transportation, operates an extensive network serving passengers and freight nationwide. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, Iarnród Éireann plays a pivotal role in connecting communities, bolstering the economy, and fostering a more sustainable environment. This dedication has driven the national railway operator to embark on a transformative journey with Version 1. Its aim was to revolutionise its Human Resources (HR) system and redefine the future of rail service in Ireland, placing employee welfare and operational efficiency at the forefront of its ambitious goals.

Challenge

Before partnering with Version 1, Iarnród Éireann faced significant hurdles in its HR operations, slowed by outdated record-keeping methods and manual processes. These challenges were not just operational but strategic, affecting the organisation’s ability to attract, recruit, and retain top talent, develop its workforce to meet emerging industry demands, and ensure regulatory compliance.

The reliance on spreadsheets, paper forms, and email for HR tasks created bottlenecks, increased administrative burdens and prevented the organisation from scaling effectively. With rapid growth in demand for rail services, these inefficiencies posed a critical threat to Iarnród Éireann’s ability to meet its service commitments and strategic objectives.

Solution and Outcomes Delivered

The collaboration between Iarnród Éireann and Version 1, through the adoption of Oracle Cloud HCM, has started a transformative era for the railway operator, redefining the organisational culture and operational efficiency from the ground up.

The completed initial phase of the HR overhaul directly addressed the immediate HR needs, dramatically streamlining core processes, reducing administrative work and shifting the HR team’s focus to strategic initiatives that uplift the entire workforce. This change has notably boosted employee satisfaction, leveraging the system’s user-friendliness to foster greater staff engagement and self-service. Advanced HR modules have brought a unified and effective approach to talent management, learning, development, and benefits, boosting workforce motivation and support.

The second phase, which launched in April 2024, will introduce significant improvements in recruitment, onboarding, and HR support, aiming for a seamless integration that enhances the new hire experience and expedites their productivity. An improved HR Helpdesk will provide timely support to all employees, elevating their work environment and satisfaction further.

This transformative project has not only streamlined operations but also developed a dynamic, future-ready workforce, aligning seamlessly with Iarnród Éireann’s strategic objectives and equipping the company for future challenges.

“We needed a partner that could understand our approach and delivery methods. This is a key deliverable for us, so we needed to bring people on the journey with us. We knew that delivery is through people and change affects people differently, so a key decisive factor for us was the profile of the supplier. Version 1 of course demonstrated all the technical capability required but more importantly, it could offer the strategic understanding and competencies in the business transformation element. The core values of both organisations married perfectly and the discussions we had with Version 1 really helped us in delivering the total programme successfully.”

– John Kennedy, Head of HR Organisational Development at Irish Rail

“When we set out to help Iarnród Éireann and first had discussions, we understood immediately that people are at the heart of what they do. Moving thousands of people every day and being at the centre of the Irish economy from a freight and infrastructure point of view, it was imperative that any system we designed had to be human-centric. We were extremely proud to be selected to work with them and one of the most rewarding impacts that we’ve seen has been the improvement in staff motivation and engagement. This transformation positions them at the leading edge of public service, very well-equipped to shape and define the future of rail transport in Ireland.”

– Colm Gillard, Managing Director, Enterprise Applications at Version 1

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