Retailer targets HR Solution

User stories from the knowledge front

When you have more than a quarter-million employees across the nation, there’s more than enough “paperwork” for the human resources department. So why not expedite and ease the process by letting employees take matters into their own hands? That’s what Target decided to do.

The general merchandise retailer has automated human resources functions with an on-premise self-service solution for its 281,000 workers at 1,300 locations. The new system from Workscape, which received the contract after an 11-month evaluation, will be used to manage multiple facets of human resources. Phase one, which is already underway, consists of a series of employee self-service and work force management initiatives that will be integrated with the company’s Tesseract HR system. The second phase will focus on applications for Target managers, such as compensation planner and work force events.

According to Chris Portinga, senior manager of HR development for Target, “Workscape’s HCM platform will help us connect our employees across offices and retail stores in 46 states, as well a streamlining the activities of our human resources departments who serve employees at Target, Mervyn’s and Marshall Field’s stores across the country. The solution . . . allows our employees secure access to valued HR information and services.”

Tim Clifford, president and co-CEO of Workscape, says that by integrating his company’s product, “Target will reduce its HR administrative costs and provide expanded services and value to the organization by focusing on aligning human resources activities with its business strategies.”

Target operates large-store general merchandise formats, including discount stores, moderate-priced promotional and traditional department stores, as well as a direct mail and online business called target.direct.