NUHS’ myHR Mobile App – Achievements

• First Cloud Human Resource Information System Implementation for Singapore Public Healthcare
• First SAP SuccessFactors project for Singapore Public Healthcare
• First SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) Development project
• Seamlessly integrated of custom developed SAP Cloud Platform Applications to SuccessFactors Mobile App
• Implemented Two Factor Authentication (2FA) using SAP Authenticator
• Completion of Project: On-Time, On-Target
• Executed the project in challenging environment with Covid-19 and stringent requirements on security and other non-functional testing
• SuccessFactors Extension for Healthcare Specific Benefits & Claims
• Integration to SAP on-premise Payroll with H-Cloud security requirements

Here’s a look at the hows and the whys of making the switch to an internet-based Human Resource information system.

1. myHR Mobile App Provides More Convenience for Employees

One of the key advantages of moving from a traditional intranet environment to an internet accessible one is the convenience of it – now, employee self-service is possible on the myHr mobile app, where all employees can access this information as long as they are connected to the internet, whether through their phone or tablet. This is a big time saver as opposed to having to log on to your work laptop / intranet.

The myHR mobile app also allows employees and managers to submit, view and edit personal details, eliminating some manual processes and reducing paper wastage. Customised modules, such as the claims function, were specially incorporated so that myHR serves as a one-stop portal for employee self-service.

Enhanced features also reduces “red-tape”. For example, previously, employees would have had to send an email to request for various e-letters and wait for a reply while staff on the other end generates the document. However, the new system allows for employee self-service, where staff can simply self-generate the document, eliminating any wait time.

The success and popularity of the new system and the accompanying myHR mobile app are evident. Within two weeks of going live, over 80% employees had logged in to the Human Resource information system, while more than 70% of employees (>10,000) had downloaded the myHR mobile app.

To help with the learning of how to use the new Human Resource information system, self-help videos were provided, which more than 1,500 users watched. Besides the videos, the NUHS and IHiS team also worked closely with the vendors to prepare many communication and training materials such as PowerPoint slides to guide staff on how to install, initialise and use the myHR mobile app.

2. Overcoming Challenges in implementing myHR Mobile App

Integration is a mission-critical activity that is needed for almost any enterprise system implementation, and the SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite is no exception. As the new Human Resource information system does not have a payroll engine, work needed to be done to “integrate” it with the existing on-premise SAP payroll engine

This daily seamless integration is a file-less replication to transmit latest organisation, employee & payroll-related data from the new Human Resource information system to the payroll engine, ensuring the most accurate monthly payroll processing with close to real-time data.

The success of data replication was only made possible after NUHS’ Human Resource and Payroll team from 1FSS put in a colossal amount of work over several months to harmonise Human Resource policies, system requirements and business process changes to converge the new Human Resource information system with the payroll engine.

To ensure that the daily replication of payroll-related data is transmitted safely and always encrypted during transit, IHiS team worked closely with the vendors and multiple IHiS departments such as the Solution Review Board, Infrastructure and Network, Cyber Defence Group, and Application Integration to map out and implement the necessary safeguards.

Another challenge faced was that the vendor’s data center was only operationally ready in mid-2020. It being relatively new, time was needed to familiarise and set up the infrastructure and connectivity between their data centres and H-Cloud (public healthcare’s data centres). Staff worked hard and often into overtime to ensure that this did not hold back the project timeline significantly.

Relevant article: IHiS Healthcare System: H-Cloud

3. Data and Cybersecurity

To ensure top notch cybersecurity, IHiS worked with the vendors to introduce two SAP products known as the SAP Cloud Connector and SAP Web Dispatch into the HR system, which has previously never been done before. These SAP products act as an intermediary, retrieving information from the internet and channelling them into what is known as a “demilitarised zone” (i.e. an isolated network between the internet and H-Cloud). It also serves as a single point of control, enforcing the required security checks at this point before the information is allowed to pass through.

Two-factor authentication was also employed using SAP Authenticator – when staff log in, they are required to key in a one-time passcode generated from SAP Authenticator using their phone. This helps to lessen the chance of someone being able to log in using brute force hacking (i.e. an attacker submitting many passwords with the hope of eventually guessing a combination correctly).

The team also worked hard to ensure that the Human Resource information system complied with the relatively new HealthTech Instruction Manual (HIM) policies. For example, HIM policy required that the integration solution had to comply with a rigorous architecture standard set by IHiS’ Chief Architect’s Office. It also mandated that all file exchanges via internet had to be encrypted with a programme known as Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption, which protects data communication through cryptographic privacy and authentication.

We look forward to Phase 2 of myHR mobile app with even more Human Resource features!