Case Study: Pfizer Outsources Tasks, Not Jobs

PFIZER, a US-based biopharmaceutical company, required The Challenge:

a system to better manage their HR processes, especially PFIZER, a US based biopharmaceutical organization, had
with the industry’s geographically dispersed employees newly accomplished all research development phases and
and speedy growth; the new innovative application would succeeded its FDA approval and was opening to market an
not only require to automate the HR process, but also creative drug, having grew from a clinical trial atmosphere
accommodate the accountability and transparency required to a effective market oriented positioning.
for compliance. PFIZER wanted a system to go live in
only two weeks, so they turned to Sale teams® Platform PFIZER wanted a solution to manage employee absence.
because of its reputation for fast and quick development The geographic dispersal of the sales team and the expected
and its capability to support frequent change; in the two- organization growth brought the need to automate this HR
week window, Sale teams Platform provided a related process. The new application would have to provide:
comprehensive, automated Human Resource system that
fully met all of the company needs. The iterative tactic taken > Process automation
by Sale Teams Platform and its capability to redirect > Compliance
feedback during the development course ensured that > Time-to-market
PFIZER’s final application fully reflected their user
requirements; the Platform’s build-to-change provision
The Solution:
also makes it cool to change the system as wanted, ensuring
In two weeks, using Sale Teams Platform, an innovative web
that PFIZER’s Human Resource processes always bring
business application was shaped to provide the essential
into line with the requirements of the business. Sale teams
automation of HR process, complying with regulation. This
Platform also permits PFIZER to maintain rapid growth
built-to-change application combined all processes, making
and varying market circumstances, especially as its
them fully appreciable and easy to configure:
business stays to grow and the biopharma sector
continues to refine and evolve.
> Workforce have a right to use the system anywhere and
submit their time-off requests online, time saving and
“We had only two weeks to install a system to systematize
observing a full track on their requests;
time off requests to improve our sales force rollout. I was
really overwhelmed with the way presented by Sale teams
that not only permitted us to keep the deadline but also met all
our needs.” PFIZER IT Vice-President
 Results:
User feedback is very essential for such businesses. Sale-
teams Platform made it promising to reflect this response in
the application during the whole installation process. This
iterative tactic guarantees that the end result was what
consumers really required, without aggregate project risk.
The Sale teams built-to-change care makes it cool to change or
modify current web business applications at any time in a
lucrative way. This confirms that IT is always associated
with the business. Sale teams Platform allows organization
to provide their network business applications in a scalable
way, organizing them as they become needed and escaping
large investments. Easiness is an elementary demand of
nowadays business applications, while employees want to
emphasis on the rising competitiveness of the businesses.
The time they have available for understanding or studying
software is declining, while the need for real time and relevant
info grows. To deliver businesses with easy-to-get info, web
business applications built with Sale Teams Platform are
intuitive and user-friendly.
> The approver is alerted via Email that there are awaiting
requests; when the requests are approved, the Human
Resource department receives a notice on a "daily digest"
basis, to carry on the approval workflow. If the request is not
approved, an Email alert is sent back to the employee, with
the reasons of rejection;
> Once accepted by the Human Resource department, the
resulting info is integrated in the Payroll application, to
spontaneously calculate the amount to be deducted, should
that be the case. This integration of processes is not only time
saving, but is also vital for complying with rules and
regulations;
> Easy-to-use interfaces needs little or even no end-user
training. This streamlines the roll-out to large teams and
eventually increases user adoption.

Questions:
Q1: As Pfizer Works is described here, the
analysis of work flow and decisions about which
tasks to outsource are handled by individual
employees, rather than HR teams or outside analysts.
What are some advantages and drawbacks of this
approach?