Digital HR transformation for Swiss SMEs and mid-sized companies: how to go about it?

The digital transformation of human resources is a major challenge for Swiss companies. However, many executives and HR leaders still associate digitalization with heavy ERP systems. Put off by their complexity, cost, and the dependence on IT that these tools entail, many prefer to continue managing HR manually.
While the increase in administrative tasks and legal requirements, as well as employees' new expectations, are making this manual management increasingly outdated today, there are fortunately flexible solutions, guaranteeing compliance and security, on which Swiss SMEs and mid-sized companies can rely to modernize their HR: this is the case with HRIS. 

Manual HR management: a brake on business growth

Recording absences, sending payslips, archiving contracts and annual reviews, tracking leave requests... The list of tasks associated with human resources is long, and many companies still rely on Excel files, paper documents, emails, or software that is not connected to one another to carry them out.
This manual management should not be demonized, but it represents a brake on the growth of Swiss SMEs and mid-sized companies today, given how much administrative work, legal requirements, and employee expectations have increased in recent years.

4 reasons to stop manual HR management

Fragmented information

The multiplication of media (spreadsheets, paper documents, emails, disconnected tools...) encourages errors (duplicates, inconsistencies, oversights...) and leads to information fragmentation. As a result, it becomes impossible to have a global view of HR data without spending a huge amount of time reconstructing this information. This directly affects HR managers' productivity and weakens CEOs' decision-making.

According to the report “HR.com's State of People Analytics 2023-2024”, the integration of disparate sources in HR data analysis is cited as a major difficulty by 47% of the organizations surveyed.

Increased legal risks

By increasing the risk of error, information fragmentation exposes legal risks to Swiss companies even though the legal obligations to which they are subject are becoming more and more numerous (compliance with labor law, the collective labor agreement, or the Federal Data Protection Act...). Moreover, this fragmented information makes traceability very difficult in the event of an inspection.

A growing administrative burden

When management is handled manually and the number of employees increases, HR often find themselves buried under repetitive administrative tasks (data entry, checks...), preventing them from focusing on higher-value topics. In the long run, it is the company's ability to support its own growth that is threatened.

According to Tissot Editions' 2024 HR barometer, in France, more than one in two HR professionals spends at least half of their working time on administrative tasks, even though professionals say they would like to have more time to master regulatory changes, ensure the legal compliance of decisions and written documents, but also accelerate and simplify HR procedures. 

A disappointing employee experience

When HR processes are managed manually, some employees may feel they lack visibility into the information that concerns them (leave, payslips...). This can lead to overburdening HR and therefore a loss of productivity, as well as a disappointing employee experience that can hinder engagement. 

If job satisfaction in Switzerland remains at a relatively high level, a downward trend has been observed since 2022, reveals the “Swiss HR Barometer 2024” by the Universities of Lucerne and Zurich and ETH Zurich. “There is also a slight decline in employees' loyalty to their employer and a slight increase in intentions to resign,” the authors point out. This shows that the employee experience should not be overlooked.

The pillars of HR digital transformation

“SMEs account for 95% of Switzerland's economic fabric” recalls the Federal Council in a 2025 article highlighting the importance for these companies of “adapting their operations and carrying out a digital transformation in order to remain competitive”. A digital transformation that also obviously concerns mid-sized companies! 

The 3 keys to HR digital transformation

1 - Centralizing data

The first key to HR digital transformation obviously lies in centralizing all employee information and documents in a database guaranteeing security, compliance and ease of use. The goal: to have a comprehensive view of all HR information.

2 - Workflow automation

The second key is HR process automation to turn tedious email approvals, checks, and manual data entry into smooth, traceable workflows. The goal: to reduce HR's administrative burden and allow them to focus on higher-value tasks.

3 - Self-service

The third key is self-service to make it easier for employees to access their information (leave, payslips, training documents...) and allow them to manage their routine requests online. The goal: to spare HR from unnecessary overuse and improve the employee experience.

Heavy ERP or a multitude of small software tools: the false dilemma

ERP systems: complex and inflexible tools

For many executives or HR leaders, carrying out an HR digital transformation project means deploying a heavy ERP, such as SAP or Abacus. Yet these systems imply a strong dependence on IT, complex configuration, low flexibility, and require significant resources to implement. They therefore do not really meet the needs of Swiss SMEs and mid-sized companies in search of simplicity, reliability and efficiency.

For example, according to Panorama Consulting Group's “ERP Report 2024”, the median deployment time for ERP projects is 15.5 months, with more than half of organizations exceeding their initial schedule due to human or financial resource constraints. 

When the multiplication of tools hurts productivity

Using a multitude of small software tools disconnected from one another is no more of an attractive solution. In fact, all too often, it reinforces information fragmentation and, as a result, does not solve the main problems associated with manual HR management. Moreover, a multitude of tools can hurt productivity. 

In 2022, during a survey conducted by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), 29% of Swiss workers surveyed said that the use of digital technologies in the workplace increased their workload.

HRIS, valuable allies in support of Swiss companies' agility

In light of this, HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) appear as valuable allies by giving HR the ability to automate their tasks, unify and secure their data, improve the employee experience and gain agility, without depending on IT.

Roger, the HRIS designed in Switzerland for Swiss companies

At Roger, we envisioned a platform that is easy to configure, a true bridge between complex administration and the employee.

• It enables HR to automate administrative tasks, promote company culture, and increase talent retention, while regaining control of their tools;

• Thanks to centralized data and advanced reports, CEOs can in turn assess the company's health at a glance and make informed decisions;

• While managers have tools to better manage and develop their team, employees can easily carry out their routine requests in a modern tool.

The payroll challenge: do you necessarily need to replace your software?

Choosing an HRIS does not necessarily mean changing payroll software or calling into question the processes established with the company's trustee. The real challenge of HR digital transformation lies upstream, in ensuring the reliability and structuring of the data that feeds payroll.
By interconnecting the HRIS with its payroll system, the company saves time, reduces errors, and secures the process end to end.

When digital enhances security

HR digital transformation is not intended to weaken a company's legal compliance but rather to strengthen it. In fact, by directly integrating rules related to working time, breaks, rest periods, and collective labor agreements into the HRIS, companies gain traceability and security. Compliance no longer depends solely on human vigilance.

HR digital transformation: how can change be driven effectively?

1 - Identify needs

Administrative overload, non-compliance risks, employee experience... It is essential to take the time to identify what is driving the HR digital transformation project and to define the expected benefits for each stakeholder in the company.

To do this, it may be useful to involve a small group of managers and employees throughout the project in order to identify pain points and build a journey that makes sense on the ground.

2 - Choose the right solution

This means ensuring that its features meet the identified needs, but also that it is ergonomic, easy to use, and will serve the company's agility. At Roger for example, our no-code platform is available in all of Switzerland's national languages.

3 - Designate project leads

Clearly identified project leads, with well-defined roles and responsibilities, will undoubtedly promote the success of a digital transformation strategy. 

In an article published in the business magazine Bilan, Hélène Béguin, then Head of KPMG French-speaking Switzerland, mentioned the need to “define a solid governance structure from the start and clear decision-making processes. If this is not the case, there may be a lack of decision-making power and accountability, leading to delays or cancellation of the project, or conversely a grabbing of power and not always the best decisions being made in the interest of the company”.

4 - Communicate

By explaining what justifies the change, the form it will take, and the benefits it can bring to each person in concrete terms, it is possible to overcome many reservations. This communication must take place early enough and regularly: putting teams in front of a fait accompli would in fact risk strengthening their resistance. 

According to a survey conducted in spring 2025 by a consulting firm and relayed by the media outlet Culture RH, nearly 50% of employees and managers still experience transitions as a constraint, due to a lack of meaning or appropriate support.

5 - Support adoption

An ergonomic HRIS with good support considerably reduces the need for training. To help employees get to grips with the tool, there is no need for long learning sessions. A collaborative workshop, a tutorial, or a micro-training session focused on the 3 to 5 actions that teams will need to perform is enough.

In addition, if it wishes, the company can appoint ambassadors open to change and known for their willingness to share in order to answer employees' questions. 

6 - Roll out gradually

In SMEs and mid-sized companies, the success of an HR digital transformation project often relies on a progressive and structured approach. The goal is not to transform everything at once, but to prioritize certain high-value processes. This ramp-up makes it possible to quickly obtain concrete benefits, reassure teams, and adjust practices based on feedback from the field.

Modular and no-code HRIS, like Roger, offer this flexibility and agility, enabling HR to evolve their tools at the pace of the company.

A major challenge for Swiss SMEs and mid-sized companies, the digital transformation of human resources should not be synonymous with complexity or rigidity. By relying on a flexible HRIS guaranteeing security and agility, companies can modernize their HR gradually and combine operational performance, legal compliance, and a stronger employee experience: the key to making HR a lever for sustainable growth.