Adex Systems is a leading Canadian manufacturer of high-quality architectural coatings. With facilities across four provinces, Adex has built a strong reputation for not only meeting the innovative needs of Canada’s building professionals but also for being a leading employer of choice — a company dedicated to supporting its happy and highly engaged workforce.
Caroline Dupont, Adex’s Chief Financial Officer, oversees finance and administration but has a strong familiarity with payroll and HR. She recognized that without an automated and integrated Human Resource Information System (HRIS), employees were not receiving an efficient payroll and HR experience. Caroline also noted that the decision-making of Adex’s leadership team would be better supported with real-time and accurate payroll and HR data. It was at this point, she decided, along with her Chief Operating Officer, David Bao, that Adex Systems would enhance its HR and payroll processes without increasing headcount. To achieve this, they turned to ADP Workforce Now Comprehensive Services.
While we were interested in the tangible benefits from a leading payroll and HR platform, where we’ve benefited most is with the intangible benefits, such as the advice that only an HR professional can bring to the workplace.
David Bao,
Chief Operating Officer
Adex Systems
Challenges
- Adex lacked the automated and integrated HR and payroll processes to provide their workforce with the one-on-one personalized support they needed.
- Adex wanted to elevate the HR department without bringing on additional headcount.
- Adex did not have a bilingual HRIS, which frequently delayed vital HR processes and caused frustration among both managers and employees.
How ADP helped
- By utilizing the expertise of HR professionals, technology, and established processes from ADP Workforce Now Comprehensive Services, Adex established its own HR department. This team is solely supported by ADP resources, which has not only enhanced the way ADEX supports their employees but also provides access to a best-in-class payroll and HR suite of services.
ADP Solutions
- ADP Workforce Now Comprehensive Services
A strategic focus on HR improvement
“We were always behind the curve when it came to HR,” says David, and after undergoing a strategic review, it was clear that it was a critical issue to address for Adex, not just in the present but for the future. “We wanted to get ahead of HR and know that when we grew, our ADP HR and payroll team would support that growth.”
With ADP Workforce Now Comprehensive Services, Caroline and David created a full-fledged, scalable HR department that aligned with their strategic goals and allowed them to focus on delivering HR initiatives that directly impacted their day-to-day employee satisfaction and productivity.
Delivering bilingual capabilities
As a company with a bilingual workforce, Caroline and David are highly aware of the importance of having English and French language capabilities. Still, past experiences had left them a bit wary. David explains, “We’ve had a lot of experiences where materials are very clearly developed in one language but not the other, and it can often leave employees feeling disrespected, misunderstood or left out.”
However, with ADP, things are different, and according to Caroline, ADP’s bilingual capabilities are crucial for employee success. “It’s so important for employees to get help in the language of their choice, the language they are most comfortable with,” says Caroline. “We now have that support for them.”
Addressing Bill 96 compliance
Bill 96 also known as Law 14, is a significant piece of Quebec legislation that mandates certain employee documents and communications be provided in French. This includes written communications, employment contracts, training materials and more. Companies that fail to comply with these requirements may face substantial fines, depending on the severity of the violation and the number of infractions.
ADP’s Comprehensive Services has been crucial in helping Adex Systems comply with Bill 96 by providing essential materials and documents in both English and French. This ensures that employees in Quebec, particularly those who are not fluent in English, receive important information in their preferred language. By offering access to performance reviews, pay stubs and training materials in French, ADP not only supports Adex’s compliance but also promotes a more inclusive work environment that enhances communication and understanding among all employees.
Enhancing employee accessibility
Beyond bilingual capabilities, ADP’s HRIS platform has been a game-changer for both managers and employees at Adex. “Employees can see everything on the platform— requests for holiday time, timecard approvals, it’s all right there,” says Caroline. “Many of our employees are on the road, and they appreciate that they can do those things from their mobile devices.” There are also benefits for managers. ADP’s platform gives them access to all the payroll and HR information they need, so tasks are completed faster and much more efficiently.
Compliance peace of mind
When it comes to compliance, Caroline appreciates the peace of mind ADP brings. She says, “We get updates and alerts if there are any compliance changes, so we don’t have to check these things on our own. It takes so much stress off us.”
David also feels equally supported by their team of HR Consultants. “Our HR Executive Consultant is instrumental in keeping us up-to-date in all four provinces where we operate. There are often big differences between them regarding regulations, but she ensures we are always in compliance.”
A partnership for success
One of the most significant advantages of partnering with ADP is gaining access to a team of HR experts. David recalls, “At first, I thought it seemed too good to be true, but we hoped it wasn’t since we are not HR experts. While we were interested in the tangible benefits from a leading payroll and HR platform, where we’ve benefitted most is with the intangible benefits, such as the advice that only an HR professional can bring to the workplace.”
Equipped with the advice of ADP’s experts, Caroline and David find Adex now operates like a larger company. Exposure to industry best practices and having HR experts to bounce ideas of off has made Adex much more agile and efficient.
“ADP has helped us with everything from compensation to performance management policies and advised us on how to best implement these plans. It has helped us quickly form sophisticated and efficient processes that has set us up for future success,” says Caroline.
With the support of ADP Workforce Now Comprehensive Service, Adex is effectively managing intricate payroll and HR requirements while positioning itself for future growth. This partnership reinforces Adex’s commitment to delivering accurate payroll processes and implementing innovative HR practices that foster an engaged, productive, and happy workforce.
