Stockmann’s HR Director: Changes Always Make My Eyes Sparkle
Source: Äri-IT Kevad 2025
Author: Gerli Ramler
Jane Pannel, the HR Director of Stockmann AS, loves changes and welcomes every solution that helps people work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
In 2024, Stockmann implemented new payroll software, HRM4Baltics, which is integrated with the group’s personnel and timekeeping program, enabling HR staff to easily compile various analyses and reports.
Jane has worked at Stockmann for nearly two years, and her first major task was to implement the first module of the global HR program. “I had just completed a similar project in my previous job, so this topic is not foreign to me. Stockmann’s problem was that different, often outdated software was used in each country. Our goal was to implement a single program in all countries to digitize and standardize HR processes, thereby better supporting the company’s strategy and decision-making. The need for modern technology was strong, and it was really high time for digitization.”
Jane says that it became clear quite early on that, in addition to the HR program, the payroll solution also needed to be replaced. Since she had implemented a payroll and HR module in her previous job in cooperation with BCS Itera in 2020 after thorough background research, they were approached for a quote this time as well.
“I like the logic of HRM4Baltics. The system is designed to be easily integrated with other programs,” Pannel explains. Since the start time of the implementation was also a criterion, an agreement was quickly reached, and work could begin. The initial quote was received in October 2023, the actual work began in January, and Stockmann switched to the new payroll program in the summer. “2024 was intense,” the HR Director notes. “But it has also been very exciting, for example, we got a closer look at the laws and requirements of other countries. While the laws and HR policies in the Baltics are quite similar, they are significantly different in Finland, for example.”
“One of the biggest advantages of HRM4Baltics was its cloud-based nature, which allows work to be done from anywhere. I can bring up the experience from my previous job during the corona period – they used a software solution for payroll and HR management that was not in the cloud but on a server. This hindered working from home, and when the server was down, work stopped. Stockmann’s HR department employees can use the new program anywhere with an internet connection.”
The HR Director praises the reporting capabilities of the new software. “If I need data or analysis in the evening for the next day, I can quickly get the reports myself and don’t have to wait for the payroll specialist’s workday to start. Company practices vary, so the developer had to make changes to the program to meet our needs. For example, at Stockmann, vacation time does not expire, the option for additional leave arises after the first year of employment, and the implemented method for calculating bonuses is also company-specific. Since I am also responsible for the work environment, it is important for me to access employee health certificates and health check decisions, which we also store in the program.”
The Biggest Learning Point of an International Project: Cooperation for a Common Understanding
Stockmann’s Tallinn department store employs about 360 people, and the Stockmann division has over 1,600 employees in total. The most difficult part of switching to a common software was harmonizing common processes while preserving the important specifics for each country. “This required negotiations, forming a common understanding, and agreements, which in turn required dozens and dozens of meetings. I’ll be honest – it’s easy to work with BCS Itera people, they are local, flexible, and experienced. Flexibility is more difficult with global systems because each country has its own differences, limitations, and requirements, and there are quite a few parties involved. We provide one description, they interpret it differently and implement it in a third way, which may not meet expectations. Many solutions emerge during the work, and not everything can always be planned. Here, I must also give a big bow to our international team, with whom we have worked hard for over a year and a half, laughed and cried together, to enjoy the benefits of digitization today.”
Jane Pannel highlights the convenience of personalizing the program and building it according to real needs. “If we used to enter a new employee’s data into three different systems, for example, now we only enter it into one, and the data automatically moves to all necessary programs. This reduces errors, and HR staff can focus on other value-creating tasks instead of data entry. Considering how people understand work today, entering data from one window to another is an activity that should be given to machines.”
Regarding cybersecurity, Jane is confident that everything is in order. “BCS Itera is a company with long international experience, so all contracts and services suited our division’s strict conditions. If they suited our cybersecurity managers, then I also trust the partner and their solutions,” Jane says.
In recent years, Stockmann has actually had more changes than just the HR and payroll software replacement. One major innovation was the change of the department store director who had worked at Stockmann for 18 years. The new leader brought new winds. According to the HR Director, change management is the most difficult because it means working with people – involving them, convincing them of the need for changes, and supporting the implementation of changes. “This is not easy for everyone because not all people are open to changes. My eyes sparkle with changes, and I like it when things develop, processes become faster and more efficient. My motto is that work must be done smartly!”