How remote working has changed SAP project delivery

In recent years, there has been a radical shift in the way businesses operate, with remote or hybrid working becoming increasingly common. At the same times we’ve seen many SAP user organisations pushing their important SAP projects to remote delivery models.

Where it is appropriate, remote project delivery can bring significant advantages. But there are still circumstances where an in-person, on-site implementation can yield better rewards. Organisations need flexibility to adapt to what best suits each project they undertake, choosing a hybrid approach to meet these needs.

Did WFH make us more effective?

Across different industries, organisations are used to working in different ways. In industries where remote and hybrid work have long been the norm, the shift to a work-from-anywhere model in recent years has been relatively minor. The pivot has been slightly more abrupt for other organisations, who’d never considered the need to support a team that wasn’t physically present.

From an SAP perspective, the desire to keep projects in motion during the pandemic was extremely encouraging. UK & Ireland SAP User Group (UKISUG) figures from 2020 revealed that only 30% of SAP S/4HANA migration plans were delayed.

Indeed, in many cases, WFH has helped to accelerate project timelines. Increased productivity, coupled with a reduction in distractions continues to give IT teams more bandwidth to focus on their projects.

Embracing hybrid working

The push towards work-from-anywhere models has meant many organisations that have recently implemented SAP products have done so fully remotely. On lighter touch projects, this can provide a time- and cost-effective solution. Where this poses a challenge, however, is when those beginning their journey with SAP feel that everything should be done remotely.

While this can be done, remote onboarding is not always the best option. At a project’s outset, building strong relationships with implementation partners can be highly beneficial and this is often best done face to face.

In-person meetings allow individuals to align on a project’s direction and goals. For example, onsite, face-to-face collaboration makes the explore or blueprint elements of the design phase much easier. Additionally, when there are difficult conversations to be had or whiteboarding design sessions where options are communicated to the customer, it helps to have both parties sitting down together. For new SAP customers, working in person is one way to reduce risk and accelerate project delivery timelines.

Remote delivery still has a role to play. It can help mature SAP customers who require incremental updates where there is no significant risk. Remote delivery can also help to reduce costs and is a simple process for experienced consultants without compromising on quality, even across multiple simultaneous projects.

Is remote work more sustainable?

Remote project delivery doesn’t only positively impact costs. Teams can positively influence their carbon emissions by travelling less for work. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a business imperative, and we have found that over three quarters (76%) of SAP user organisations believe ESG has become “a lot” more important in the past 12 months.

At the end of the day, it’s not where you work that matters, but how you work. Organisations must use the right collaboration tools for whiteboarding, ideation and recording meetings. This will help them approach remote meetings with rigour and structure, delivering the same quality outcomes as if they were held face to face.

Accelerating into the future

SAP user organisations continue to drive rapid digital transformations. Research from 2023 shows that 92% of UKISUG members are currently or planning to use S/4HANA. This is no time to slow down in the drive for greater efficiencies and the push to net zero. These targets are critical markers of business success in 2024, and organisations looking to see significant success this year must consider who they partner with and how projects should be delivered.

To hear more on this subject, check out UKISUG’s recent SUGTalks podcast.