How merXu improved HR and recruitment processes with PeopleForce

Discover how merXu, an international marketplace, streamlined its HR and recruitment processes by leveraging the power of PeopleForce. In this case study, we delve into merXu's journey of adopting PeopleForce in 2023, highlighting the platform's key features and its ability to address diverse challenges encountered across multiple countries.

To gain insights into the advantages of PeopleForce, we spoke with Edyta Stocka, the Head of People at merXu, who shared the team's key observations and benefits they have identified thus far.

About merXu

merXu is an online trading platform for B2B companies across the European Union. The company offers a secure and reliable environment that connects verified buyers and sellers, facilitating direct transactions or inquiries. The platform serves a wide range of companies, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large organisations, and enables seamless trading.

The path to the HR platform

Managing HR tasks using spreadsheets may suffice for small work environments with fewer than 50 employees, albeit with labour-intensive efforts. However, as companies grow beyond 100 employees, it becomes crucial to seek an automated solution that enables comprehensive team management. This is exactly what happened at merXu, where, after expanding their workforce, managers started searching for a stable platform to handle their day-to-day operations.

Before this quest, Edyta Stocka, Head of People, had encountered various HR software systems at another company. Reflecting on her experience, she noted the complexities of a lengthy implementation process that spanned over 3 months, requiring significant human resources for configuration.

“In joining merXu, I already knew we would need a simple and user-friendly solution that wouldn't burden us with time, effort, and financial expenses. That's when we discovered PeopleForce."

— Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu.

PeopleForce had been on the radar of the merXu team for several months before the demo presentation. The company was interested in the platform and its development. However, after testing other products, the final decision was made favour of PeopleForce. Managers emphasize that the cost was not the primary factor.

"What truly captivated us was PeopleForce's adaptability to multiple markets. Throughout our testing of various systems, we noticed that most were tailored to only one or, at most, two markets. None of them possessed the level of flexibility exhibited by PeopleForce."

— Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu.

Why PeopleForce

The company merXu was primarily looking for:

• A single source of information and data

merXu recognised the limitations of managing HR tasks through spreadsheets, which often led to confusion and the risk of important information being lost or misrepresented. To mitigate these issues, they sought a system that could serve as a central database, ensuring accurate and easily accessible information.

• User-friendliness

User-friendliness was a critical factor for merXu. They needed a platform where users could effortlessly find all the necessary tools and information for their work. Moreover, managers required a unified platform that streamlined various processes, including absence requests and comprehensive candidate searches, enhancing overall efficiency.

• An indispensable daily assistant

merXu aimed to simplify its day-to-day operations and sought a platform that would act as an essential tool, providing support for tasks such as holiday and day-off management. They desired a solution that would alleviate the burden of administrative duties and enable smooth HR operations.

The transition to PeopleForce and the configuration of all processes were primarily handled by one person, the HR Generalist of the company.

“As someone who already had experience working with similar software, I must say that the transition was very smooth, almost without any issues. The entire process took about two weeks, but our HR generalist, Ewa, handled it calmly and without being overwhelmed. We were able to automatically transfer a portion of the information to the platform, which made the transition even easier."

— Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu.

Empowering HR operations with PeopleHR

The company is fully satisfied with the experience of working with the core product in the platform from which it started its acquaintance with PeopleForce. merXu pays special attention to several areas of work that have been successfully simplified thanks to the HR platform.

• HR Analytics

merXu utilizes custom reports, pre-configured to provide quick access to crucial information for management and investors. Everything related to HR and talent management in the company is entered into the knowledge base, along with the necessary information for employees. The essential information for newcomers is conveniently provided through the onboarding process, where an HR generalist sets up this workflow process for maximum benefit in the first working days.

• Offboarding and exit Interviews

merXu places great importance on conducting exit interviews, and PeopleForce has become an invaluable support system in this regard. The platform ensures that tasks are assigned to HR, providing a reliable reminder for timely completion.

“I handle exit interviews, so I know how important it is to have a system that supports me and reminds me about it. In PeopleForce, there is always a task waiting for me to complete."

— Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu.

• Leave balance management

Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu, highlights the convenience of using PeopleForce's leave balance feature, where everything you need to do is already at your fingertips.

Elevating recruitment and work processes with PeopleRecruit and PeoplePulse

merXu decided to compare the experience of using the recruitment product from PeopleForce with another program that was purchased earlier. For several months, the team compared the processes and their configurations, and after that, confidently switched to PeopleRecruit from PeopleForce.

Key factors influencing the decision include:

• Google Authentication: The availability of seamless login through Google tools, enabling easy and quick access for the team.

• Built-in ATS: A single environment for conducting recruitment processes without additional applications and the hassle of installing and familiarising recruiters with other programs.

• Efficient candidate management: The PeopleProspector Google extension allows for direct and quick candidate integration from external sources into the PeopleForce platform.

The company also utilizes the PeoplePulse module, which aids in enhancing its operational procedures. Surveys conducted within merXu have provided valuable insights for HR specialists, enabling them to identify opportunities for improving overall work processes. By collecting information and honest opinions through open-ended questions, merXu can continually refine and optimise its operations.

Positive experience with PeopleForce team

The merXu team expresses their satisfaction with the technical support provided by PeopleForce. They emphasize the high level of professionalism and dedication exhibited by the support team.

Top 3 reasons why merXu recommends PeopleForce:

• Flexibility

The platform is built with modular "building blocks," allowing users to assemble and customize it according to their specific needs and preferences. While the platform is globally configured, users have the freedom to tailor it to the requirements of multinational teams or specific markets where their company operates. This adaptability ensures that PeopleForce can seamlessly align with the unique demands of different organizations.

• Comprehensive approach

merXu recommends PeopleForce for medium-sized companies, as the platform guarantees a positive end-user experience for employees within this scale. By providing a comprehensive solution, PeopleForce eliminates the need for employees to familiarize themselves with multiple software tools for various purposes. It also saves managers from lengthy configurations and extensive resource expenditures to learn the system. With everything brought together in one place, PeopleForce streamlines operations and functions effectively, enabling companies to optimize their HR processes.

• User service (People service)

merXu emphasizes that PeopleForce's platform is intuitively understandable, as it is designed to enable users to figure everything out on their own from the very beginning without additional effort. However, the support team is always available in a non-intrusive manner. The same applies to sales managers, who allow customers to make informed decisions without pressure.

“We have been using the platform for ten months, and what we already have is a true game-changer for us. It's now difficult to imagine our company without an HR platform. With the help of PeopleForce, we’ve observed certain trends, such as saving approximately 20% of the recruiters' working time. I have nothing but the highest recommendations for collaborating with the PeopleForce team.

— Edyta Stocka, Head of People at merXu.