The Human Capital Enterprise System (HCES) automates day-to-day personnel transactions related to hiring, promotion, job applications, retirements, and similar career-related functions. Implemented in 2008, HCES has eliminated paper transactions while increasing efficiency, saving approximately $150 million annually. It has greatly expanded self-service for employees, allowing them to perform personnel and HR activities online, 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. Several enhancements and additions to HCES were made in 2010.
The Job Bid Management (JBM) module, which offers carriers, clerks, and mail handlers the automated ability to view and bid for vacant positions, was enhanced to include rural carrier postings, biddings, and placement activities in 16,000 offices. The number of automated bid clusters increased 24 percent over 2009. In automated bid clusters, clerks, carriers, and mail handlers placed approximately 832,000 bids through employee automated self-service. These bids were accepted for over 78,000 positions offered through 8,853 postings. Over 2.8 million bids have been accepted in HCES since 2007.
The Employee Health and Safety (EHS) application was expanded to cover the entire nation. Integrated into HCES, the automated system’s fast, efficient handling of case claims allows employees to receive appropriate care and return to work in a timely manner. EHS has over 66,000 potential users, and over 84,000 records were entered in 2010. It is the largest accident/injury reporting system in the world. The Postal Service estimates annual savings of $10 million by reducing paper, process time, and travel time, and by more timely submission of data.
eRetire was launched on September 27. This new employee self-service Web-based application allows eligible employees to initiate retirement planning activities online using liteblue. In the one-week period after launch, 160 retirement applications were initiated using the new application.
Conversion to Electronic Official Personnel Folders (eOPF) was completed. eOPFs provide instant, convenient, and secure access by employees to their personal and work information. All paper OPFs were destroyed and recycled. Fourteen truckloads representing 20,465 cubic feet (627,940 lbs) were destroyed. All employee personnel files are now available online via liteblue.
All HCES services are supported by the Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC). Using Six Sigma methodology, the HRSSC has streamlined processes and increased productivity to deliver notable improved efficiencies. In 2010, the HRSSC handled on average 2,600 calls a day and processed over 145,000 employee transactions a month, including promotions, hires, and retirements. Unique to 2010, over 20,800 separations were processed within 60 days as part of the 2009 Early-Out Incentive.
