Successful Transition to In-House HR Services at a European Energy Provider

Written by: Emma Lambert, HX professional, August 2025

In this case study, you’ll learn how Emma Lambert, an HX professional, supported the transition from outsourced HR administration to an in-house service model at a major European energy provider. Through a combination of operational commitment, process optimization, and a project-based structure, she successfully guided the HR team through the go-live of the new system, with a focus on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a people-centered approach.

Between September 2023 and August 2024, I spent a year working on the transition from an outsourced HR administration to an in-house HR service model at a major European energy provider. As part of the HR Services Team, I spent the first 9 months focusing on process optimization, system implementation, and testing for areas such as document management, the signing process, and handling inquiries via phone and digital channels. The last 3 months were primarily dedicated to making adjustments following the launch of the new service model.

I jumped on board a moving train. The client was in the midst of a transition: bringing back HR administrative services that had previously been outsourced. The main reasons for this were to strengthen data security and gain more ownership over their own HR processes. My assignment was, on the one hand, to work as part of the HR Services Team and, on the other hand, to contribute to the design, optimization, and go-live of the new HR system.

Challenge

Personally, I found the go-live exciting, because this was the moment when all the preparatory work was put to the test in the real world—and when unforeseen scenarios were inevitable. The fear of the unforeseen scenarios was great, and I found it particularly nerve-wracking to avoid viewing them as mistakes or failures.

My role was based on two pillars:

Operational: Carrying out and monitoring daily HR tasks and service requests (via ServiceNow), communicating with employees and managers, and working with periodic reports.

Project-based:

• Visualizing Work Processes (Flowcharts)
• Writing work instructions and user manuals
• System testing (including writing test scripts)
• Working with an IT team on implementations

My approach was structured and pragmatic. We worked on three levels: process overview (who does what?), workflow (what are the steps?), and work instructions (how do you carry it out?). Thanks to my IT background, I was able to switch quickly between technical and HR-related aspects.

One valuable insight was that it’s inevitable that things sometimes don’t go as expected after a go-live. The real value lies in how you respond to that and work together to find solutions. I learned not to step away at the critical moment (go-live), but rather to be present and take responsibility. Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, our sense of teamwork grew. Everyone had their own responsibilities, but through joint sessions, we remained engaged in each other’s work. A safe, open work environment where mistakes could be discussed contributed enormously to our ability to learn and our job satisfaction.

Result

The system was successfully launched in May 2024. The internal HR team was able to work with the systems independently. Thanks to comprehensive work instructions, a reliable signing tool, and well-organized personnel files, the document structure improved. Users were able to get started on their own thanks to the how-to guides. After the project was completed, I also actively contributed to the follow-up and handover during the hypercare phase. The organization was then able to continue the work independently. My contribution was appreciated because of my combination of IT and HR knowledge, my independence, and my ability to get subprojects off the ground.