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ALDI Netherlands

Smart scheduling, higher engagement and more steering information at ALDI.

How ALDI is achieving good results in the Netherlands through the use of R&R workforce management

ALDI branch

In 2021, ALDI in the Netherlands made the decision to work with R&R for efficient and effective employee deployment. This involves more than 9,000 employees, around 500 stores and distribution centers in the Netherlands. ALDI is among the largest retail organizations in Europe and the well-known discounter has been operating in the Netherlands since 1973.

After a successful and rapid implementation, ALDI in the Netherlands has now been working with R&R's workforce management system for several months. We spoke with Teun Gruijters (Director HR Organization, Structure & Systems | Services) and Iwan Schuijlenburg (Project Manager Sales (WFM)) about their experiences with R&R throughout the process. In a detailed conversation, Teun and Iwan talk about ALDI's WFM needs, the impact for the organization, the overall cooperation, challenges and the next steps and ambitions for the future, among other things.

ALDI's workforce management needs and the choice of R&R

"Within ALDI in the Netherlands, we needed change from different policy areas within the organization: Sales, IT and HR. The old time recording system no longer met our requirements and needs. The primary goal of the project was to replace the old timekeeping system with a modern, new system. In addition, there was a need to implement workforce management within ALDI in the Netherlands.

As ALDI in the Netherlands, we would like to concentrate on core activities and smartly outsource other specialist matters, such as time recording and workforce management. This is why we started implementing Workload Planner (WLP) at the end of 2019. We then researched the possibilities around workforce management (WFM) from sales in order to use WLP optimally.

Within ALDI in the Netherlands, there was a need to be able to provide our branches with an objective hours standard, appropriate to the work we want to perform in our branches. With this need in mind, we started implementing Workload Planner (WLP) in 2019. In doing so, we made a conscious decision to invest in bringing this specialized knowledge in-house.

Being able to use WLP optimally was one of the considerations that subsequently led Sales to investigate the possibilities around workforce management (WFM). Again, a conscious decision was made to bring this knowledge in-house and not to reinvent the wheel.

On that basis, we drew up the requirements for the selection of a WFM package. We then shortlisted possible providers and invited these parties for a pitch. In the selection process, R&R best matched the ambitions, wishes and needs of ALDI in the Netherlands, and on that basis R&R was ultimately selected. The 'look and feel' played an important role. The system felt pleasant and user-friendly."

Project: from implementation to daily use throughout the organization

"For the implementation and commissioning of R&R, we formed a multidisciplinary project team. Several working groups were created for this purpose: Sales, HR, IT and Change management. The setup was that each working group included a delegate from R&R, someone from central services and stakeholders from ALDI's various sales companies in the Netherlands. An important part of the project was the central steering committee. They made decisions based on the recommendations of the various working groups.

In this way, we were able to secure appropriate input into the project from the entire organization. This ensured that the interests were given equal attention and that the steering committee was able to make the right decisions based on them. We are convinced that this involvement has had a positive impact on support throughout the organization. This is very important not only for the project, but also in achieving the desired workforce management results.

The project was under a certain time pressure. In a kind of "pressure cooker," we very quickly became concrete and managed to achieve the objectives in a short time through tight cooperation. As an organization we are really in transition and this project fitted in well with that: our systems and processes are constantly being modernized and this is reflected in our stores and appearance."

The system allows users to better track certain processes, making everything related to workforce management and Workload Planner (WLP) more streamlined. Steering information is now available at a much more detailed level. This allows us to place responsibility for the results in the right place and steer specifically.

You can also really see it as a new way of working. Because it impacts all layers of the organization and the work of some departments and employees is now really organized differently. Several manual processes are now automated. Previously, at certain fixed times we really had to get to work to enter everything manually properly. For some departments, the work has changed from data entry to control output, something that also makes the work more fun and challenging.

In addition, the employees (around 9,000) of the ALDI branches and distribution centers in the Netherlands are now much more and better involved in creating the rosters. In addition, the use of the R&R Job App ensures that employees have much more insight into, for example, current rosters, hours worked and leave balances. The result: more transparency and clarity in the personnel planning process.

Because legislation and collective bargaining agreements are fully integrated into R&R, we have a grip on compliance with, for example, the Working Hours Act and VGL collective bargaining agreement regulations.

So it's not just about a WFM system for organizing planning. It's about a total package that allows us as an organization to manage better and more focused on achieving the right results and everything that comes with that."

Project approach and overall collaboration

"The integral collaboration, from the development and implementation phase to the usage phase and everything involved in using the WFM system successfully, is essential for achieving the desired effects. We jointly set up a project team that worked together successfully.

You really have to work together, bringing in experiences and best practices from both sides. This ensures that you ask the right questions and keep each other sharp. This contributes greatly to a good project.

An important part of the implementation were the training sessions provided by R&R. In doing so, R&R adopted a positive and flexible attitude, ensuring that all required training sessions took place in a short period of time. As a result, employees know how to properly work with R&R and get the most out of the system.

During and also after the implementation, we had weekly project meetings where outstanding issues were discussed. This allowed us to continuously work on further optimization in a pleasant and structured manner.

The cooperation with R&R is pleasant. The employees of R&R are accessible. As a result, everything is negotiable and any issues or challenges can also be resolved quickly if the situation calls for it."

The development and results of WFM for ALDI in the Netherlands

"It is clear that we have achieved great results from the successful collaboration, smooth implementation and use of R&R in practice. Every day, more than 9,000 employees are smartly scheduled using the workforce management software. Our employees now always have insight into the current schedule, hours worked, leave balances and more. We are fully compliant with laws and regulations and have insight into all relevant data and management information.

In the beginning we still faced some resistance. After all, it is a major change that impacts all layers and functions within the entire organization. Change management is therefore also a large part of a successful implementation and embedding in the organization. It is nice and fun to see in practice that people enthuse each other to make good use of the R&R workforce management system and the R&R Job App."

Current situation and next steps

"R&R is now fully implemented. The next challenge is to also start using its full potential. New needs and ambitions also quickly arise based on the system, the insights and the results it delivers. It is important to properly manage these needs in the organization.

An important next step is to optimize the availability of technical data in order to be even better able to monitor results and steer towards the future. The recent developments in the field of R&R Insights (data-driven workforce management insights) are very positive in that respect and will certainly help us further in the next steps.

We are very confident that in cooperation with R&R we will take new steps again, to optimize processes and results even further.

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