Shannex Adopts Automation to Revolutionize its Employee Experience
November 7, 2023
Engagement Summary
Shannex  is a leading provider of seniors’ care, service and accommodation across its 47 long-term care and retirement living communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario.
People are at the core of Shannex’s mission, vision, and values to lead the way to better living for individuals and the communities the company serves.
Like many health care organizations in Canada, Shannex is experiencing an increased demand for health care workers and needed a solution to improve operational effectiveness to bring more employees on board in a more timely and efficient manner.
The employee onboarding process involves multiple departments and is prone to delays, manual errors, and access management challenges. These gaps did not allow new employees timely access to software tools, equipment, and EHR systems. The offboarding workflow, when an employee left or changed roles, also had similar challenges.
Shannex has partnered with Blanc Labs to develop a workflow that leverages Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to improve coordination of task between departments, track onboarding activities and timelines, and manage employee access to new employees or when their role changes.
By partnering with Blanc Labs to map the enterprise workflow across people, processes and technology systems, Shannex expects to see a significant improvement in efficiency and user experience while maintaining system security, leading to higher staff satisfaction and retention rates.
This innovative partnership is being supported by the Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network – a federally funded organization working to introduce more Canadian technology companies into Canada’s health care system.
Current State Challenges
Shannex’s onboarding workflows presented an opportunity for improvement from both an employee experience and operational efficiency perspective. Manual processing of tasks and multiple stakeholders involved created a high-volume workflow characterized by delays, errors, and information-security risks.
>30%
employees had access to all the IT systems equipment they needed on their first day of work.
34%
of new employees experienced delays of more than a week in obtaining all the equipment and system access they needed.
18%
of new hires were less than satisfied with the technology access portion of their onboarding experience.
Solution Approach Summary
Working collaboratively with the team from Shannex, Blanc Labs has designed and implemented a user-friendly and highly configurable solution that:
Automate Pre-Defined Workflows
Allows business users to define the type of task they want to perform (Onboarding, Change of Position or Termination Process / De-Provisioning) and upload all the documents related to that specific operation quickly and easily.
Integrated Across Enterprise Systems
The solution integrates across 14 enterprise systems and automatically triggers a series of activities relating to the workflow, such as provisioning or removing access to systems and resources.
Manage Access and Adhere to Security Requirements
Streamlines the employee offboarding process by ensuring inactive staff members do not have access to enterprise resources and facilities.
Improved Efficiency and Employee Experience
The solution improves the overall quality of the onboarding process for new hires and support functions by promptly granting and managing access to new or relocated employees.
Compliance and Security Benefits
By regularly conducting audits of staff access and enforcing IT best practices Shannex is able to significantly reduce security risks.
Tech Stack
UiPath Studio
We crafted an Onboarding/Offboarding solution leveraging tools like Active Directory for account management, Azure Active Directory for validation, Database for data retrieval, Web API and Object Repository for application interactions. We boosted efficiency and reliability using the Object Repository tool, capturing UI elements as objects in a DOM-like repository. This ensured that interactions were well managed and reliable, encouraging reusability.
UiPath Orchestrator
UiPath Orchestator served as the control center, enabling centralized management, scheduling, and monitoring of the automation process. Real-time insights, scheduling, and tracking capabilities ensured seamless execution and continuous improvement of the automation.
UiPath Robot
Working in tandem with Orchestrator, UiPath Robot ensured efficient and monitored Onboarding/Offboarding executions.
Expected Impact
Blanc Labs’ RPA-based workflows will reduce demands on operational, HR, IT, and business system teams by automating employee management tasks. This will free up time for business users to focus on higher-value work. Improved accuracy will ensure new employees have the necessary system and equipment access and will lead to higher staff satisfaction and better retention rates. Â
Our shared goal is to improve efficiency and user experience relating to employee management tasks.
80%
Reduction in the time required for operations managers to request access to equipment/systems for new hires.
90%
Increase in the level of satisfaction among new hires with the onboarding process.
80%
Reduction in the time spent removing access to systems and equipment for terminations.
60%
Increase in the proportion of new hires with access to systems equipment on their first day in the new position.
Looking Ahead
Through a strategic partnership with Blanc Labs and the CAN Health Network, Shannex is poised to revolutionize its employee onboarding and system access procedures. By integrating technologies like UiPath Apps, UiPath Robot, and UiPath Studio, Blanc Labs has delivered an impactful synergy of automation, innovation, and convenience to Shannex’s employee experience, HR , IT management, and Operations functions.
If you are interested in automating your workflows and improving employee experience, reach out to us at BlancLabs.com and let us explore how we could partner with one another. Contact us today to unlock efficiencies in your processes.
Elevate employee experience: automate, secure, and thrive.
Blanc Labs teamed up with Daylight Automation (acquired by Quadient) to overhaul the process pharmacists use to assess and treat minor ailments, at a critical inflection point for Canadians to efficiently access healthcare services.
Blanc Labs teamed up with Daylight Automation (acquired by Quadient) to overhaul the process pharmacists use to assess and treat minor ailments, at a critical inflection point for Canadians to efficiently access healthcare services.
Blanc Labs teamed up with Daylight Automation (acquired by Quadient) to overhaul the process pharmacists use to assess and treat minor ailments, at a critical inflection point for Canadians to efficiently access healthcare services.
Shannex Announces Partnership with Canadian-based Blanc Labs to Improve Employee Experience and Resident Care
November 7, 2023
November 7, 2023 (Halifax, NS) – Through its membership with the Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network, Shannex, a family owned and operated organization providing seniors’ care, service and accommodation, is partnering with Canadian health care technology company, Blanc Labs, to deploy automated processes to improve employee transitions and reduce demands on operational, human resources, information technology, and business system teams. Shannex will work with Blanc Labs to deploy this solution across its 47 long term care and retirement living communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario.
Similar to many health care organizations in Canada, Shannex is experiencing an increased demand for health care workers and was in need of a solution to improve operational effectiveness to bring more employees on board in a more timely and efficient manner.
“Our team members are focused on providing care and service to residents in our communities and we’re always looking to find ways to improve the quality of our work,” said Greg Heard, Vice President, Innovation and Technology. “We are pleased to partner with Blanc Labs to deploy process automations that will improve operational efficiency, improve oversight and increase system security for employees, enabling them to have more time to spend with each resident.”
Blanc Labs’ automated solution will support an improved employee experience by helping to coordinate tasks between departments, track onboarding and offboarding activities and timelines, and manage access to necessary equipment and technology for new and existing employees.
“At Blanc Labs, we see a tremendous opportunity to improve employee experiences in health care through innovative uses of technology. It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with the Shannex team to develop and implement a more efficient, secure and scalable approach to employee onboarding and management. We are excited about our continued partnership with Shannex and other health care organizations, focusing on delivering positive outcomes for stakeholders across the Canadian health care ecosystem,” said Rishi Khanna, Vice President, Engineering, Blanc Labs.
The project is being supported by the CAN Health Network – a federally funded national organization working to introduce more Canadian innovation into Canada’s health care system.
“The CAN Health Network is proud to support this important collaboration between Shannex and Blanc Labs. We look forward to seeing the results of the project, and the impact Blanc Labs’ solution has on patients, residents and staff across the country,” said Dr. Dante Morra, Chair, CAN Health Network.
“This announcement is great news for seniors in care and the dedicated people who work so hard to bring them the services they need,” said the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business. “This partnership between Shannex and Blanc Labs is a great example of how the CAN Health Network is creating innovative solutions to strengthen our health care system while helping companies grow and create good jobs.”
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ABOUT SHANNEX
Shannex is a family owned and operated organization with a vision of Leading the Way to Better Living by providing seniors’ care, service and accommodation. Beginning in 1988 with a single nursing home, we now offer a full continuum of services for seniors through our Care at Home, Parkland Retirement Living, Faubourg du Mascaret and Shannex licensed long term care communities. Currently, we have communities in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario, where approximately 5,900 employees provide care and service to more than 5,200 residents. For more information, visit www.shannex.com
ABOUT BLANC LABS
Blanc Labs works with organizations to deliver technology solutions that yield impactful outcomes for businesses, their customers and employees. As a UI Path implementation partner, Blanc Labs are experts at identifying and applying process improvement and using automation technologies to streamline workflows, reduce operational overhead, and scale efficiently. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Blanc Labs serves clients across the Americas through operations in Toronto, New York, Bogota, and Buenos Aires. For more information, visit www.blanclabs.com
ABOUT THE CAN HEALTH NETWORK
The CAN Health Network is a Canada-first approach to technology adoption. It helps break down barriers to scaling in the health care system and provides an environment for companies to scale to their full potential. Currently operating in Ontario, Western and Atlantic Canada, the CAN Health Network was recently awarded $30 million by the Government of Canada as part of Budget 2022 to expand into Quebec, the Territories and with Indigenous Communities. To learn more about the CAN Health Network, visit www.canhealthnetwork.ca
McKinsey expects machines to be responsible for up to 10% to 25% of a bank’s functions. The reasons? Banking automation minimizes the need for your team to work on repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on high-profile and strategic aspects of the business.
Automation also improves accuracy, which can save you a ton of money — a major reason why 80% of finance leaders have implemented or plan to implement Automation (including Robotic Process Automation).
Curious about how banking automation can help? We explain everything you need to know about how automating your banking workflow can help reduce costs and improve efficiency.
What is Banking Automation?
Banking automation involves using software powered by multiple technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) to automate repetitive tasks. Automation has three primary benefits:
Frees up your team’s time for more strategic tasks
Improves process accuracy
Improves the Customer Experience (CX) and the Employee Experience (EX)
For example, you can automate your account opening process. A customer requests a new account via the chatbot on your website. The chatbot provides an application form. The applicant fills out the form, and it’s sent to your RPA robot. The robot performs the basic procedures, including checking the credit score and KYC verification.
Next, the robot scans the applicant’s documents using OCR (optical character recognition) for data extraction. The robot matches the information in the documents and the application form. It flags any details that don’t match and sends them for manual approval.
The robot continues to validate uploaded documents using NLP (natural language processing). It finds key data points in the document’s free text, categorizes them, and uses them in the automated process.
The robot then updates the bank’s backend system to create a new business account, provided the customer’s data meets the bank policy. Once approved, the customer receives an automated welcome email.
Why Banks Need Banking Automation
Banks need automation to compete in the modern banking environment. Now, that’s a broad statement, so here are specific reasons why a modern bank needs automation:
Allowing employees to focus on tasks that require a human touch: Most banks were set up long ago. Manual forms and workflows were a foundational pillar for legacy banks, and as a result, employees spend countless hours on things like data entry and account verification. Automation allows employees to “hand over” repetitive tasks to software, freeing up their time for high-profile tasks that require a human touch.
Record management: RPA can generate and check expense records for compliance. It auto-logs all transactions and prepares the necessary financial records to get an overview of your business’s financial performance and position.
Meeting customer expectations: The need for speed is a key driver of a modern customer’s experience. If you’re taking too long for basic operations like opening a bank account, you’ll lose customers fast. Automation can help speed up your processes and help deliver on your customer’s expectations.
Faster customer support: Your customers hate waiting hours to get an answer. Automating your support using RPA helps you respond faster. You can answer customers’ questions at scale using a chatbot. Also, you can use an AI-powered chatbot to answer questions you haven’t added as an FAQ.
These factors make automation more of a necessity than a nice-to-have — you need automation to compete neck-and-neck with other banks.
Low manual effort:Â Employees have more time available once they hand over repetitive tasks to software. They can do more in the same amount of time, helping you scale your operations.
Improved accuracy: Errors are expensive because you spend time and resources on correcting the errors. Fewer errors = improved productivity.
A great example of efficiency is automated document processing. As a banker, you probably spend a good number of hours reading documents and inserting relevant data into your systems, depending on your role at the bank. However, you don’t have to spend all those hours manually entering data if you use intelligent document processing.
Better Customer Experience
An average company takes over 12 hours to respond to customer service requests. That’s a recipe for dissatisfied customers, especially if you’re a financial institution.
Your customers expect their money to be in the hands of a reliable entity, and guess what you communicate when you don’t answer customers for over 12 hours?
Using RPA to automate your customer support helps minimize response times. In most cases, the chatbot can provide real-time answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Speed is also critical for other client-side processes. For example, you want to be as fast as possible in opening accounts, processing personal investment requests, or enabling additional services for an account. Automating these processes (while ensuring accuracy) helps improve customer experience.
Compliance and Risk Reporting
According to Deloitte, the cost of compliance for retail and corporate banks has increased by over 60% since the pre-financial crisis spending levels. Non-compliance is even more expensive, but automation can help lower your spending on compliance.
RPA builds compliance into your processes. Automating compliance ensures you’re always meeting regulatory requirements without requiring teams to spend extra time double-checking for compliance.
Automation also creates an audit trail and automatically generates risk reports that give you added insights. The system can identify and flag suspicious activities so that you can investigate them.
Reduced Costs
It’s easy to see how banking automation using RPA can reduce costs. Reduced administrative load, saving time on repetitive tasks, and speeding up processes all yield dividends.
For example, Radius financial group reduced loan processing costs by 70% by using AI to automate their process.
Banking automation also removes human error, so you’ll spend less on fixing those mistakes.
Without automation, you’d need to invest a large amount of money in building more teams as you scale. However, automation empowers you to scale faster. You can continue investing in training current teams and save on costs you’d incur to accommodate a larger workforce.
Automation and Adaptability
Banking automation helps banks adapt faster to a client’s needs or the business environment.
Fintechs aren’t the only factor banks need to consider, though. Your bank might want to integrate banking solutions with a new partner’s ecosystem to offer additional services like tax consulting. Or your bank needs to process offshore transactions faster, especially when the transaction is subject to jurisdictional restrictions on the amount of transfer allowed.
Adaptability is critical for banks to succeed, and automation can make adapting to changes seamless. Implementing an automation solution will improve your adaptability to changes and allow you to quickly catch up with your modern competitors.
The Bottom Line
Over the past five decades, banking has gone from paper-based to almost entirely digital. Next up? Automation.
Automation makes banking frictionless for both internal and external stakeholders — it’s a win-win. The only problem banks face with automation is the lack of a reliable partner who can guide them through the transformation journey. Book a discovery call with us, and we’ll answer all your banking automation questions.