Timken: Putting career development in motion with AI embedded in SAP SuccessFactors solutions
Adding AI on top of a decade of innovation
The Timken Company knows that engaged employees are more empowered to work toward a mission. That’s why the global technology leader embedded AI into its SAP SuccessFactors solutions for the generation of performance and development goals. Now, employees are using AI tools to prepare for career-changing conversations with managers.
| Industry | Region | Company Size |
| Industrial manufacturing | North Canton, Ohio | 19,000 employees |
employees able to use AI-assisted goal generation.
monthly clicks in the AI-assisted goal generation tool.
Manager of HR Systems, Analytics, and Reporting, The Timken Company
Setting HR transformation in motion
The Timken Company transforms how the world moves. Since 1899, Timken has manufactured high-quality engineered bearings and industrial motion products, and the business is focused on developing the next generation of machinery and equipment.
To realize its vision for the future of motion technologies, Timken relies on its employees. More than 19,000 employees are responsible for supporting a growing portfolio of products in roles spanning R&D, sales, and beyond. These employees work together toward the company’s most important goal: improving the efficiency and performance of its customers’ machinery.
In return, Timken wanted to support its employees’ professional development. HR leadership knew this would need to start with a robust foundation for human capital management (HCM) that could integrate employee goal setting—and whatever the workforce needs in the future.
Manager of HR Systems, Analytics, and Reporting, The Timken Company
Celebrating more than a decade of innovation in HCM technology
The company deployed the SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central solution in 2013 to completely transform its HR and employee experience landscape. This transformation included implementing and integrating solutions for employee goals, development, learning, and more from the SAP SuccessFactors HCM portfolio.
In the years that followed, the business implemented the SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting solution and continued to build out its digital HCM approach with new offerings and capabilities that meet the demands of its dedicated workforce. More recently, this included a focus on AI—especially for employee goals development.
Timken enabled AI-assisted goals generation capabilities within SAP SuccessFactors solutions. The company also deployed AI-assisted writing, generative person insights, job description enhancement, and an interview question generator that’s built into Microsoft Teams.
Before embarking on its AI journey, Timken boosted its support engagement with SAP using SAP Preferred Success for SAP SuccessFactors HCM, expanded edition. At the time, the company foresaw AI playing a significant role in the future of its HCM experience—and realized that additional SAP Preferred Success services could help.
Manager of HR Systems, Analytics, and Reporting, The Timken Company
Empowering employees during conversations with managers
Not only did SAP SuccessFactors solutions create an integrated and connected system for HR at Timken, but they also encouraged an integrated approach and culture around the entire employee experience. Since first deploying SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and integrating it with nearly the entire suite of SAP SuccessFactors solutions, Timken has seen a new level of engagement from its workforce.
Through SAP SuccessFactors solutions, a single source of data makes it easier to maintain employee information and reduces everyday effort for HR experts. Modern user interfaces are intuitive for employees to use and easier for technology teams to maintain, with minimal cost regarding IT maintenance and involvement. The entire suite uses a consistent set of best practices built into the system.
This integrated approach to using SAP SuccessFactors solutions also paved the way for faster and more-efficient deployment of AI. Generative AI and AI chatbots are giving employees greater control over their HR experiences and their careers. For example, employees can use the AI tools to help have more-productive conversations with their managers about career development. SAP Preferred Success helped the business make these moments a reality, with insight-driven recommendations, a tailored learning strategy, and change management guidance.
With SAP Preferred Success, Timken worked with SAP experts who revealed what’s possible with SAP SuccessFactors solutions and AI tools, such as the Joule copilot, from SAP. The experts answered questions about solution architecture, AI ethics, and the reality of using new and emerging technologies. Documentation and road maps helped Timken see exactly how AI would impact its solution landscape, and real technology expertise revealed how AI could enhance the employee experience.
Manager of HR Systems, Analytics, and Reporting, The Timken Company