Seatrium taps Workday HCM to modernise HR operations

Workday has signed Seatrium as a customer for its Human Capital Management (HCM) software, as the Singapore-based offshore and marine engineering group overhauls HR processes for a workforce of more than 24,000.

The deployment is part of Seatrium's wider digital transformation programme, which includes investments in 5G connectivity and AI-enabled operational platforms. Seatrium operates across multiple regions and runs projects that often require specialist skills to be mobilised quickly across sites and disciplines.

Seatrium will use Workday HCM as a single system for workforce planning and talent management, alongside embedded AI features for tasks such as workflow automation and data checks.

Workforce planning

Seatrium builds and services assets such as oil rigs, offshore platforms and specialised vessels, and also works across offshore renewables and other energy transition projects. That mix of segments and geographies increases the burden on HR teams to track skills, deploy staff and maintain consistent processes.

Seatrium has shipyards, engineering and technology centres, and other facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. It also carries out repairs, upgrades, conversions and newbuild work for customers ranging from energy companies to shipping operators.

As Seatrium expanded, it needed a talent management system that could scale with the business, the companies said, along with a more standardised view of workforce data across business units.

The new setup is intended to provide real-time workforce insights, improve data accuracy and support faster decision-making on complex projects.

Process automation

Workday's HCM suite includes tools to centralise employee records and support workflows such as onboarding, absence management and approvals. For Seatrium, automated absence approvals were highlighted as one area of change.

Another focus is identity provisioning during onboarding, which is intended to reduce manual errors and improve the employee experience.

Embedded AI can surface insights and detect anomalies, helping to flag data inconsistencies and highlight emerging skills across the workforce.

The approach was also positioned as a shift in how teams use HR systems, enabling HR staff to work more independently and allowing non-technical teams to automate workflows with less IT involvement.

Data foundation

Seatrium now has a unified view of workforce data across the organisation, which the company described as a basis for cross-functional collaboration and long-term workforce planning.

Workday said the platform provides a consistent structure for linking talent plans to business priorities, giving Seatrium more flexibility as project demand and market conditions change.

Seatrium Executive Vice President, Cyber IT & OT, Lim Shih Hsien, framed the project as both a technology upgrade and a broader operational shift.

"In a fast-evolving industry like ours, getting a clear view of our people's capabilities allows us to deploy the right talent to the right projects, drive performance, and future-proof our organisation. Workday isn't just a system, it's a catalyst for cultural and operational change," said Lim Shih Hsien, Executive Vice President, Cyber IT & OT, Seatrium.

Workday has been pushing deeper into Southeast Asia as companies across industries modernise finance and HR systems. Many capital-intensive groups are also taking a fresh look at workforce data amid constraints on specialist skills and tighter project schedules.

Jess O'Reilly, General Manager, ASEAN, Workday, said the Seatrium project reflects a broader shift in how organisations use data and AI to make workforce decisions.

"Seatrium's transformation highlights how organisations operating in highly complex environments can use data and AI to rethink how they manage and deploy their talent. We're glad to support Seatrium in building a more agile, resilient, and insights-driven workforce for the future," said O'Reilly.

Following the Workday HCM implementation, Seatrium has integrated its people systems with its wider digital environment, with a focus on self-service, standardisation, and enterprise data and analytics, the companies said.