Security and better tenders
Improved security, new applications, an array of integrations, infrastructure development and a tenders system–it all adds up to a more stable, independent and professional company. What new developments did 2024 bring for our IT department?
Information security has long been one of our top priorities. František Lokvenc, Senior IT Manager at Accolade, explains an important development in this area: “This is a question of compliance with ISO 27001, an international standard for information security management. The company has to satisfy specific security, documentation and process requirements. Typically, for example, the HR department has to include certain clauses in employee contracts or confidentiality obligations, and so on. Even though we’re not currently applying for certification, we already meet all the requirements, so secure handling of information is guaranteed. So if, for example, a business partner demands it, we can easily set in motion the process of acquiring the certificate, which we could then use to prove our compliance.”
Accolade’s security and information initiatives include requiring employees to abide by a “clean desk” policy, meaning that they lock their computers when they leave work and do not leave documents or USB drives on their desks.
Another step linked to security is placing the main system’s development environment under in-house management. “This gives us full control over its development, so we aren’t dependent on external suppliers, and the change process is faster and tailored to our needs,” adds Viktor Rais, IT Business/Process Manager.
Tenders under one digital roof
As the general investor in a number of construction projects, Accolade chooses its suppliers. Until recently, this was a somewhat ad hoc process, which ceased to be satisfactory as the company continued to grow. “We therefore started looking for a dedicated tenders system. We found one and successfully implemented it. Several dozen tenders have been conducted using this system since the second half of 2024. Among other things, this step has elevated us to the level our major partners in the construction industry are accustomed to,” František Lokvenc explains.
Integration and infrastructure without borders
Automatic integration between internal and external information systems is another significant technological advance. “We now have automatic integration between the data in our main system and our website, which is useful for offering vacant space in our buildings, for example. Another integration we have successfully implemented is an application for investors that runs on the investor’s front end and sources data from our database. The third integrated application is an external partner’s system that we use for invoice approval,” describes Viktor Rais.
The company’s acquisition of additional premises across Europe also requires a focus on functional infrastructure and related technical solutions. “We strive to maintain a uniform standard across all our branches in all the countries we operate in–this applies to meeting-room equipment, remote access, firewalls and camera systems, for example. The idea is that when colleagues from abroad come to any of our branches, they feel at home in a familiar environment,” Lokvenc adds.
Digitisation of HR
Last but not least, 2024 brought significant progress in our efforts to have a single centralised location where all HR information is available: the HiBob human resources system was successfully implemented. New colleagues, vacation requests, finding out who is currently out of the office, and locating employment contracts–Accolade employees can now find all this and much more in the interface. František Lokvenc concludes, “It’s also an excellent tool for all supervisors and team leaders. The app lets them see how holidays are scheduled, how much time off each of their subordinates has left, and so on. In short, it’s a useful tool that makes life in our firm easier and more convenient.”
Innovations on the horizon
What other innovations are already underway or planned? The main one is the launch of a helpdesk, both for IT and back office. Requests from employees are multiplying and need to be filtered, logged, resolved and archived. Accolade is also going to replace its old server, whose warranty and licence have expired, with a new one. The internal IT department itself is also growing: in 2024 alone, it expanded from three to five members, with further reinforcements planned.