Bank Hapoalim leads the charge for HR in finance

Bank Hapoalim, one of Israel's leading financial institutions, has always been committed to empowering its employees and providing exceptional service to its clients. Recognizing the crucial role of continuous learning and development in achieving these goals, the bank sought a state-of-the-art learning management system (LMS) that could meet its diverse needs. After a thorough evaluation, Bank Hapoalim chose Cornerstone's comprehensive LMS, confident that it would deliver the innovative and flexible solutions necessary for their workforce.

The decision to partner with Cornerstone was driven by the platform's full language compatibility, impressive range of capabilities, and seamless accessibility from any device. With Cornerstone, Bank Hapoalim aimed to create a dynamic learning environment that fosters growth, development, and a culture of continuous improvement.

For the past three years, Bank Hapoalim has been driving a change process in its operational and cultural approach, to enable it to maintain its leadership status in the Israeli financial market and become a leading organization in the Israeli economy.

The new LMS, is a critical step in the overall change process framework, investing in human capital and fostering a culture of learning and professional development among employees and managers. "Poalim Campus" — Bank Hapoalim’s learning campus – part of the Human Resources Division and the Technology division – together, lead a culture that promotes curiosity, learning, and constant development.

Within this innovative new framework, the campus promoted a change in the concept of learning, moving "from a teaching campus to a learning organization." The framework’s centre point was chosen by Matrix, who selected Cornerstone’s learning platform (a SaaS platform located in the AWS public cloud), to support this organization-wide transformation. It is within this system that all employee training, and professional and personal development take place. The system provides a professional, digital, diverse and personalized learning environment that coordinates all the learning processes that take place at the bank.

The project came with high levels of technical complexity, such as advanced infrastructural adaptations, providing solutions for security risks and preventing information leakage, mobile access, link to HR systems, and more. The execution of the project was spearheaded by Bank Hapoalim’s technology division who ensured the system was built to the highest security standards.

The system provides an agile, digital, diverse, and customized environment that centralizes all of the learning workflows in Bank Hapoalim.

Cornerstone is a US software company for managing human resources that operates under several models: management recruitment and onboarding of employees, management of employees’ files, implementation of a learning management system, as well as a system of employee evaluation with documentation ability, tracking, reporting and automation. The Cornerstone system supports 41 languages, including Hebrew, and has already been implemented in leading financial organizations around the world and in Israel.

When Bank Hapoalim sought to upgrade its learning management system (LMS), the choice of Cornerstone’s platform became clear after a comprehensive review process.

"It aligned the best to our needs,” says leaders manager Efrat Arieli-Lahav, “thanks to the full language compatibility with Hebrew and the impressive plethora of its capabilities.”

This was crucial for ensuring that all employees, regardless of their primary language, could access and benefit from the platform seamlessly.

The flexibility and accessibility offered by the platform were icing on the cake. 24/7 availability from any device has been a game-changer, enabling employees to engage in continuous learning without the constraints of time or location. Whether they are in the office or on the go, the bank’s people can tap into a vast array of learning resources that support their professional development and enhance their ability to serve clients effectively.

“After all of our employees accompany our clients and help them to make better financial decisions, it is important for us that they have the most innovative and flexible systems available to them," Arieli-Lahav emphasizes.

By choosing Cornerstone, the bank ensured that its people are well-prepared to offer top-notch financial guidance and support to clients, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. This strategic investment in employee development underscores the bank's dedication to maintaining a knowledgeable and highly skilled workforce, ultimately benefiting both employees and clients alike.

Hapoalim Campus established BOOST, an innovative learning environment on the Cornerstone platform that coordinates a variety of learning processes – from bankers’ training and professionalization on a range of subjects, including credit, investments, foreign currency and foreign trade to materials on financial reporting and analysis, client services and sales, digital services and personal development.

Cornerstone’s agility is its number one advantage – a robotic system streamlining a large variety and quantity of formal processes, but flexible enough to allow customized learning solutions tailored to the employee. In addition, the system provides senior management with state-of-the-art reporting and analytics, which allow tracking and analysis of learning processes.

Another advantage is that Cornerstone sits in the ‘Cloud.’ Storage capabilities are limitless and system updates are automatic. That having been said, it is a challenging transformation for financial institutions, due to the advanced and varying regulations and data-security solutions.

Matrix was chosen to implement the system based on its longstanding relationship with Cornerstone implementation and adjustment and their depth of experience in dealing with complex organizational needs in some of the largest organizations in Israel, including their work with other large financial institutions.

A development team was established from various departments in Bank Hapoalim - Legal, IT, Acquisitions, Risk Management, and Cyber – to make sure that all angles were covered and coordinated, and that a system covering all aspects of the employees’ needs was implemented. As part of the project, data access requirements were amended, meaning that today, all employees can learn from any device they carry, and nevertheless remain compliant with the highest data-security regulations.

Cornerstone and the bank were able to seamlessly collaborate thanks in part Matrix Software. According to Ayelet Cohen Bereznitsky, the bank’s technologies and learning development manager: "Matrix’s highly professional integration and implementation team, led by Yaniv Kremer and Maayan Zuckerman, allowed us to provide creative solutions for various distinct needs in the bank," But the partnership was not merely transactional; it transformed into a deeply integrated relationship where Matrix's team became a vital part of the bank’s operations.

Matrix Software played a critical role in developing innovative learning methodologies tailored to the unique requirements of Bank Hapoalim. Their expertise in user experience and project management was instrumental in ensuring that the Cornerstone platform was effectively integrated into the bank’s existing systems. This allowed for a smooth transition and immediate benefits, including enhanced training programs and improved employee engagement.

The collaboration extended beyond just technical implementation. The Matrix team provided ongoing support, becoming an indispensable component of the bank’s strategic initiatives.

"We received the stellar support of Matrix and Cornerstone in a variety of fields," Bereznitsky emphasizes, "including the development of learning methodologies, user experience, project management, and more."

This deep, multifaceted partnership exemplifies how effective collaboration can drive substantial organizational growth and success, solidifying Cornerstone and Matrix Software as key contributors to Bank Hapoalim's achievements.

The collaboration between Bank Hapoalim and Cornerstone, facilitated by Matrix Software, has laid a robust foundation for the bank's continuous growth and development. With a cutting-edge learning management system in place, Bank Hapoalim’s employees now have unprecedented access to resources that enhance their skills and knowledge, ultimately enabling them to serve their clients better.

The successful implementation of Cornerstone’s platform has not only met the bank’s immediate needs but also positioned it for future advancements. The tailored learning methodologies, intuitive user experience, and seamless integration have significantly increased employee engagement and course completion rates. This partnership demonstrates the power of combining advanced technology with strategic implementation to achieve remarkable results.

Looking ahead, Bank Hapoalim is poised to continue leveraging Cornerstone's capabilities to foster a culture of continuous learning and development. The bank’s forward-thinking approach, supported by Cornerstone and Matrix, ensures that it remains at the forefront of the financial industry. As the needs of the bank and its clients evolve, this strong partnership will undoubtedly continue to drive innovation and excellence, making Bank Hapoalim a leader in both employee development and client service.