SAP SuccessFactors 1H 2025 release - Smarter HR starts here: Unlocking the power of Joule

Joule is now deeply integrated across modules, making interactions more intuitive. Users can ask questions in natural language, reducing clicks and boosting productivity. Joule supports 10 new languages, increasing global accessibility. Enhanced Microsoft Teams integration enables HR actions within the flow of work, while WalkMe’s built-in guidance, now license-free, offers real-time, in-app support to drive adoption and efficiency. 

Seamless interactions

Mobile just got smarter. Joule’s conversational AI is now fully optimised for mobile use, enabling employees to complete HR tasks using voice or text, from requesting time off to updating personal information. With seamless, natural-language interactions on-the-go, mobile devices become powerful HR hubs, providing real-time support wherever work happens. 

Empower your workforce

Employee Central evolves with Joule, delivering a smarter, more responsive HR experience. Joule serves as a virtual assistant, guiding employees through everyday tasks and making self-service simple, no training or guesswork needed. Managers gain instant access to key workforce insights like turnover trends. 

For HR teams, Joule simplifies complex transactions, flags data issues, and ensures compliance. This release also enhances the people profile by integrating benefits, payroll, and learning data. Managers can now create job requisitions directly from My Team Positions, and quick actions now support attachments. Admins also benefit from bulk data change capabilities, enabling faster, easier updates, no technical expertise needed. 

The result? An accelerated service, fewer support tickets, and a more empowered workforce. 

AI-driven time management 

Smarter payroll

Understanding payroll is simpler than ever. Employees can now ask Joule for pay statement details, reducing confusion and HR inquiries. This not only improves satisfaction but also drives down service delivery costs and improves payroll transparency.

Joule for talent

Joule enhances recruiting with inclusive, optimised job descriptions and real-time content analysis to reduce bias. Recruiters gain instant candidate insights and campaign recommendations, helping make faster, fairer hiring decisions. 

And with the new Upload Resume component embedded in your career site, job-seekers can instantly match their skills to open roles, bringing smarter, more personalised connections to your talent pipeline. It's AI-powered recruiting that’s efficient, equitable, and insight-driven. 

New hires now meet Joule on day one. The AI-powered assistant guides them through tasks, answers questions, and ensures a smooth start. For offboarding, Joule streamlines exit steps and provides a consistent, positive experience for both employees and HR teams. 

AI-assisted writing is now built into the Nudge functionality, helping teams communicate faster and more effectively. Reminder: If you're still using Onboarding 1.0, now's the time to upgrade. Migrate your documents to the latest Onboarding solution ahead of the Onboarding 1.0 sunset. 

Continuous growth, built in

Performance Management forms just got a revamp with a new UX vertical navigation, dynamic side panels, and new structured rating tables, fostering clarity and better manager-employee collaboration, while reducing admin work. 

Joule acts as a writing coach, helping users create clearer, more aligned goals and feedback reviews. The outcome? More meaningful conversations, higher-quality reviews, and a culture of continuous growth. 

Last, but not least, the next-gen Goal Management experience is now the new standard, replacing the legacy version with a modern, intuitive interface that drives alignment and performance at scale. 

Compensation decisions are now smarter and fairer. Joule provides real-time insights by combining pay history, performance, and internal benchmarks. Managers can make well-informed, transparent decisions that reinforce pay equity and compliance, building trust and supporting retention. 

Map the future

Joule empowers employees to map their future with personalised career paths, upskilling options, and AI-driven development insights. Managers benefit from the new team development insights, enabling them to spot growth opportunities and address development needs more effectively, while HR leaders gain visibility into top talent and succession plans. 

This alignment of individual goals with business needs strengthens pipelines and prepares your workforce for what’s next. 

Learning becomes a strategic growth engine with Joule. AI-curated course recommendations and personalised journeys align training with individual goals and roles. Managers benefit from improved tracking and insights, while a refreshed interface and real-time analytics boost engagement and compliance. 

The new Integrated Learning Experience gets even smarter with the introduction of AI-generated images. Powered by SAP’s generative AI assistant, Joule, users can now create custom visuals directly within the Learning module, bringing a new level of personalisation and impact to training content.