Softscape's On-line Performance Management for EQUIVA of Shell, Texaco, and Saudi Aramco up to 12,000 Assessments and Growing.

Business/Technology Editors

WAYLAND, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2000

Softscape, Inc, which contracted with the Houston-based Equiva Services LLC -- the service unit of the Shell, Texaco, Saudi Aramco downstream oil products joint venture to provide AchievementPlus(TM) -- is doubling the number of on-line users. According to Monte King of Equiva Human Resources, the number of participants is up to 12,000 and "an even larger participation rate is expected in the Fall of 2000." AchievementPlus(TM) is Softscape's performance management E-solution in use by Fortune 500 companies across the United States. It is a fully integrated Internet-based application, which, at Equiva, was initially implemented for approximately 8,000 non-represented staff employees across the nation.

Tailored for Employee Performance and Development Process (EPDP)

This unique software was created and tailored to the specific needs of Equiva Services in the process of rolling out and implementing the new employee performance and development process. According to King, the first round of multi-source feedback included 1,600 managers and supervisors and 400 employees from the West Hollow Research Center in Houston. In the spring, Equiva opened up the first round to another 2,200 participants in addition to the initial 8,000 using performance management, goals, development, and assessment. The Softscape system for Equiva "is live"; that is, real data and real users.

Flexibility and Security was Key

A key requirement for implementation was a totally secure turnkey software system to collect, process, coordinate and report on employee performance and development plans. Additional capabilities were essential in order to capture and disseminate multi-source feedback, data - manager feedback, and employee feedback from co-workers and customers with complete confidentiality and anonymity.

Confidentiality and Seamless Integration

According to Dave Watkins, Softscape co-founder, AchievementPlus(TM) met all of these needs including confidentiality for those providing feedback online and the assurance that valid data could not be manipulated. Other requirements for Equiva were features of AchievementPlus(TM) that are already an integral part of Softscape's automated Human Resource Management Solution, such as the ability to integrate seamlessly with the company's corporate data structure, providing automatic notification of tasks, discussion periods, and goal/milestone completion dates.

Positive Feedback and Employee Retention

Also included is the software's ability to route goals on feedback information to other employees; storage and retrieval for multiple year assessments; 24 hour access; and functionality for an individual to accept or reject a request for feedback. "Positive feedback enhances employee retention and morale and the system is designed to create a positive dialogue between supervisors and employees," says Watkins of Softscape (www.softscape.com).

Softscape Clients Using HR Planning Solutions

New accounts, in addition to American Express, America Online, Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Biogen, Inc., and Cambria Consulting, include: A&P (NYSE:GAP), American Airlines, CEDA of Chicago's Cook County, PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG), Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW), Hannaford Brothers (NYSE:HRD), and Steelcase (NYSE:SCS). These are first and second phase-ins for Softscape systems, www.softscape.com, which has the capacity to graduate to over 500,000 users.