Employees' provident fund organization: empowering members by digital transformation

Abstract

Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) was established by the Government of India with the purpose of ensuring financial and social security for industrial workers and their dependents. With more than 150 million accounts of its members, EPFO is the world's largest social security organization. Operational processes of EPFO were riddled with over emphasis on rules and regulations but were weak on transparency, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency. Consequently, the primary purpose of social security of industrial employees was compromised. Business process reengineering combined with adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social media brought a sea change to the functioning of EPFO. This paper documents the transformation of EPFO from a bureaucratic, opaque organization to a customer‐centric, stakeholder‐friendly, transparent, and accountable organization.