PHBern digitises 1’000 employment contracts annually with DeepSign and DeepID.

Challenge

The push for legally compliant, paperless workflows.

As the University of Teacher Education in Bern (PHBern) worked to modernise its administrative workflows, the need to digitise employment contracts became increasingly urgent. The Canton of Bern had enacted the Digital Administration Act and Ordinance (DVG/DVV), establishing a legal framework for public-sector digitalisation and requiring institutions like PHBern to adopt legally compliant electronic signature solutions.

Meeting these new requirements was only part of the challenge. PHBern also aimed to reduce manual handling, eliminate paper-based processes, and streamline contract management – without adding friction for employees or hiring authorities. They sought a legally valid digital signature solution that could integrate into their existing systems.

Solution

Integrating DeepSign and DeepID into the contract lifecycle.

PHBern selected DeepSign and DeepID to implement qualified electronic signatures (QES) as part of its digital onboarding process. Employment contracts are generated using an internal system connected to SAP HCM data and transferred directly into DeepSign’s workflow.

Within this digital workflow, each contract is first reviewed and approved by the relevant organisational unit head. Once approved, the contract is signed by the hiring authority, typically the PHBern rector, and then sent digitally to the employee. The entire process is executed without media disruption or postal handling.

DeepID plays a crucial role in enabling qualified electronic signatures (QES) through an intuitive identity verification process, helping PHBern meet legal requirements while accelerating the experience for signers.

“With DeepSign, PHBern has established a digital, streamlined, and efficient workflow for signing contracts electronically.”

Martin Dietrich
Head of HR, Finance and Controlling, PHBern

Results

A leaner, more efficient HR process for 1,000 annual contracts.

By digitising the employment contract workflow, PHBern has significantly reduced manual effort and media disruptions. Previously, contracts had to be printed, scanned, archived, and eventually destroyed. Now the entire process is handled digitally – from generation to signature to delivery – without ever touching paper.

Around 1,000 contracts are now created and signed each year using DeepSign. This change has helped improve deadline management, reduce administrative burden, and enhance the onboarding experience for new employees.

The simplicity of the DeepSign and DeepID user experience has also proven especially valuable during onboarding, supporting smooth adoption and helping ensure legal compliance at every step.