Hello, Revolutionaries! By now you are repeating your new mantra several times a day (“W.W.S.H.R.D.?”, “What Would Strategic HR Do?”) and have initiated the Strategic HR Revolution in your company. Way to go! Today’s topic is technology. Your Mama’s HR doesn’t utilize it, but Strategic HR will not survive without it.
W.W.S.H.R.D. with Technology?
According to a Workforce.com report written by Ed Frauenheim and Robert Scally titled, “IHRIM Conference Highlights the Influence of Social Networking and Talent Management Technology on HR” posted on June 2, 2008, the top HR technology being utilized by strategic companies currently is Talent Management software, “Talent management systems are applications for key HR tasks, including employee performance management, compensation management and recruiting. They are among the fastest-growing products in HR software, which is itself the fastest-growing category of business software.”
Whether this software comes in the form of Software as a Service (SaaS) Web 2.0 technology or a software package you can purchase online, strategic HR revolutionaries are using some version of Talent Management software to get the upper hand on attracting, hiring and retaining top talent for their companies.
So What?
You may be thinking. That is great that lots of people are using Talent Management software, but what’s in it for me? Well, Revolutionary, what is in it for you is up to you! Talent Management software is just one version of HR technology you can utilize in your business, but really the sky is the limit! You can use other forms of HR technology to automate and integrate your HR systems with each other and even other departments in the company.
For example, your payroll software could integrate with your benefits software so that benefit deductions from your employees’ paychecks are seamless and accurate. You could also have your performance reviews integrated with your compensation software so that you can keep track of when an employee last received a raise and what the next bump in compensation or bonus should be for that employee based on their performance in the interim. Again, the sky is the limit!
But You Said I Should Outsource All That Stuff!
You are correct, and what a good memory you have! Yes, I did say you should outsource all the administrative HR tasks for your company to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) so your HR professionals can focus on Talent Management. I still highly recommend this course of action. In fact, most PEO’s have a software system that does incorporate all your HR functions to make them seamless and your employees’ information easier to track. I also recommend, however, your HR employees use Talent Management software to help you recruit and retain the best employees. In my opinion, it just helps streamline employee management and ensure accuracy of employee records so you can make sure you are rewarding your employees on a regular basis in a way that keeps them onboard.
What’s Next?
Now that you know the latest in how strategic HR is utilizing technology, Revolutionaries, tune in to my next post where I will discuss the importance of offering flexible work schedules and how technology can play a role in this strategy, as well. Until then, remember to use your mantra to continue the revolution in your company, “W.W.S.H.R.D.?”