Like most business systems, HCM platforms have evolved into incredibly powerful – yet infinitely complex – organisms. In addition to serving as the “hire to retire” system of record for the workforce, the broader HCM ecosystem has an even more significant impact. From HR to finance to operations, the HCM choices you make today can serve your business well for decades to come.
But there’s a catch.
The world in which we exist is not static. Operational needs evolve. Policies and procedures evolve, too. Compliance demands change. Perhaps most importantly, employee expectations can change dramatically. You’ve got to keep pace with changing times, or that finely tuned HCM platform you have in place today can become an unwieldy cornerstone of your IT infrastructure tomorrow.
You can develop workarounds – and these adjustments might do the trick for a while – but the relief is temporary. Over time, those workarounds add up, and you’re left with the sensation that you’ve outgrown your HCM system. The reality, however, is that you’ve attempted to address dynamic demands with static thinking.
There is a better way.
Modern HCM platforms are among the most flexible tools you can add to your business. Fine-tuning and optimization capabilities are woven into the solution’s DNA, so keeping pace with evolving needs is typically faster, easier, and can occur more frequently than you think. You simply have to approach it from the right mindset.
All too often, the first reaction is “rip and replace.” It’s a natural instinct, but it can be costly in more ways than one. In addition to the time, effort, and expense required to find another solution, the disruption this can cause for employees is even more damaging. And in a job market where workers have an unprecedented choice, you need to minimize frustration and, along with it, excuses to take those recruiter calls that are undoubtedly blowing up their phones.
So how do you adopt a more agile approach to maintaining and optimizing your HCM system?
We’ve found there are five fundamental mindset shifts you need to make:
- Embrace change as a constant – your business landscape is not a static entity, so your HCM platform shouldn’t be either.
- Optimize for employees – no matter how intricate or intertwined your HCM policies and practices are with other systems in your business, the user experience has to be simple, direct, and intuitive.
- Leverage a holistic view of data – revisit the original goals, objectives, and KPIs you set into place when you first commissioned your HCM solution and measure how well you’re performing against those goals. Making fine-tuning adjustments periodically is easier than you think.
- Aim for engagement – above all else, ensure you’re not creating artificial barriers between your workforce and the systems you’re putting into place to help them. Bring employees into the process from the very beginning, then check in with them periodically to ensure your implementation is still meeting their needs.
- Take early action – if you see potential challenges on the horizon, don’t develop workarounds or “make do” with inconveniences. Catalog the issues, leverage your partners, and address challenges early and often. Incremental changes over time deliver the bespoke experience you and your employees deserve.
Want a more in-depth insight into optimizing your HCM platform?
We recently hosted a webinar with our friends at UKG, where we unpacked this topic in greater detail. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, hit this link and watch the replay. Click here to watch our webinar on-demand.
Prefer to read about it instead of watching a webinar? We’ve got you covered. Click here and download our latest ebook: “Optimized Human Capital Management.”