You have probably wondered what a Human Capital Management (HCM) consultant can do for your UKG cloud HR software project. Going from a legacy, on-premise system to a cloud-based HCM solution can seem daunting – especially if you’re unsure of the implementation team in place. Going with an UKG solution was an excellent choice. You have picked a best in class HCM software which is rich in capabilities and features. Whether your team is in the launch stage or already in the weeds of your project it is important to understand if a third-party HCM consultant will be of value to you. Here we give a thorough overview of how what deliverables and contributions such a HCM consultant will produce for your UKG HCM/cloud HR project.
Take Control Of The Project Management Element
Implementing or updating any cloud HCM software is rarely ever a simple, turnkey process. To meet your target go-live date your team will need to engage in high-quality project management. Specialized knowledge of project management specific to HCM projects will be required. To go even further your HCM consultants should have extensive experience in project management for UKG HCM projects. This will be crucial to driving project completion which remains on-time, within budget, and is delivered with good quality.
When assessing Human Capital Management consultants, examine their depth of experience with configuring and implementing UKG Pro within your sector and size. For example, if you are an enterprise manufacturer with multiple locations and a partially unionized workforce look for third-party consultants who have done similar projects. The HCM consultants at Covalence Consulting Inc. have provided implementation services & post-go-live support to many industries including large manufacturers with disperse geographic locations and unionized workforces. Consultants with such specialized HCM experience will have the specific skill-set needed to get your unique project finished not only on time but within budget and with the highest quality standards.
Having a dedicated HCM professional on your team means that you will have a solid and attainable Human Capital Management implementation project plan. A good project manager will control timelines and move along project deliverables to completion. In contrast, a good project manager specific to Human Capital Management will know what is unique to HCM project completion. For example, senior management time commitment is almost always needed to keep a Human Capital Management project moving along. Decisions concerning the system configuration which affect the entire organization can’t be made without firm decisions from an executive team member. An experienced HCM project manager will know this and other HCM implementation or optimization specific concerns and ensure they are addressed.
Implement or Optimize Your Cloud Software For Maximum End-User Adoption
Maximum value from your HCM investment comes from how many of your organization’s employees actually convert to using the features in your new system. To put it simply if end-user adoption is low then ROI in your new software system will be low.
Successfully configuring or optimizing HCM software means understanding business objectives, workforce needs as well as the strategic goals expected by senior leadership and all key stakeholders. Pick HCM consultants who take this wholistic approach to your project so that you get a configuration which works for your unique business needs. This will lead to the creation of a HCM program that your employees will actually find valuable and will use.
Additionally an experienced Human Capital Management consulting team won’t implement & optimize your system and then leave. Instead, they will advise your Human Resources team as to potential roadblocks to employee use & suggest remedies. Beyond this be on the lookout for a Human Capital Management consulting team that offers “train-the-trainer” services. A good consultant will equip your team with the knowledge, materials, and advice needed to ensure that your staff isn’t left with unanswered questions when it’s time to go live.
Provide Clear Timelines
Your HCM consultant should be able to forecast an attainable timeline which aligns with your unique requirements and goals. If already in progress then you should be provided with clear estimates of whether your project is on track to finish on time and on budget. A HCM consultant team that specializes in complex HCM projects, such as Covalence Consulting Inc., will be specially equipped to advise whether your project is being done – and how to ensure it does if it isn’t.
Be alert to whether HCM consultants you talk to in the interview stage ask about your organization size, geographic locations, workforce rules, etc. Asking these types of questions means that the HCM consultant understands that a timeline will be based on your unique organizational characteristics. Be wary of a consultant who promises a go-live date without asking about your specific organizational context. Remember a cookie-cutter approach rarely works when it comes to completing Human Capital Management projects within budget and with thorough implementation quality.
Be on the lookout for a third party HCM consultant team that has an established track record with UKG projects. With such a team you will get Human Capital Management consultants who go beyond simply implementing cloud HR software. Instead, you’ll work with a group of consultants who know how to best work with the UKG team and your own Human Resources & HCM project team. Your consultants will act as a bridge between you, your software & the UKG team essentially translating HCM technical requirements & software capabilities to you and communicating your needs to your software provider. Having won Collaboration Partner of the Year from UKG, Covalence Consulting Inc. is such a team.
Remember during a project introduction and initial requirements review your HCM consultant will get an idea of what needs to be done to meet your unique objectives. Each organization is like a snowflake when it comes to Human Capital Management – with no two projects exactly alike.
Prepare You For The Future
Go-live is often only the beginning of your HCM journey. Organizations grow, staff changes, locations are added, business strategy evolves. Essentially your business will change – and your HCM software system will need to keep up. HCM consultants, like those from Covalence Consulting Inc., provide post-implementation and ongoing support which equips you for today and preps you for tomorrow. Ensure your HCM team understands your business needs and organizational makeup enough to forecast where your system will need to be refreshed. And of course, not all organizational changes can be predicted. In such cases choose a team experienced enough to quickly get up to speed on what configuration updates are needed and how to do them.
Will you be at UKG Connections 2019? As a Certified UKG Partner & Connections Sponsor we will be at Booth #53. We’d be happy to talk all things HCM with you! If you want expert UKG Pro advice – we’d be excited to discuss! Feel free to contact us to set up a meeting ahead of time as well!