Let’s face it: today’s workplace isn’t exactly easy to navigate. Different work models, increasingly stringent regulatory policies, and contending with multiple generations in the workforce – along with the communication, work/life balance, and career path expectations each brings – are just a few of the challenges you face on a daily basis. To contend with these changes and to add some much-needed scale for already overworked HR teams, technology is often the answer… but it’s not a silver bullet.
From recruiting and onboarding to workforce management and scheduling to L&D and performance management, there’s no shortage of applications and platforms vying for your attention and a piece of your HRIS budget. In fact, according to recent research from Sapient Insights Group, the average company’s HR technology environment consists of 30+ points of integration at a cost of $221 to $401 per employee. Even in the most harmonious environments, that’s a staggering amount of technology that HR professionals – and the employees they support – are tasked to absorb… and it’s only getting more complex.
Last week, we discussed establishing and maintaining clear workplace policies, procedures, and practices. This week, we’ll “double-click” down into the technology aspect of keeping the business moving forward and how to avoid the most common challenges that emerge when trying to keep pace in a rapidly evolving world.
“HR Tech Overload” is Real… And It’s Getting Worse
Have workers finally reached a tech saturation point? According to some recent market statistics, that just might be the case. In its most recent workforce trends report, Pegasystems indicated that:
- 3 out of 4 workers believe their jobs are becoming more complex.
- 1 out of 3 workers believe hybrid work makes business more complicated.
- 90% of workers are experiencing “information overload” at work.
That last statistic is the most troubling, as employee satisfaction, engagement, and time-to-hire stats are nearing all-time lows.
The Danger of “Good Enough”
To blunt the impact of this looming tech overload problem, HR departments may try to adapt existing platforms to changing operational needs. This is a sound strategy, but it must be done properly and deliberately… not simply by developing manual workarounds. Although this may seem like a quick fix, it often leads to more significant problems down the line.
We often see this in the world of time and attendance. Manually calculating pay for employees whose new pay rules may be too complex to accommodate within an existing configuration may seem like a simple way to overcome limitations. Still, when manual interventions are introduced, you also increase the potential for error.
In this example, not only are you likely to experience the need for more off-cycle pay runs to compensate for errors, but you’re also hampering audibility, reporting, and transparency efforts. Further, some errors you introduce could also open the door for wage and hour violations, penalties, and other forms of legal action.
A better path forward, however, is to work with your in-house IT team – or with a trusted third party – who can properly configure your time-and-attendance system to accommodate these new changes and review your overall implementation to ensure they’re still meeting your needs. This is just one example of the way dated policies and inflexible implementations can create challenges. Still, some less obvious (and potentially more detrimental) challenges come from adopting a “good enough” mindset.
The Hidden Costs of Dated Implementations
Buying a new piece of HR technology, particularly a new platform, takes work. It requires months of due diligence, demos, in-depth discovery, and usually a pretty hefty check. Then, the implementation and integration process begins, followed by testing and, finally, “go-live.” The entire process can be years in the making, particularly if you’re a large employer, so it’s natural to declare “mission accomplished” once everything is up and running, put it in your rearview mirror, and move on to the next thing demanding your time.
But, as we all know, change is a constant. New regulations emerge. New union agreements are signed. Employee needs and sentiment change. As a result, what was once a flawless system is now out of sync with your strategic and operational needs.
A prime example of this comes from the world of workforce management, specifically labor scheduling. All too often, employers view scheduling through the lens of optimizing what’s best for the business at a tactical level. Of course, you need to ensure shifts are adequately covered and the right skills are available to complete the tasks at hand. Still, it would be best to do this in a way that creates flexibility, agility, and opportunity for your workers.
Multiple research papers and reports indicate that creating a positive work environment that not only helps you retain workers but also ensures you become a magnet for new talent – requires operating from a point of greater empathy for your workers. Implementing a system that allows workers to indicate schedule preferences, trade shifts with adequately skilled coworkers, and leverage similar functionality empowers them to balance work and personal responsibilities better.
This is particularly important today when more generations are in the workforce than ever before. Of course, Millennial and Gen Z workers gravitate toward organizations that offer this balance, but older workers – notably Gen X – are often in the challenging position of caring for their children and their parents. For these groups, a little flexibility can go a very long way.
Ignoring these dynamics – or implementing those manual workarounds we discussed in the previous section – contributes to employee dissatisfaction, frustration, and unwanted attrition. As valued employees exit the workforce in search of greener pastures, those who are “left behind” have to absorb the workload while you search for new talent. In a day and age when unemployment numbers still hover near historic lows, that creates unnecessary headwinds for your organization that could have otherwise been avoided.
Overcoming these Challenges:
So, how can HR professionals overcome these challenges and ensure operational clarity and consistency?
- Strategic Integration: Rather than adopting every new tool that comes to market, HR teams should strategically evaluate each technology’s relevance to their specific needs. A thoughtful integration plan ensures that tools complement each other, minimizing confusion and maintaining consistency.
- Optimization Over Patchwork Solutions: Instead of settling for “good enough” solutions, invest time in optimizing existing technologies. This might involve collaborating with IT experts or consulting partners to enhance the functionality of current tools, ensuring they align with the organization’s long-term goals.
- Comprehensive Training Programs: Properly educating HR professionals and employees on the use of technology is essential. Comprehensive training programs can bridge the knowledge gap, promoting a shared understanding of organizational policies and procedures.
The Role of Consulting Partners:
Engaging the right consulting partner can make a significant difference in overcoming these challenges. Covalence Consulting can assess the current technological landscape, identify areas for improvement, and implement solutions that enhance the overall employee experience. Should you ultimately determine that you need a new system, we’ve got decades of experience that can help you pick the best solution for your needs of today and tomorrow. For more information on how we can help, click here.