Do this, not that: Tips for buying an HR Service Delivery platform

HR is continually being held to higher efficiency standards and increasingly looked to for data-driven strategies. An HR service delivery platform certainly eases this burden, but the purchase decision isn’t one to jump into. There are several considerations to keep in mind as you evaluate your options and plan for implementation, adoption and beyond. Here are a few things to make sure you do—and don’t do.

Do think through your use cases.

It can tempting to dive right into comparing features and functions amongst different vendors. But before assessing what technology can do for you, it’s best to first identify what you need it to do for you. This practice will help you prioritize the capabilities you are shopping for and ensure your top goals are met as quickly as possible. Understanding your organization’s strategic goals can help unlock the full value technology will bring, helping you build a strong business case.

Don’t underestimate HR’s unique needs.

An HR Service Delivery platform is not the same as an enterprise IT service or content management system. An HR Service Delivery platform caters to the intricacies of HR. For example, it allows for personalizing responses to employees, whereas IT service management platforms are designed for repeatable tasks. And while content management platforms provide document storage, HR Service Delivery platforms provide active employee file management, which is different.

Employee file management addresses the security, privacy and compliance aspects of sensitive HR documents, such as medical information or injury reports. And, employee file management goes beyond storage to cover document creation, access, secure sharing, legal hold and disposition.

Bottom line: HR needs technology that is specially built for HR’s needs.

Do bring IT to the table.

Although an IT solution may not meet your needs, IT should still be involved in the discussion from the beginning. IT can help you assess how new technology will fit into the overall tech strategy at your organization and determine whether it complies with requirements for security and governance.

Don’t forget to audit your processes before you implement new technology.

To get the most out of a digital HR services platform, it’s important to audit and optimize your processes before implementation. Which tasks are redundant? Which can be eliminated? Which can be combined? Without taking this step, you may not get the most out of your new technology. Or worse—you risk investing resources into automating dysfunctional processes.

Do get your early adopters involved.

When rolling out new technology and processes, not everyone will react similarly. How can you encourage those who resist change to embrace it? Call on your early adopters. Ambassadors for change can help relieve anxiety on the team.

However, it’s not enough to simply recruit those with a natural inclination for technology, says Didier Bonnet, coauthor of Leading Digital and Global Practice Leader at Capgemini Consulting. He suggests recruiting those who work horizontally across the organization and have good communication and networking skills.

Don’t just set it and forget it.

To get the full value out of your HR Service Delivery platform, make a realistic plan for continuous improvement. By setting goals and KPIs you’ll be able to see where your new technology is most successful and where changes need to be made. When evaluating your options, don’t overlook a platform’s analytics capabilities. Robust analytics can provide answers to previous unknowns, helping you take your service and productivity to the next level.  

These tips only scratch the surface of what to consider when choosing the right HR Service Delivery technology. For everything you need to know, download our complete buyer’s guide: