A guide for HRMS Implementation

A guide for HRMS Implementation

There is no such thing as too much planning. “Who knows if that's literally true, but it's a good start to work on, because it slows you down and makes you think about what you're doing. And if you are a project manager with little or no HR and HR technology experience, then when you are tasked with implementing the organization's new HRMS, slowing down to plan is a wise decision.

The HRMS implementation process can be divided into any number of stages, but for the sake of simplicity (and this article) let's say there are nine. Take a brief look at where you should focus on each one:

1.    Planning the HRMS Implementation

Engaging key stakeholders is a must when it comes to planning, and especially if you are managing the project without deep HR knowledge. So who to talk to? The C-suite has overall responsibility and will be looking for a clear ROI, as well as looking for strategic HR functionality, such as reporting and predictive analytics.

The HR team is absolutely critical in helping you understand what a successfully implemented system should be capable of. And users (managers and employees) are your largest stakeholder group, their interests and concerns may vary depending on role, responsibility, and expertise.

 Reach out to these groups, invite their input, and listen to their problems and concerns as these are the factors that will have an impact on engagement, and therefore the likely success of the project. You should also consider the interests of different stakeholders when building a project team.

2.    Change management

People respond to change in widely predictable ways, usually a variation in denial, resistance, exploration, and finally, acceptance. By understanding stakeholder concerns, you can identify the denial and “triggers” for resistance you need to address and formulate a communication and engagement strategy. Basically, what do they need to know and when to encourage them to the exploration and acceptance stages? 

3.  Hiring a consultant

Involving an HRMS consultant can be a wise decision in any implementation project, but if you as a project manager do not have in-depth knowledge of human resources, it can become essential, as their experience could be very valuable. When choosing a consultant, the key points are checking their knowledge and experience, balancing against cost, and definitely following up on their suggestions.

4.  Data Migration

This is where it gets technical and unless you have a specific IT skill, you need to delegate too, go back and monitor the results. Focusing on ensuring data is as accurate as possible, either by asking users to personally verify their own information as part of their stakeholder engagement efforts or to use it as a testing exercise for the system's self-service functionality , Your own personal record. 

5.  System test

Also technical, and also an opportunity to involve stakeholder representatives in testing of systems processes and functionality. 

6. User training

If you don't have training experience, this is a good time to delegate to a learning specialist. You need someone who can perform a training needs analysis, comparing what each category of user needs to be able to do with HRMS against their current knowledge and skills. That exercise then informs the training design and delivery for which, once again, you will have to draw on specialized skills. 

7. Production

Good HRMS management is a sign of a well executed project execution and you will have to consider what support to have in place for 'D-Day'. Remember that first impressions last and that this is the first impression users will have of HRMS as a useful tool. (Or else!) Plan to have a variety of support available, including process guides, push notifications, and reminders to request key tasks, super-users (i.e. experts who can help your colleagues), and of course, support. IT technician.

8.  Challenges after start-up

If you think that everything is over after putting the system into production, then I am sorry to disappoint you! Talk to your technical staff and stakeholder contacts to get a real picture of how things are working, and what practical problems or bugs are emerging. Will there be any new training gaps that become obvious? 

9.  Measure the success of the project

It is time to review and reflect. How did you do it? Once the HRMS is up and running and any issues at the start have been fixed, a review needs to be conducted against the anticipated benefits (hopefully measurable!) Identified in the original business case. E Staras seeking to establish whether the organization is getting a good return on your investment.