Conflicts of Incorporating HRMS Software

 

Conflicts of Incorporating HRMS Software

1. Tying the software to strategic goals

Before even going ahead and making the investment in an HRMS, senior management and the HR department must be in agreement as to what goals the software is going to help accomplish.

Is the focus on improving the recruiting and on boarding process? Is it on establishing a way to centralize data and track employee performance?

It’s essential to outline exactly what you want to get out of the software, so that you can work closely with the vendor of choice to utilize the most relevant modules that will actually enable you to achieve the specific goals you have set.

The point about utilizing the most relevant modules for your needs brings me to the next challenge.

2. Understand which modules you really need

HRMS software is incredibly broad and complex. Most vendors offer a high level of customization with varying price points, so it’s really up to you to make the best decision for your company.

 

For example, you may already have a payroll solution in place that works perfectly fine, but would like an HRMS solution for talent management. The key takeaway, as stated by Better Buys in their Definitive Guide to HRMS, is that you should list what goals you want the software to meet and what modules you are looking for. This will put you in prime position to make a well-informed decision when selecting an HRMS.

3. Gaining support from senior management & IT executives

We are all at least somewhat resistant to change. When it comes to integrating a giant piece of software that will have a significant effect on multiple processes and the way people work, it can be challenging to get everyone on board and willing to learn a new way of doing things. It’s common for the IT department to have concerns regarding data security, or perhaps they would rather not have the responsibility of hosting and maintaining the software on company servers.

In addition, HR managers might be intimidated by the new, modernized way of running operations and need to be convinced that it will be a good move for their individual job as well as the company as a whole.

To overcome this challenge, managers leading the charge to adopt HRMS software must encourage open communication with stakeholders to get the team on the same page. If senior management is not excited about the new software and actively encouraging employees to use the product, then how can they expect employees to engage with it in any meaningful capacity?

How to get started with an HRMS solution

So then, we’ve gone through what HRMS is, how it can benefit your organization, and a few of the main challenges you can expect to face when integrating the software.

Now let’s look at some of the most important steps to getting started.

·         Involve key stakeholders from the get-go

·         Consider hiring an HRMS consultant

·         Work closely with the IT department to migrate data

·         Conduct thorough testing to ensure all modules are working properly

·         Begin user training

Involve key stakeholders from the get-go

As I briefly mentioned in the previous section regarding challenges of HRMS integrations, involving key stakeholders and getting them excited to use and encourage the use of the software is a must-do if the implementation is going to be successful.

Executives and senior management are ultimately responsible and so will be looking for a clear return on their investment along with clear reporting and predictive analytics to have an up-to-date understanding of what impact the software is having.

On the other hand, employees are the largest stakeholder group, and need to be involved in the software adoption process so that their interests and concerns are factored into the how the system is used, and to ensure they are trained on using self-service functionality.

Consider hiring an HRMS consultant

Depending on the complexity of your integration and level of internal expertise, it’s a good idea to consider hiring a specialist HRMS consultant to guide you through the integration process and set you up for success.

This may not be necessary, particularly if you are a small business with a tight budget, but with a quick cost-benefit analysis you can figure out whether or not it would be a smart move.

Work closely with the IT department to migrate data

The process of migrating data is complicated, sensitive, and requires a certain level of expertise. Working closely with the IT department by delegating and closely monitoring progress is a critical component of HRMS integration. 

It’s also worth asking users to personally check their own information is correct. While this maintains data integrating, it also provides an opportunity to engage employees with self-service functionality and get them used to checking and updating personal information.

Conduct thorough testing to ensure all modules are working properly

Before implementing the software across the whole organization and encouraging user adoption, be sure to test each module to confirm everything is functioning as expected.

Begin user training

The system is in place. Everything is working as it should be. Now its time to train users and get them comfortable with using the software. Ideally, training should have a personalized and team component. Hold a number of team meetings over the course of a few weeks to demo usage of the HRMS software for various roles (employees, managers, executives), and have in-depth Q&A sessions to answer any questions employees may have.

Doing so will make them more inclined to use the product as they are expected to, increase accountability, and enable HR managers to do their jobs more effectively. Personal training and coaching should be conducted for employees that are having trouble getting used to the software.