Achieving a successful multi-site roll out of HR software

Article Index
Overview

Very few people would suggest that the procurement of HR software is straightforward or without hiccups. A greater proportion would be likely to say that there are usually a number of hurdles to overcome before considerable progress can be made. But given that procurement usually represents a significant investment for any company – even more so perhaps when budgets and financial expenditure are being scrutinised – it’s important that every possible step is taken to ensure challenges are turned into opportunities, and the process is managed as effectively as possible.

Aims and objectives will differ between organisations. Individuals or departments within these organisations may each have their own ideas as to what they want the technology to achieve. But there is one constant - the need to achieve optimum levels of employee engagement and, ultimately, ROI. It is perhaps reassuring to know that many find the transition from Excel spreadsheets – or worse still paper-based HR records – to intuitive HR technology a daunting task. There can never be certainty as to how the project will pan out, and it cannot be guaranteed that the workforce will embrace the software in the desired way. However, by undertaking an adequate level of preparation and planning, and heeding impartial advice, the scope for facilitating positive change is endless.

Before embarking upon the 4-step plan, it is important to spend time analysing your current set-up and the drawbacks being encountered in the HR function as a result. This is crucial before establishing relevant aims and objectives for the ensuing software implementation project. Then it should be possible to progress, at your own pace, through four key phases in order to achieve a successful multi-site roll out of HR technology. Even if only implementing the software in one location, these principles still apply, but the guidance is perhaps of greater use for those undertaking a project of potential heightened complexity.

1. Acquiring the software

• When searching for a software provider, draw up a ‘wish list’ beforehand of what the technology, and supporting customer service, should ideally achieve. It’s beneficial to weight this wish list when scoring potential vendors to greater understand how effectively they will ‘fit the bill’.
• It sounds a very basic recommendation, but an analysis of the marketplace should span far beyond simple internet research. Key decision makers, project managers or buyers should attend specialist trade events, request demonstrations, ask to meet members of the vendors’ teams, visit the vendors’ offices and above all, speak to clients already using the technology.
• It may be necessary to build a ‘business case’ for the software, in order to obtain budget sign off. Think not only about HR drivers but also the wider drivers of the entire company, because the software should be presented as a business system, not just a HR tool, if it is to be embraced by all in the long term.
• It has been proven time and time again that value can be added across the full departmental spectrum, so set some measurement goals – how are you currently performing, how do you envisage the software aiding improvement, and how will you continue to monitor progress? A good quality vendor should be able to help you build the business case, and again, client references may offer extra insight.

2. Data collation

• It cannot be underestimated how much resource is needed to ensure the successful collation, migration and subsequent integration of data into a new HR system. With often a vast amount of information to handle, especially if HR software hasn’t previously been used, it can be a time-intensive administration job to gather all of the necessary data (present and historic) and put it all into the right format.
• However an appreciation of the need for cleansed and accurate data, and the input of effort to ensure data integrity from the outset, should ensure the most effective use of the software in the long run. Again, better quality software providers should be able to provide guidance as to how to manage this element of the project. Many will be able to provide data templates that clients simply have to populate, and the more tenacious vendors will offer an auditing service before the migration actually occurs.

3. Workshops and training

• Following the data transfer and software installation, for many the most difficult stage is perhaps yet to come. Showing employees how to use software is much more than a simple training task – many would instead regard it as a change management exercise, as some people will naturally be on board from the start, but some will not.
• Software providers will tend to offer in-depth training to key members of the team as soon as the software has been installed. However these key users should then share their knowledge across the company to ensure all relevant parties understand and familiarise themselves with the software’s functionality.
• Step-by-step interactive workshops can prove beneficial because practice really does make perfect. Training manuals should be made available for follow-up queries, or a ‘helpdesk’ (physical or virtual) could be set up so that questions can always be answered.

4. Configuration

• Although the chosen software will no doubt have been selected due to its ability to meet predefined aims and objectives, some configuration may still be necessary to guarantee optimum added-value and strategic contribution to the business. This is perhaps of even greater importance if rolling the software out across multi-sites because processes, employees and goals may differ between locations.
• But configuration is not something that should only be considered once. The beauty of intuitive HR technology is that it embraces and encourages change, rather than prevents it. Software can therefore be moulded to suit ever-changing requirements and will evolve to support companies as they grow and develop.

It is not to say that these 4 steps will not need further adaptation for each scenario, and of course extraneous factors can always pose unexpected complexities. However a considered approach and appreciation of these four phases from the outset, should hopefully add maximum value not only to the activities of a HR team, but the strategy of the whole business. See also ‘Avoiding mistakes in your HRIS implementation’.

Samantha Parr has been invited to deliver a bespoke seminar regarding the four-step plan to achieving a successful multi-site roll out, at the CIPD HR Software Show at Olympia London on 15 June.