HR Systems and Technology - Summer 2016

What did you learn?  Did you enjoy the class?

Wow! I need to spend more time exploring the many different ways we have today for “publishing” our words. I had never send a tweet, nor blogged or uploaded a video starring myself!!!

Just getting through those first two modules was an exciting feat and made me realize that it is not that bad and I should allow myself a little time to experiment and explore. Doing what I do at work can be valuably supplemented by some of these “systems”.  As I said in my response to part one of this module: people are always afraid of change. I was afraid of tweeting, blogging and uploading a video. It is easy and I can now see how so many people have gotten so hooked on some of these tech ways of communicating. It is fun and very liberating in some ways!

Finding how many hundreds of companies there are offering HR systems was very interesting. Some offer a very wide range of services while others are completely limited to specific size, platforms, etc.

This was also my very first time taking a full class online. I was nervous because I had originally singed up to take the classroom version and that section was cancelled. Although I then had to start a week later, it turned out great! I reallized I also saved about $350 commuting to the class. I learned quite a bit and loved the conrtol taking a class on line gave me. Even overcoming to bumpy blogs along the way (blogs 1 & 2 which turned out to be difficult to open!!) was a good experience. Thank you, Jun!

What feedback do you have?

I would have liked to have my assignments more evenly graded along the way, not all at once. If just feels better to know that my work is being reviewed with feedback as I go. I do love the fact that we actually had an opportunity to meet you, Jun, half way through the course. I feel it makes it more personal and establishes a better link between the instructor and the student.

I am still wondering how this class could ever be taught in the classroom! No idea. 

When all else fails, what should you focus on?

When all else fails, I should focus on people! After all, HR is people. Whether there is an HR software system or not, service, availability, efficiency, timeliness, and accuracy are what count. Eventually and very soon, we will all deal in the ultimate self-serve society, but until then, I feel connecting to a person for personal help can still make a huge difference. I even established a personal contact with someone at the HR site we used for our HR system research and was impressed at the level of professionalism the associate I spoke to demonstrated. He was very pleasant, helpful, and changed my perception of the site in a single phone conversation.  

A new way to do things - module 8 part 1

Why is a software’s delivery model so important?

The software delivery model will dictate the success of the project. Using a good charter to have the proper foundation and focus to help guide the managers to accurately select a management system is, by itself, simply not enough. The software must be introduced and implemented in specific ways to facilitate comprehension and adoption of the new system selected to solve a problem. This model therefore must stress simplicity allowing for easy understanding, focus on the original intentions of the plan, while all along communicating clearly and well. This will help smooth the transition and help secure the users’ complete adoption.  In the process, any shortcomings must be resolved and the system properly configured to achieve validation and eventual user acceptance to roll-out the program successfully. Specific steps, without exception, must be taken in order to achieve the best possible outcome and minimize problems and rejection by the end user. Change is difficult and by adopting a strong and appropriately structured delivery model this change may be easier to implement.

In your own words, how do you ensure that your problem is solved successfully?

I feel that the best way to ensure positive resolution to my problem is to do a reasonable and accurate amount of research to answer in detail what the specific problem is and how it can be approached in our search for a positive and beneficial resolution.  Lead managers and officials would be approached to find more about pressing needs in terms of solving the specific problem. Software research be thoroughly performed to find out what viable choices and negotiations would take place to figure out the feasibility of such an implementation. Once the software is selected I feel it would be critical to involve as many key figures as possible for their support. A company-wide focused survey would be helpful and from that a good informational piece should be shared with the employees to start generating support for the approaching changes. People are fearful of the unknown, so the more familiar people become with the changes, the easier and faster these changes will happen. Good, streamlined, and plentiful communication will do wonders for the introduction of any good system. If possible a good pilot program or a “practice” period would be very helpful. This will definitely lower the fear many will experience when moving forward with the new system and help smooth the transition. Ultimately a target date is very important to bring on board all who resist. There are always those who will cling and resist to the last possible moment and by giving users a deadline it pushes them to take the plunge, especially when dealing with a multi-generational workforce.

Module 7 Blog Discussion - Part 2

Three for All and All for Three >>> Success!

Why is the problem charter and project management, in general, important, and what role do they serve in our problem solving efforts?

In any organization the comprehensive and precise problem charter and thorough project management are critical in order to steer a company or corporation in the path to success. There are no guarantees, however, the path will be less perilous if the problem charter and project management are intelligently and knowledgeably done with full support from management and HR. The problem charter is the roadmap and will point out weaknesses, needs, strengths and advantages that the company may poses and allow the management and HR to assess the company in a most advantageous way. The project management piece will allow for the smart implementation of the solutions found to resolve the issues addressed in the problem charter. For example, a company may have a competitive advantage over its competitors or a need for specific talent in certain areas. The problem charter may point out that this advantage exists and indicate how it is not being exploited to its full potential. The charter may also indicate specific changes needed in the workforce to make it more productive. Project management will address these two needs by putting them into motion, again, ideally with the support of management and HR, and thus achieving maximum success in implementing the changes. One could equate the problem charter to the map and project management to the road towards reaching the destination, i.e. success!  

In your own words, describe the HR software world and its players?  What products are you familiar with, and what products intrigue you?

Software companies will be giants with incredible power! In the world of HR, there still seems to be opportunity for many companies to develop these HR services for companies of all sizes, providing all kinds of services or functions. Software has opened up the true world of “self-service”. Every industry, banking, medical, education, food, retail, etc. has moved towards maintaining the ultimate website for its clients. So employers are finding similar benefits in developing dedicated sites for their workforce. Companies expect to supply their employees with an intranet that will allow the employee to fend for him or herself in providing the company’s services to the general public. So why not have the employee also take care of his or her employment benefits, questions and most of their HR requirements through a software program incorporated into this intranet site? Currently many companies administer required trainings etc. through different vendors, but why should a software HR program not be linked in ways to allow employees not only to stay updated as the laws, rules and regulations change but also to maintain required licenses, trainings or exams to practice? For example, in Real Estate licenses need to be renewed through the CABRE (California Bureau of Real Estate) every few years. Why could an HR software program not be linked to this bureau and offer links to everything an associate requires to remain active?  So far, I have only used a program called paycom in terms of my HR. It is not very good in my opinion. It is too slow and a little confusing. Members of my temporary group who used the program prior to this one say the previous software HR program was much better. The organization changed this service looking for a more reasonable fee, but they lost much in terms of the user friendly qualities. Nobody likes it, nor is anybody comfortable with it. At this point in my experience with HR software systems I am most intrigued by those which could provide a service from 1-50 employees. It just seems that this is a huge change given HR requirements are very different depending on the number of employees and I wonder if these types of software programs would offer a tiered program. Would the features, support and pricing be commensurate with the specific employer categories or number of specific employees? In other instances I still must fill out a live form and send it directly to HR via email or actually fill out hard copy forms which seems archaic!

I find niche programs are also very interesting as I feel that no matter how comprehensive a program might be there will always be a need for some out of the ordinary HR management features. It is human nature to find different paths and therefore have different, unique needs. These will never be addressed by an all-encompassing software program and those who truly need them will be happy niche software programs exist and will be willing to pay for such services.

Module 7 Blog Discussion - Part 1

Based on your assessment, did you find a solution?  How confident are you in your chosen solution?  

If you haven’t found a solution, what challenges are you facing?

My assessment of the BUSINESS management systems software was very encouraging and gave me good ideas. I realized that by organizing my data and having it all under a single umbrella and therefore more easily accessible, I could become much more efficient with my time and produce more, thus improving my Real Estate capabilities and service towards my clients. However, after discovering the areas of greatest need, I realized that at the moment, given I am working on my own and I don’t have a permanent team nor do I have a steady employee, I do not need to increase my costs by contracting with a company to provide a software system and IT services. Currently I do have, through Coldwell Banker, an amazing array of recently revamped software systems and technological support that I pay for on a yearly basis as part of my required association fee. The reason I would consider an independent service is that because, due to its size and number of different needs such as advertising, marketing, communication with associates, employees, vendors and clients, legal department, international resources, Coldwell Banker could not secure a single provider that could grow with the company and still furnish all the services the company needs to succeed. All the software providers engaged by the company are presented within a single website for Coldwell Banker associates. However, in some instances these do not interact one with the other, so there can be lost time, effort, an increased learning curve and extended time spent with IT support getting around the disconnect. Two huge benefits, though, are the excellence of the dedicated IT support team and education for Coldwell Banker associates and the fact that the cost is kept under control given Coldwell Banker has secured some extremely favorable contracts with these software companies. I am better off staying put with what I already have although at times I might have to do a little more work than otherwise necessary.

Given your current problem, what barriers to success do you foresee?

The problem that I see in keeping all my information, client contacts, etc. within the Coldwell Banker intranet is that although I have access to everything they provide, the company has access to everything that I forge although I am considered an independent contractor.  It all goes both ways! I do have to double up in some cases in order to maintain some true independence, so time is wasted and certain processes repeated. For this I do rely on programs such as Excell and Microsoft Word. Again, a problem is that although I could save everything on the cloud adn have it readily accessible, not all ends up under a sigle umbrella. If I were to select BUSINESS software services, I would have complete control over how I manage, store and use my data, while receiving support what seems very good IT support but I would certainly be spending more time personally dealing with resolving issues and developing necessary documents, forms, etc. for my business.

Utilizing the DICE framework, given the barriers that you see, what steps can you take to minimize the risk of failure of your change efforts?

The DICE framework applied to my project of implementing the BUSINESS software program I selected using my charter indicated the outcome would be “Likely to Succeed”. Upon considering all the different elements of the DICE framework: Duration, Team Performance Integrity (me), Commitment (me), Effort (me) my overall score based on the patented formula was that of an 11.5. Very encouraging to realize my proposed “initiative is likely to meet its objectives”. In order to minimize failure, I would need to make sure that the learning is ongoing and to have regular sessions with the software provider to resolve hurdles that might surface along the way. Given I am on my own, burnout could potentially be a factor if I were to implement a new software program, a permanent assistant might be a critical requirement at this point which would increase my costs.

Do it All. . .Freedom?!

Module 6

Blog discussion

Do it All. . .

As discussed in Module 1, the future of work will require that a successful HR professional have business acumen, technology savviness, and project management and execution skills.  Why do you think that is?

In a not too distant future, successful HR professionals will be in some ways like a successful REALTOR®, expected to have ample and current knowledge in many areas some related more strongly to the profession than others. As HR becomes more important strategically in the success of an organization, so will the HR professionals. In order to be a productive contributor and know what the health, growth and reach of an organization needs, HR professionals will need to be well-rounded as they will more likely become a stronger presence at the executive or directive level in managing the business strategy and direction of an organization. Not only will HR professionals have to understand and perform exceptional talent management and employee engagement, but they will have to understand the business model and the organization’s strategy and be able to contribute in an educated manner, because HR is becoming the central and critical link between all aspects that bring about the success of a company.

Freedom?!

With the shift of technology to a more collaborative web 2.0 world, how has technology impacted your life and made it better?

With the introduction of web 2.0 and therefore the implementation of HR software systems, life can seem a little better in the sense that it has given the individual more power and more control of his or her life. Then again, along with that comes more personal responsibility. The key role is to make sure that the appropriate support is in place so that people do not get lost in the interminable mesh of information simply because they could not log on, got locked out or somewhere, somehow, someone made a mistake! Flexibility and access are wonderful consequences of technology but we must also be aware of the expectations. Nowadays instant gratification has become the norm. Nobody wants to wait, nobody wants to read, people feel that “the computer will take care of it all” and do not consider what must be done behind the scenes to make it all function properly. For example, the Module 6 assignment on selecting the proper software demonstrated how much thought and research must be made so as not to make a very expensive and potentially fatal business mistake. Most would never think of this but would only complain about the learning process and the changes they must make to their work habits. As a professional, technology has given me a greater reach, more capability and flexibility, but I’ve had to learn to establish limits because it can also be enslaving.

SaaS vs. Premise Software

Module 5 Blog Discussion

How do you think the delivery model is going to affect any new developments in technology?

After reading and pondering over the new technological developments and how these might be affected by the delivery model, I believe that there is no question that Sofware as Service (SaaS) will, in not a too distant future, take over for Premise Software. Granted Premise Software can be customized to closely match the needs of an organization, but it seems to lose a great deal when it comes to agility, upgrades, speed with which upgrades can take place and cost either of custom upgrades or time lost.

What do you think of the future of on-premise technology?

 I believe that SaaS will take over and Premise Software could possibly become a thing of the past given speed and cost of competition in the business world are extreme. Every company is competing to provide the fastest service/delivery and if changes to software cause delays, organizations will look for technology that can keep up. Exclusivity and customization, which On-Premise software provides, will not be so important if update delays are integral to the nature of the software and affect the bottom line. Delays in service, as well as, the need to have a department exclusively devoted to maintaining the software systems are expensive and could even affect the company's credibility with its own employees.  A small niche software market will thrive in some instances.

In your opinion, what delivery model will be able to respond better to the three trends of social, mobile, and global?

I believe SaaS will be better able to keep up with the demands of the social trends, social, mobile and global, because it will be able to adapt faster to changing systems or available technological developments. SaaS seems to be geared for mass use. Look at what happened with telephonic communication! Initially is was very exclusive, mostly used by the wealthy and important.  Calls were placed by an trained operator and equipment was totally grounded to a specific location. Today we answer and take a free phone call placed from anywhere around the world at any given time of day totally for granted, not to mention being able to see one or several other people at the “end of the lines”. Quick, easy, economic access will be the keys of SaaS proliferation.

How will the trends of social, mobile, and global translate itself to HR software?  In other words, can you provide an example of how these three trends can benefits HR departments now and in the future?

I feel HR software will benefit from these social, mobile and global trends because it will facilitate control, supervision, communication and coordination of benefits of an entire organization’s workforce. One drawback is that there will be a tendency for the company, the HR department and the employees to totally rely on this software, making it difficult for some information to be communicated clearly to all employees or specific issues to be addressed. 

"SAP" the "Workday'

The SAP and Workday spots are good illustrations of the changes happening to businesses everywhere.

Today’s ever increasing demands for better, faster customer service, cost efficiency, shortened delivery times of products or services, need of qualified workers, increased product requests are changing the strategy or systems companies are implementing in order to survive in this global economy. Both SAP and Workday clearly emphasize the importance of a centrally located database or system that can deliver real time, accurate data. Workday focuses more on the system’s ability to adapt, grow and change with the business by being global, mobile, cloud based, easy to implement and allow for quick delivery of real time data. It is important to note that it equates the HR and Financial systems of a company to the “heart of the business”. The SAP (also known as Enterprise, Resource and Planning, ERP) commercial focused more on the organizational structure of a business as a whole. The SAP commercial focuses on simplification and its attributes. It promises that simplification of the operation of a business will avoid problems, allow to retrieve answers in seconds increase value and identify missed opportunities. Their tag “Run Simple” conjures up their promise of clear, focused and reliable data management as the cure all for all businesses.

Adaptability, access to real time data and mobility are indispensable to future success, but centralization is key! Let's see what else technology will help facilitate.