A Human Resources Information System (HRIS) can not (or should not) be installed without a plan. The plan should precede any commitment to purchase because the implementation process should be well understood. After all, anything involving technology occurs under pressures, factors, and conditions that are fluid and potentially counter-productive. While the benefits of an HRIS outweigh the concerns, a successful HRIS installation requires attention, strategic planning, and these eight steps.
The Timeline
Your business timeline may not be the same as the provider’s schedule. The provider will focus on undraping the system, plugging it in, running tests, and troubleshooting. The vendor will usually put six to eight weeks on the calendar. Duration is partly a function of data volume and training required.
However, your HR calendar is more complex because people do not roll out on a level playing field. That same six to eight weeks could overlap with behavioral calendars. There are necessary considerations for vacation season, open benefits enrollment, performance assessment cycles, social calendars, and any number of distractions not felt by the provider.
All these schedules must link with decision-making, team-formation, advance communication, installation, and employee training and acceptance. In other words, you will need to be cognizant of the timeline of installation when deciding to adopt an HRIS. Once you have purchased an HRIS, installation can begin.
The Installation
- Audit: The HRIS provider will direct a business process audit to 1) align processes that integrate easily, 2) revise processes that require adaptation, and 3) replace processes needing it. This discovery process directs and enables team appointments and strategy. Discovery does not proceed without setting a schedule of goals, processes, and sub-processes.
- Teams: Teams must reflect the employee needs as well as corporate and vendor interests. Human Resources concerns and IT interests are not exclusive here. While IT should drive the project management, HR needs are not typical of the data functions IT usually serves. The project management focus must remain on integration more than data management.
- Installation: Human Resources must stay away from installation. It is the work of Information Technology leadership or outsourced consultants. Inclusion of in-house IT staff and/or HR liaison specialists engages them early in the process.
- Conversion: The installation is all about conversion – taking existing data and reconfiguring it to new ends. But, it is also about doing it seamlessly. It is about recognizing that there is archived data, current data, new data, and future data. The conversion takes the static and makes it dynamic and scalable.
- Testing: Installation leads to redundant testing and troubleshooting to identify failure, weakness, and remedy. Done right, it will enable continuing self-evaluation and re-configuration.
- Training: It is a huge mistake to limit training to HR staff. HR staff need to know operation, liaison, and the core aspects of the system and its operation. However, they are not the end-users. All silo interests have strong interests: finance, operations, purchasing, etc. And, rank and file employees need more than instruction on operation of the system. Allowing employees the feedback and some control over their daily records is a cultural innovation that needs communication, training, and maintenance.
- Opening Day: HRIS is a “go” on this day. Measure ROI from opening day forward.
- Review: At an agreed upon date, employer and provider will review the system’s performance and manner of use. The review may eliminate functions that appear superfluous in light of the usage, highlight areas of poor performance, or identify training needs.
The Lesson
The purchase and installation of HRIS is a long way from slipping a disc into your laptop. This is not downloadable software. It is a commitment of time, system, and money. Its performance will succeed once you have formed and shared clear expectations.
HRIS providers are ready to install, and most are ready to complete the installation as partners respecting your interests and quality concerns. It is in their interest that installation succeeds, but it is your management duty to run the show.
For more information on selecting an HRIS system, download our free comprehensive Buyer’s Guide.