The past few months reflect a continued wait-and-see approach that we are all taking towards the economy, politics, COVID-19 and what 2021 holds for business, technology and the workforce in general. At its best, we are encouraged by impressive labor numbers and signs of economic recovery as business slowly returns to pre-pandemic levels. At worst, many of us are still disappointed by continued social isolation and increased levels of hostility toward people of all races. Our expectations are for something better, something to pin our hopes to, but until that happens, we all continue to find the best in everything we encounter daily. We hope that this issue provides you with some diversion in the form of stimulating thought and concepts to review and consider. This particular issue covers a diverse set of topics, so we hope there is something for everyone!
What better transition from our last issue than opening the spring release with “Preparing HR Technology for the New (Post Pandemic) Normal” by Jessa Kilgore. Jessa emphasizes how HR technology professionals need to support the planning and creation of systems that will prepare organizations for new ways of working and collaborating. To support this discovery, she shares five key questions to help HRIS vendors, consultants and practitioners prepare a transition roadmap and wraps up with six helpful steps toward the future of work.
Dennis Hill sets an almost ominous tone in his article “We Are No Longer Users, But Owners and Gatherers of Information” This article outlines the difference between data ownership and data gathering to raise awareness among the HR community of changing terminology and the impact upon governance and execution of employee recordkeeping. With an endless volume of data devices today the potential for exposing sensitive and private data about individuals and enterprises is higher than at any other time in history and as we approach the end of the first quarter-mark century of the importance of developing technology and new applications to empower individuals as the owners of their data.
In “Best of Breed or Unified Solution? You Decide!” the collective observations of Dan Vander Hey, Scott Smith, Roy Altman, and Bruno Querenet Onfroy de Breville fuel another discussion of whether you get more bang for your buck by leveraging a plethora of best-of-breed solutions, or instead choosing a comprehensive all-in-one platform? It is a common dialogue held between HR, IT and corporate leadership for as long as companies have sought to optimize their solution stack. We will address that familiar debate but leave you to make your own assessments on what works for you.
Who better to respond to the self-titled question “Employee Experience Solutions – What’s all the Hubbub? than employee experience visionary Michael Rudnick. Michael has been at the forefront of innovation in employee experience and when he shares his perspectives it is worth reading with intention and taking notes!
What better complement to a conversation on employee experience than a topic that highlights some of the risks with employee experience. Michael Moon highlights how the use of employee monitoring software (EMS) can have a dramatic impact on employee trust and engagement and also has the capability of negatively impact productivity. Given the fragile state of the workplace, managing EX is more important now than it ever was before and “In Employees We [Must] Trust: Using Employee Monitoring Software for Good and Not Evil” these challenges are explored.
Completing the employee experience theme is the article “Major Tech Announcements Promise Market Disruption” and who better than Josh Bersin to introduce a couple technologies that should shake up employee experience as we know it. Microsoft and Oracle rarely do things in a small fashion so we should anticipate some cool innovations with Microsoft Viva and Oracle Journeys.
Andre Rooks and Sherri Webster Brown present how companies are seeking to drive accelerated business transformation in post-pandemic, environments by promoting advanced career development and pay-for-skill strategies. To execute these strategies, robust Cloud-HCM and other data resources and technology are required, and this article highlights how success will depend on a company’s ability to align their job architecture framework with a job skills taxonomy that supports the overall goal of building a future-proof business. Don’t miss it! “Skills-enabled Job Architecture for an Evolving post-COVID Environment” You may learn something new!
Mick Collins shares some interesting insights from US President’s past in “Mind the Gap: Harnessing Soft Skills on the Road to Success”. His observations parallel on how experience in prior roles may be important, but it is the ability to evolve one’s thinking and knowledge that may be the difference between success and failure on the next rung up the career ladder. Not only are some interesting lessons shared, but Mick takes this opportunity to introduce IHRIM’s approach to “Taking the Next Step in Your Career-Path.” Mick reinforces that being armed with knowledge from past experience is not always a predictor of future performance, and that demand is high for cognitive and social skills within the fast-growing IT, HR, and Talent Management domains. To maximize your potential, IHRIM is excited to announce a new virtual event for career development in HR technology: Sunrise to Sunset. Read more to gain details of IHRIM’s announcement.
Wrapping up this issue, Catherine Jones takes on a meaty topic in “Where HR gets Its Own Staffing Wrong: HCM Cloud Management Cannot be Left to Chance”. The topic of cloud management of HCM functionality goes beyond the limits of best of breed or unified solutions since both require well thought out strategies for deployment and ongoing support as Catherine challenges companies to consider a series of required steps to be undertaken whether the release is large or small.
