Optimizing HR’s Move to the Cloud

In this episode of the Business Excelleration^® Podcast, what are the key factors driving HR’s move to the cloud? What should HR organizations consider as they embark on or continue their cloud journey. A discussion with The Hackett Group CHRO and Global HR Advisory Leader Harry Osle and Senior Director and Executive HR Advisor Amanda Newfield.

Show Notes

Welcome to The Hackett Group’s “Business Excelleration Podcast,” where week after week we hear from experts on how to avoid obstacles, manage detours and celebrate milestones on the journey to world-class performance. This episode is hosted by Gary Baker, Global Communications director at The Hackett Group. Today’s episode will discuss the optimization of human resources (HR’s) move to the cloud, and what HR organizations should consider as they embark on or continue their cloud journey. His guests are Harry Osle, CHRO and Global HR Advisory leader at The Hackett Group, and Amanda Newfield, senior director and executive HR advisor.

To begin, Harry identifies the four key drivers of HR’s move to the cloud. First is HR’s workload in comparison to resource allocations. Second is trying to define consistent strategic processes for businesses. HR by design aims to support enterprises via strategic workforce plans – many of which require key data to drive smart decision-making. Third, organizations are trying to address virtual workforce needs, which requires smart and nimble decision-making. Lastly is about delivering smart digitized platforms to support employees and the business itself.

Then, Amanda shares why the cloud is so critical to HR’s success. HR’s workload continues to increase each year, but what is not increasing are the HR staff and budget to handle these demands. We see these productivity gaps created by that change between the workload expected of HR and HR’s capability to deliver. HR is at a point where they need technology to help them close these gaps in productivity and efficiency. HR spending has increased year after year. We are also seeing more and more organizations who have not yet made that switch to the cloud begin to consider making investments moving toward cloud HR solutions to begin their own cloud journey.

Harry shares that the economic uncertainty will certainly continue. Moving to the cloud and stabilizing your HCM technology provides HR leaders with a platform needed to make smart enterprise decisions. It also allows them to reap the benefits of an ever-changing HCM platform that will just continue to get smarter. The key to this is to ensure a smart implementation. HR has the responsibility of providing the enterprise with great talent and analytics so that the enterprise may flourish, which the cloud allows you to do. Now is the time to be making the decision to move toward a consistent platform. One of the key hallmark differentiators, Amanda adds, is that the cloud is ever evolving. Moving to a cloud-based software doesn’t leave HR stuck in just one period. This means that organizations who have already moved to the cloud must continue their knowledge of the software and stay up to date on what is to come. For example, job profiles will be what connects them to worker profiles, which will drive advanced analytics capabilities.

Wrapping up, Harry elaborates on the things HR organizations should consider as they evaluate their technology road maps. First, they should have a clear understanding of their basis for the change. Then, they should determine if they have the leadership buy-in to solve the problem. The next aspect is understanding your internal expertise of moving to the cloud and taking up a whole new platform. Finally, think about the timeline you are trying to meet and whether it is in sync with planned implementations.

Time Stamps

• 0:56 – Welcome to this episode hosted by Gary Baker.
• 1:28 – The four key drivers of HR’s move to the cloud.
• 3:30 – Why is the cloud critical to HR’s success?
• 5:40 – How the economic climate plays into the decision to move into the cloud.
• 7:37 – What about the HR organizations that have already moved to the cloud?
• 9:29 – What should HR organizations consider as they evaluate their technology road maps?