The ultimate goal for every successful company is sustainable profits and engaged, productive employees. Some might argue that one cannot happen without the other. One way to boost employee productivity and help the bottom line is by finding the right HR software. With so many providers from which to choose, this is no small task! By understanding stakeholder requirements, you can develop an evaluation checklist that helps you find the best software solution.
Tap the right team
Assessing software solutions requires stakeholder participation and a demo team to discover functionality needs. Stakeholders should be committed to every step of the process: requirements development, evaluation and implementation. The demo team should include the stakeholders and employees on teams that will be affected by the change. Consider engaging an outside consultant to help you define what skills are needed to achieve your organization’s long-term goals. Once that human capital strategy is finalized, the consultant can also guide requirements, vendor list and evaluation.
Robust requirements
Interviews with team leaders will reveal mandatories and there will be plenty of shared functions that can be met by many software solutions. Listen for any unique requirements which should be rank ordered in a requirements document that is simple and concise. Global requirements should be considered so the final system selected is scalable. Share the final requirements document with team members to ensure consensus and to determine critical decision drivers. Ideally your team should choose three to five drivers such as configurability, scalability, service and support, return on investment, ease of integration, operational effectiveness, etc.
Limit the list
Now that you’ve outlined your requirements, your stakeholders will need to evaluate which vendors meet them. This step can involve compiling and issuing an RFP, although some vendors will simply provide their standard product Q&A. Score the responses using a predetermined scale (example: from 1 to 5 or doesn’t/somewhat/fully meet(s) requirement, etc.).
It’s showtime!
Vendors conducting demos should be limited to three. All of these providers should meet every basic requirement and be a good fit for your company. Demos can last between four and seven hours, so carefully schedule them and ensure stakeholders can attend them all. If possible, schedule them closely so the team can best compare solutions. With the increase in modularization, your team can create the best solution for today and the future.
Companies should allocate three months to complete this process. From HR software to cloud-based suites, the variety and quantity of solutions can overwhelm even the most organized team. The ability to anticipate future needs is not an exact science and can result in solutions that don’t meet your needs. If your growing company cannot dedicate the resources necessary to complete this process, there are other affordable options.
MidwestHR is a certified professional employer organization (CPEO) and we have been partnering with small- and mid-sized businesses for over 20 years. By outsourcing your HR to us, your company can access state-of-the-art HR software that has been fully vetted by our team of experts. From start-ups to established companies, we have experience helping our clients with technology solutions that scale. If you’re not sure how to proceed, we’re happy to share our thoughts on all your available options. We want you to find the best solution even if that means referring you to another vendor. Give us a call at 630-836-3000.
