Don't let "people risks" jeopardise your system's ROI

27 January 2010 8:52am

Failing to prepare staff for the introduction of new technology and systems can result in poor uptake, slow adoption and ineffective use, a new PageUp People white paper warns.

ITM - Ready... Set... Go!, which offers companies advice for effective implementation of integrated talent management (ITM) systems, says a failure to manage "people risks" is often behind a system's failure to deliver.

"Over the past decades, companies have invested huge sums in new technologies and systems, with limited attention to the impact on employees," it says.

"However, a technology solution alone is not sufficient to achieve competitive advantage. The level of employee engagement with applications... coupled with management and leadership capability, will determine the ultimate return on talent-related investments."

Assess and acknowledge "change readiness"

Prior to a new system's implementation, it is important to assess the extent to which workers are "change ready", the paper says.

Ideally, a common belief that there is a need for change will be coupled with an understanding of cause and effect. "For example, there may be a common belief that performance management processes are highly inefficient, and that the automation of these processes will increase efficiency, thereby supporting change readiness."

Because the impact of system-related change will vary from group to group, the question "what's in it for me?" should be answered differently when addressing different stakeholders.

"For business leaders, messages may focus on business performance outcomes and reduced human capital risks. Moving down through the company, messages may emphasise career development implications and address concerns relating to job security."

Although it is important to engage all employees in the transition to a new system, engaging executives and line managers "is often the most crucial hurdle for the project team, paving the way for broader employee engagement," the paper says.

Executives/senior management - a critical cohort

Because senior leadership involvement is critical from the outset, showing them the "tangible value" of a talent management system is "critical in commencing the executive engagement process", the paper says.

Drawing on a 2009 study which found executives were generally willing to sponsor change projects, but often lacked "adequate understanding of the role of sponsor", the paper says clarifying executive expectations is especially important.

Specifically, Pageup People says the role and responsibilities of executives and senior management through the change process include:

Ensuring the change program features prominently on the executive agenda;

Clarifying accountability for the change;

Providing recognition for strong performance;

Actively and visibly participating throughout the duration of the change process;

Building and maintaining support for the change from other key business leaders and stakeholders;

Communicating directly, effectively and consistently to the business; delivering a clear, compelling story;

Line managers - the most resistant cohort

According to the whitepaper, line managers are likely to be "the most resistant cohort of employees to change".

Participants in one of PageUp People's 2009 roundtable series unanimously agreed that this was the most challenging stakeholder group to engage, but also "the group with the most potential to influence success or failure of talent management initiatives".

Work overload was the most commonly cited reason for change resistance among line managers. Addressing this concern, and selling the benefits of the system early on, is particularly important when communicating with this stakeholder group, the paper says.

Pageup People suggests the following applied learning methods can aid in communication with line managers:

mentoring programs;

structured on-the-job activities;

business projects;

peer feedback; and

support networks.

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