So, your business needs new HR technology, but what next? Knowing the benefits of technology is one thing, but getting buy-in from decision-makers who aren’t in the day-to-day function of HR isn’t always easy.

In addition to the evident streamlined processes and saved headaches for the HR team, there are many benefits of a quality human resources information system (HRIS). Effectively communicating these benefits to all your key decision-makers will make the process of selecting a provider much smoother.

We’ve put together some practical strategies that can assist you in choosing the appropriate system and effectively obtaining leadership support. This process starts by determining your requirements and assembling the appropriate team.

What are Your HCM Needs?

Mapping out your needs is a critical first step when considering a human capital management (HCM) platform. Clearly outlining your organization's requirements will ensure you select a tool that meets your company's specific needs and objectives. This involves identifying your HR department's challenges and determining how HR tech can solve them. 

Consider personnel management, benefits administration, payroll processing and talent management. It’s best to analyze the current system's drawbacks and the desired improvements in the new system. The best HR technology for your company is the one that specifically addresses these issues. Such a task is too much for one person, so creating a team that can work through this process together is imperative.

Who Should be Involved in the HR Tech Buying Process?

Forming a team that includes human resources, payroll, operations/finance, information technology and other end users ensures that all needs and challenges are considered. Additionally, including these vital stakeholders from the project's inception helps gain essential leadership buy-in.

Key Participants

Human Resources

It's critical to involve someone from HR when buying HCM software. They can provide insight into hiring needs, benefits programs that need to be integrated, employee engagement initiatives, workforce composition, performance/development targets and other related processes. This individual may also provide valuable employee perspective, which will help identify a platform that most of the workforce will find useful.

Payroll

An organization's payroll professionals are the most knowledgeable about the impact of payroll, so it’s recommended to include one of them in the search for an HCM vendor. This will provide strategic insights into post-payroll processing requirements, services that can help increase efficiency and considerations for how different types of employees are paid.

Operations/Finance

Because an effective HCM platform relies on strong workforce management capabilities, it's essential to have a team member who can focus on harnessing technology to improve efficiency and automate administrative tasks, leading to higher profits. Typically, members of the finance and operations teams excel in this role. They possess valuable insights into budgeting, time and accrual rules, workload and scheduling parameters, productivity metrics, and time compliance rules.

Information Technology 

When adopting any new technology, it's crucial to ensure that it can seamlessly integrate with existing organizational infrastructure. This holds true for HCM platforms. Involving an IT representative from the very beginning of the purchasing process can provide the following:

- Valuable insight into the organization's network security requirements
- Compatibility with other necessary systems
- Adherence to data-related compliance standards
- Potential efficiency improvements

End-User

Ensuring success relies on the staff's adoption and use of the new technology, so it’s important to understand the needs of different segments of the workforce who will be interacting with the technology. Employees, executives and administrators are key users to include in the conversation. 

• Executives: Make sure to gain the support of the executive sponsor. Frequent conversations with the sponsor can help identify a system that demonstrates its value and provides accurate people data for decision-making.
• Administrators: Address the specific needs of the individuals managing the new HCM platform. Meet with them individually to ensure a smooth experience and easy system navigation.
• Employees: Employees will interact with the platform regularly and provide a unique perspective. Ask them for feedback to ensure they can use it easily without taking too much time to learn how to use the system.

Although daunting, the task of selecting HR technology can be significantly streamlined by assembling the right team, as they will play a pivotal role in gaining leadership support. When stakeholders are involved from the beginning of a project, they feel a sense of ownership and are more likely to champion the chosen solution, leading to more enthusiasm and commitment from leadership, who are more likely to support initiatives with broad representation and collective buy-in.

Download our HCM Buyer's Toolkit to help you efficiently navigate the complex buying process for human capital management (HCM) technology.