Member Article

From hire to high performance

HR, bolstered by technology, is a crucial element in driving businesses forward, but talent acquisition remains a challenge. We gathered opinion leaders in the field of HR at a round table event organised by Sage Enterprise Markets Europe.

HR software and the greater business strategy

Participating at the event, Maxine Holt, Director of Research and Analysis, Software at Ovum, presented key findings from the company’s ICT Enterprise Insights survey, which collates insight across the globe and across companies. 38% of mid-market companies globally, and 41% in Western Europe, have expressed their interest in investing in HR technology, and the study further revealed that there aren’t that many discrepancies between large and small organisations in this regard.

“HR can drive change within an organisation. Having the right employees in place can propel the business strategy forward and enable a digital transformation.

“My advice is to go for the bulk of what you need, not everything you need. That’s the sort of approach we encourage,” she said.

Noting the changing role of HR automation, Christopher Catterfeld, Director of Strategy & Corporate Communication, Sage Enterprise Market Europe, said: “Technology has evolved from an operational enabler to a strategic necessity For HR practitioners and managers, HR software is freeing up their time for more planning and strategy. It’s interesting to see how many of our customers maintain core processes on HR technology, realise that benefit of this, and reinvest in upgrading their existing systems.”

Over the past five years, KROHNE Ltd., manufacturer and supplier of innovative measurement solutions, has experienced a 99 per cent growth in turn over. Speaking at the round table, Mariette Keir, Financial Director, KROHNE, explained the need for a robust and scalable HR solution to keep up with their accelerated growth. “HR definitely plays a part in driving the company’s strategy forward. We’ve introduced new product lines and manufacturing technologies to match our year-on-year growth. New departments need to be in place, which requires new talent. Our challenge in this respect is that we look for an exceptionally wide variety of employees with polar skills sets; from shop floor welders and builders, to sales teams that need to be technically competent to quote the right solutions to the customers,” she explained.

HR then and now

In most organisations, HR used to be a hidden department somewhere, setting and enforcing new rules and structures in a seemingly disconnected way from what the staff need or want. Technology has empowered managers and helped embed a culture of openness and transparency with its self-service elements.

Jeremy Ashdown, Head of People and Organisational Development, Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru (Wales Millennium Centre), has been a catalyst in nudging the HR infrastructure at centre for the arts into the 21st century. Wales Millennium Centre has sold over 100 million tickets, coinciding with their 10th birthday this year.

“When we started, we had about 50 spreadsheets and filing cabinets galore for personnel files. Now everything is on our system, making information more accessible for managers in a secure, robust system that allows for business continuity if there should be personnel changes,” according to Mr Ashdown. As per our founding vision, “We are bringing the best of the world to Wales, and taking the best Wales to the world”. Having the metrics available at our fingertips and ability to recruit people quickly all helps.”

Work culture starts from the top

The workforce has seen more diversity in the past five years than any other time, as baby boomers are working alongside millennials. According to Mr Ashdown, this implies a shift in certain elements of traditional HR.

“Coaching was top down under the traditional model. Now we see a lot bottom-up information sharing. The Twitter generation is educating the Typewriter generation, and this two-way medium highlights how certain structures are getting flatter while others are growing,” he said.

“Technology is now a crucial part of business practices and very prominent in work culture. That includes infrastructure technology. For example, I see Sage SnowdropKCS as another member of my team; our 24/7 workforce.”

According to Dawn Durkin, HR Manager, Krohne, their oldest employee is 68, and he uses the self-service module without any complications. “We’ve noticed that older employees can get on board really quickly when new methods are introduced. They realise the direction in which the business is going and adapt to keep up the pace.”

Another salient point made at the round table was the need for flexibility at the workplace. Zorica Patel, Senior Lecturer in Occupational and Organisational Psychology at Westminster School of Business, highlighted how a nine-to-five lifestyle may not be feasible across industries. “Work culture can be industry specific or dependent on the job role. Additionally, there’s the element of the workload and role within the organisation. For example, administrative staff wouldn’t potentially have to use the same software 24/7 as someone in a leadership role. Ultimately, it requires self-discipline for staff to define an individual work-life balance, and the responsibility also falls on organisations to instil the norm,” she said.

Stressing the importance of communication, Ms Holt said, “A fool with a tool is still a fool! More than the technology itself, it’s important to communicate why and how to use technology to get the most out of it. Pushing work culture in that direction can lead to employees performing to their best ability. Of course, it’s important to remember that not everyone wants to be a top performer and we should accept that.”

Looking ahead

Existing software addresses current issues and meets expectations, but what we’re seeing now, and expect to see more of in the future, is software that provides managers with a predictive element.

Predictive analytics is a growing and critical area in HR technology. We’re moving towards a culture that emphasises performance. HR technology in the future will continue to optimise and inform the business plan for the coming year in organisations, as well as honing its place as a cornerstone in driving business strategy.

The event was organised by Sage Enterprise Markets Europe in June, and was attended by:

• Christopher Catterfeld, Director of Strategy & Corporate Communication, Sage Enterprise Market Europe
• Simon Gorman, General Manager, Sage HRP and HR Online, Sage
• Richard Crane, Business Consultant, Sage HRP
• Dawn Durkin, HR Manager, Krohne
• Krohne Mariette Keir, Financial Director, Krohne
• Jeremy Charles Ashdown, Head of People and Organisational Development, Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru (Wales Millennium Centre)
• Zorica Patel, Senior Lecturer in Occupational and Organisational Psychology at Westminster School of Business
• Maxine Holt, Director Research & Analysis, Software - Ovum

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Gorman .