Ensuring a Smooth Transition to a New Talent Management SystemLet’s face it – change isn’t always welcomed or accepted especially when it comes to introducing new technology into a business environment. One would assume that employees and managers would be champing at the bit to use an automated and intuitive Talent Management System that strategically aligns organizational goals and eliminates the need to fill out, monitor, and file paper-based appraisals. But…you know what they say about assuming.

The reality is that people are scared of change and are even more afraid of change that involves a new technology. Before introducing a new technology into the workplace, it is vital that an adoption plan is in place to ensure that everyone is motivated, willing, and able to jump on board.

Fostering user adoption is the only way to ensure that your Employee Performance Management (EPM) Solution is not only being used, but also that it is being used correctly. So how can you take the fear out of using a new technology? Here are some great tips to ensure user adoption doesn’t hinder you from exploiting your EPM System.

 

1. Convey Usefulness

Make sure that all employees and managers understand the appraisal process and how their role is useful to the process. If people feel as though their contributions make a difference, they are more likely to participate. Ensure that everyone is aware that the EPM system ties appraisals to other areas of their job such as development and compensation and into other areas of the organization such as corporate goals and direction. Everyone should be made aware that their usage could ultimately affect their future in the organization and also the organization as a whole.

 

2. Reassure Ease-of-Use

Most people are intimidated by new technology because they are afraid that they won’t know how to use it properly. Do you remember how scared your parents were when you tried to show them how to email? I do. But I also remember how relieved they were when they realized that it wasn’t very difficult. An EPM Systems such as emPerform was designed the end-user in mind and thus has a familiar interface that is incredibly user-friendly. Take the fear out of the equation by reassuring users that the new system is easy-to-use.  Host introductory training sessions for employees and conduct follow ups to ensure that everyone understands HOW to use the system correctly and who should be contacted if they have any questions.

 

3. Monitor Usage

The only way to see if a new technology is being adopted is to monitor its usage. Be certain that your EPM Systems includes canned reports and dashboards that show the appraisal stage of every employee. It is much easier to follow up with the non-users when you can see who they are.

 

4. Reward Usage

This sounds juvenile but it is important to reward desired behavior. Whether it be an encouraging comment, a reward to motivate users to complete their forms on time, or  one-on-one sit downs to discuss the results of the overall process; people are more likely to accept the technology if they know that the results have a positive aftermath.

 

5. Communicate Support from the Top

This is probably the most important tip. In order for any new process or technology to be accepted into an organization, you need full support from the top management and executive team. It helps if top-level staff members are involved in the process of introducing the system to the organization, explaining its benefits, and conveying the organization’s usage expectations. People are less likely to resists if they are fully aware that adoption isn’t an option.

 

Overall, change can be scary and adoption of new technology can sometimes be met with contention, but if employees are made aware of the benefits to them and to the organization of welcoming a new and better EPM system, they are more likely to embrace the change. Ensuring full and proper user adoption will translate into you getting the most out of your Talent Management System.

Nothing gives me more pleasure to announce that CRG emPerform™ experienced a record growth in 2010 and that this growth is expected to continue well into 2011 and beyond as more and more companies realize the value in implementing emPerform as a comprehensive, all-in-one  Talent Management Solution.  I have always believed that if we provide a solution with a high value-to-price ratio, ease of implementation, flexibility, multi-lingual capabilities, and industry-leading reporting functionality and great service, then emPerform will prove to be a great fit in any business – regardless of industry, type, structure, or size. Since each company has different needs, we also wanted to ensure that we provide both perpetual and SaaS solution – whether on premise or in the cloud. It is no secret that the need to automate and streamline all aspects of the talent management process has been (and will continue to be) a growing concern for many organizations in a broad spectrum of markets and industries. As productivity and employee engagement continue to be key factors for enterprise success, executives and HR practitioners need to re-think and re-vamp the way that they handle their talent management processes.  Also, the growing global dispersity of workers has created the need to remotely monitor employee success and development. We believe that CRG emPerfom provides the best and most cost effective platform for  effectively administering, monitoring, and tracking performance, talent, compensation and succession across the enterprise.  We are very fortunate that our clients have recognized this value and have chosen to adopt emPerform, participate in case studies and provided us with great references.

My special thanks to our clients who chose us amongst competing solutions and have allowed CRG emPerform to end 2010 on a high note and as such will enter 2011 with strong footing and high motivation to provide customer-driven value and service. Also thanks to our team which continues to win accolades from our clients for the ease of use and service. We look forward to helping more organizations realize the value in adopting emPerform to properly Align, Develop, Reward, and Retain their most valuable asset – their talent and knowledge base.

According to a recent survey by Hewitt Associates on the current state of employee performance management and career development, 89% of respondents reported that career opportunities are at least one of the most important drivers of engagement and retention, and 77% reported that career development is more important than it was five years ago. With these statistics in mind, there’s no doubt that one thing HR professionals should continually keep in mind is the idea of engaging employees and managers to increase and improve performance.

As HR wraps up the year with performance appraisals and prepares for a fresh start in 2011, “how can we do talent management better?” is an important question to keep in mind. One way to do so is to keep employees and managers engaged at all times. After all, it’s often said that employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers. As such, it’s a wise choice to take a top-down approach by focusing on how to properly engage managers so they can in turn connect with their staff.

According to additional research by the Aberdeen Group, “The role that managers play in employee engagement cannot be underestimated. Organizations must not only provide the tools to help managers have development and performance conversations, but also must provide the skills that managers need to make engagement a reality.” But how?

It’s simple. If employees and managers don’t feel like they are being engaged, then they’re more likely to lose touch with their surroundings and may begin to stray. Ultimately, the key to employee retention is through career development opportunities.

All this to say, as you ramp up to start a new year with a fresh perspective on talent management, here is a checklist of things to think about when it comes down to how to effectively engage your people:

  1. Goal setting and development: Employees and managers should be encouraged to develop goals and expectations. Regular follow-up and check-ins will help to establish and maintain accountability.
  1. A solid overall process: Lack of manager involvement in the talent management process is often due to inefficiency in the process. The easier the process, the more willing managers and employees will be to participate and follow through.
  1. Communicate expectations and results: According to a survey by the Aberdeen Group, respondents cited the lack of follow-up between managers and employees regarding progress against goals and performance expectations to be a top challenge. If your managers lack skills in communication, ensure that this is on top of your ‘things to improve list’ for the coming year.

 

  1. Opportunity for training and development: Because employees are so attracted to career development opportunities, providing your people with the chance to grow and develop their skills, and giving managers the tools they need to bestow these opportunities to their staff is crucial.

 

  1. Pay for performance and succession planning: If your organization does not already do so, implementing a pay for performance structure and succession plan is an effective method of staying on top of key talent and make certain that top performers are rewarded for their efforts.
  1. Going above and beyond: Having all your ducks in a row when it comes to talent management is great, but sometimes going that extra mile for your employees is what keeps people around and wanting more. Employee incentives, bonuses, holiday parties and employee outings are just a few things that can help give you that ‘special touch’ and make your organization an attractive place to work.

Writing Performance Reviews Getting Past the Blank PageIf you’ve ever had to complete a self or employee appraisal, you may know what it’s like to spend several minutes or maybe even hours staring at a blank page or computer screen. The wonderful thing about technology and automation is that it allows us to do our jobs more efficiently and effectively. An automated talent management solution can help save time and energy on tedious tasks that would normally take forever to complete using a manual process, and instead allow us to channel our attention to other important areas.

But even with an automated tool, writing performance reviews can be tough. As a busy professional with a lot on your plate, you may very well find yourself struggling to get those ideas and thoughts flowing.

The truth is, even natural born authors get writers block. In fact, when asked about the scariest thing he had ever encountered, novelist Ernest Hemingway once said, “A blank sheet of paper.” And on several levels, he was right. When it comes to writing, the hardest part is often getting past the blank page which may be why employees and managers find appraisals to be a nuisance, and huff and puff when it comes down to actually doing them.

If you don’t have the luxury of an automated tool to turn to this performance review season, or if you do, and even that’s not enough to get you going, here are some helpful and practical ways to overcome writer’s block and get those appraisals completed on time:

 

1. Plan with a deadline in mind

Always be aware of your due date, and plan accordingly to ensure that you’re successful in meeting it. Also keep in mind that by not realizing your due date, you could be contributing to a bottle-neck in the process and preventing others from doing their jobs.

 

2. Block off your calendar

Set aside the necessary time you think you’ll need to complete your appraisal(s), and spread it out over more than one day. Don’t try to overload yourself by trying to get everything done at once or you may feel overwhelmed. Breaking the task down over time helps alleviate some of the pressure.

 

3. Take breaks

If you’ve been staring at a blank page for more than 15 minutes, take a breather and come back to it. Whether it’s getting up to walk around, or moving on to another task for the time being, taking a step back from the task at hand is more often than not the best thing to do.