What an amazing chat this month, #HRforAll! All of your suggestions to improve HR technology implementation were incredible. Huge thanks to guest host Sarah White, the Founder & CEO of Aspect43, and sponsor GoCo.io, a leading HCM solution for small and mid-sized businesses, to walk through the technology implementation process.
As companies spend the summer reviewing new HR technology vendors for upcoming purchases, these tips on buying and implementing work tech can lead to real, tangible improvements — all thanks to our friends at GoCo.io, Sarah, and all of you!
If you’re still looking for some additional tips and insights from the experts, check out the chat recap, as well as GoCo’s Buyer’s Guide below.
GoCo is an HR software solution that helps small and mid-sized businesses consolidate HR in one, easy-to-use solution. What I love about them is they have some incredible reviews — winning awards on G2.com like Easiest Admin, Best Customer Support, Easiest to Use, Easiest Setup, Best Results, and more.
Access and download GoCo’s Buyer’s Guide for HRIS for a step-by-step guide with important questions to ask yourself and your business, advice on how to engage with vendors, and a usable checklist for evaluating features of each platform.
Improving HR Technology Implementation Recap
Welcome to #HRforAll! We’re thrilled to have you here with us today to talk about How to Implement a New HR Technology! We’d like to give a special welcome to our sponsor @GoCoio and guest @ImSoSarah. Thank you for joining us today! pic.twitter.com/4U0uHFKWMl
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
#hrforall twitter chat starts now!
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
Sarah – CEO @Aspect43 (new website coming soon!!) excited to joint the chat.
Thanks for having us @socialmicole https://t.co/GEmvhP7cuh
Q1. What’s the first thing you need to know about implementing a new HR Tech solution? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/VvAhfmAF8T
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A1. Expectations, clarity of timelines, user adoption and comms #HRforall
— Nicky Hoyland (@thenickyh) May 11, 2021
A1. My customers always wanted to know investment of their time and which departments needed to be involved to have the technology stood up right away. #HRforAll
— Christine Richards, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (@chrissy_bjm) May 11, 2021
A1: It should be part of the buying process. Ask for sample implementation timelines & training materials when shopping, find out who will be supporting you. Dedicated CSM? Implementation team? How long will they support you? #HRforAll https://t.co/vmNTx4e34z
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
A1: who will own the project and be admin
— Tom “Work Like a 🦆” Horne (@EngagementHr) May 11, 2021
A1) Sometimes the best implementation isn’t a new one, it is a re-implementation of the technology you already have to meet the needs of your process and business as it exists today. #hrtech https://t.co/djuefI9Boc
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
Q2. What does tech implementation look like when it’s done well? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/iivx6YHT6y
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A2: A consultative approach based on your goals & priorities, plus custom training for you and your team. You should leave the process feeling 100% confident using the system & knowing where to go for additional support beyond initial set up. #HRforAll https://t.co/hzI4C5uwdE
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
A2) When done right, an implementation ends with a usable product, change management strategy and flexibility to augment and adjust once used in the real world. It doesn’t end at “go live” #hrtech #hrforall https://t.co/CzsjeVAE7Y
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
A2) When done right, an implementation ends with a usable product, change management strategy and flexibility to augment and adjust once used in the real world. It doesn’t end at “go live” #hrtech #hrforall https://t.co/CzsjeVAE7Y
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
A2. A good tech implementation hits the project milestone through to launch which includes strong adoption, and then prepares for the phase or release. #HRforAll
— Christine Richards, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (@chrissy_bjm) May 11, 2021
A2. So many things, increased productivity, improved teamwork #HRForAll
— Wendy Kelly PHR SHRM-CP (She/Her) (@WendyMSHRMPHR) May 11, 2021
A2. When done well? You’ve got early adopters influencing new users, on time implementation and a clear process for maintenance. #HRforAll
— Georgette (she/her) | HR & Internships (@OddGeoBlue) May 11, 2021
Q3. The implementation process is typically known for being a struggle. What are the leading reasons implementations go awry? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/3c2LZllqMX
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A3: Unrealistic expectations set during the sales process. Don’t be afraid to get super specific about your needs from the very beginning! A checklist like this one laying out every single feature you’re looking for can help: https://t.co/XB7SARpe0d #HRforAll https://t.co/jdEzoyz2iT
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
Lack of proper scope and change control process.
— Syed Moiz 🇮🇳 🇨🇦 (@smoiz) May 12, 2021
A3. Timelines that are discussed are not actually reasonable or don’t account for troubleshooting (which is CRITICAL), those needed in the cross functional adoption are against the change therefore making the process more difficult, false info from the tech sales person #hrforall
— Georgette (she/her) | HR & Internships (@OddGeoBlue) May 11, 2021
I don’t think case studies are the right way to go, but asking the questions and learning about implementation as part of the sales process is. Case studies don’t alway directly relate to a buyers particular issue. #hrforall
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
A3) Implementation processes often go sideways because people try to do things the exact way their old system or old process was set up – many times excluding new features they bought and ending up just as unhappy as they were with the old product. #hrtech #HRforAll https://t.co/WSQLVlKY29
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
Q4. What stakeholders need to be involved in the implementation process? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/5pdcdvChV0
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A4: This can depend so much based on the company. But you should know from the beginning based on deliverables who you need to involve so there’s no last min rush whether that’s just HR or IT, managers, etc. Communication is key. #HRforAll https://t.co/pYUFOvNLt7
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
A4. Project Exec Sponsor, Project Leads, IT from customer side, other vendors that plug into the technology. Really anyone the customer believes will have a key role in project #HRforAll
— Christine Richards, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (@chrissy_bjm) May 11, 2021
A4) There is no right or wrong answer here. Every tech stack, every company size and every product will look different.
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
In all cases – get the people that actually use it vs just IT/leaders involved and partner with your vendor to understand what others are doing. #HRforAll https://t.co/egTIkCE8Ig
A4) Before you get to implementation, a team should have already reviewed the processes and needs. They will support implementation, but likely not be key driver. You need project manager to lead with input from hr users, admins and employees on various use cases #HRforAll https://t.co/egTIkCE8Ig
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
A4. This should have already been established pre implementation and will depend on the solution, user base, rollout plan, team, complexity of integration and migrations needed #HRforall
— Nicky Hoyland (@thenickyh) May 11, 2021
Q5. In any implementation, rolling out HR technology to employees and ensuring user adoption can be difficult. What’s your best advice for ensuring adoption? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/Cz399PxJyj
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A5: Proper training is key! Have your implementation manager get the whole gang together for a customized training course, built just for your team. Courses should be quick and fun for every employee, don’t overwhelm them with too much info too fast. #HRforAll
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
A5. Communicate in as many ways as possible. Equip MANAGERS with info about the new offering. And tie it to a campaign of similar theme to strengthen the messaging. #HRforAll
— Shannon Arens (@shannon4685) May 12, 2021
A5. Communicate in as many ways as possible. Equip MANAGERS with info about the new offering. And tie it to a campaign of similar theme to strengthen the messaging. #HRforAll
— Shannon Arens (@shannon4685) May 12, 2021
A5. Involve them as early as possible, explain the why, communicate regularly, listen & act on feedback and share wins & learnings #HRforall
— Nicky Hoyland (@thenickyh) May 11, 2021
A5) Buy a product that doesn’t just check boxes, but has a strong UX/UI that enables people to be better with it vs without it. Make sure you include users during implementation. Roll it out/change manage with constant communication about the value for THEM not HR. #HRforAll https://t.co/QM6SCHRb6Q
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
Q6. What resources can help make implementation easier? What resources or training should implementation teams access before implementing a solution? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/kGvb2Q4wna
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A6: My team at GoCo puts together a custom project plan for our clients based on goals, priorities, & timelines set during the kickoff meeting. A resource like that should be all you need for the process, the vendor handles the rest #HRforAll https://t.co/7s5ctpApQ1
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
Q7. If you could go back and time and tell yourself one tip or something thing to look out for, what would it be? #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/Z7H6fnboWW
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
A7. I would keep on the radar upcoming product release features that may impact overall implementation timeline, or a key feature that may be included later vs now. Share this info up front rather than withhold. #HRforAll
— Christine Richards, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (@chrissy_bjm) May 11, 2021
A7: Implementation involves so much – pick which priorities are the most important and focus on those first. Everything doesn’t need to be 100% complete to make a huge impact for the team. #HRforAll https://t.co/0xstPizbWU
— GoCo.io (@gocoio) May 11, 2021
A7) There is no perfect implementation. You only fail if you allow pride/ego to stop you from hearing user feedback and making modifications after go live. #hrtech #hrforall https://t.co/1RM1WIDGeJ
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
Huge thanks to our partner @GoCoio for sponsoring this incredible event and helping us learn about #HRtech implementation. Make sure to download their Buyer’s Guide here: https://t.co/50DKXAHsSr. #HRforAll
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
Shout out to our guest @Imsosarah for sharing her expertise in HR Software implementation at this month’s event! Please check out her new company @Aspect43! #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/FliVUzHo8K
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
Thanks so much for having me #HRforAll
— Sarah White (@ImSoSarah) May 11, 2021
New site launching end of the month!!
Thank you everyone for participating in today’s chat. We had a BLAST 🚀! See you next month on June 8th at 1pm EST to talk with @miladechant about Toxic Feminism and Supporting Women at Work! Save the date! #HRforAll pic.twitter.com/2F8JQWi0ui
— Micole Garatti, MBA (@socialmicole) May 11, 2021
Your Hosts
Cory Kapner
Cory is the Vice President of Global Sales for Recruitics – a recruitment marketing analytics and optimization platform. Over the past 8 years Cory has helped major Job Boards, Staffing firms and Fortune 100 companies with their talent acquisition and retention strategy. Cory brings a data driven, subject matter expert approach to all situations and has proven to be a strategic partner for clients in both, North America and Europe. His past experience includes Michael Page International, Indeed.com, and is a founding member of Recruitics. Learn more here and connect with Cory on Twitter at @ckapner123.
Micole Garatti
Micole is the founder and CEO of SocialMicole, B2B marketing director at Fairygodboss, community manager and host of #HRforAll, and author of The Most Inclusive HR Influencer List™. She’s passionate about diversifying the voices of influence in HR and work tech. She’s featured as a Marketing and HR expert in Inc., LinkedIn’s Talent Blog, Workology, SHRM, and more. She has and English degree from the University of Florida and her MBA from The College of William and Mary. Learn more about Micole here, and follower her on Twitter at @socialmicole.
Sarah White
Sarah is the founder and CEO of Aspect43. She has spent nearly two decades in the HRTech, RecTech and WorkTech space with roles at companies like Bersin & Cornerstone, and has worked with more than 300 HR Tech vendors and conducting research on nearly 100k practitioners. Learn more about Sarah, Aspect43, or set up an analyst briefing at https://calendly.com/aspect43.
Stay tuned for Aspect43’s new website launch later this month!
Please join us on June 8th at 1pm EST to talk about Women Supporting Women and Toxic Feminism with Diversity & Culture Scientist, Mila Dechant. Learn more about her before the chat and get a sneak peak of her upcoming book, here!
Additionally, for more information on buying a new HR tech, check out GoCo’s Buyer’s Guide for HRIS.
See you at next month!