Management Infrastructure
	Employee Communications media
	Sharing & Collaboration Tool
	Information gateway
	Technology Tools
	Customized Self-service
	Workflow Design/Process Improvement
	The People- side of Technology

Are your technology problems keeping you up at night?

In today's business environment, harnessing the power of technology is critical to stay competitive. As telecommunication shrinks the globe, the demand for your customers and employees from local and global competitors increase. Leveraging technology and the Internet, as well as implementing "Employer of Choice" business strategies, are instrumental in improving services, streamlining operations, reducing costs, and improving retention and productivity.

Technology holds the key to the competitive success of most organizations. Yet, like any other practice, activity, or strategy in an organization, it can and needs to be managed and linked to overall goals and objectives. Ask yourself this question:

"Do I have a technology and Internet strategy for my HR department?
Is it good enough to help me succeed in this new business environment?" 

The Internet should provide the backbone or infrastructure in your organization.  Whether it's a second shift factory employee requesting benefits information, or a first line supervisor requesting a copy of performance appraisal forms, the Internet provides access to the tools employees need to get their jobs done. It serves as a centralized repository for forms, policies, systems, practices, processes, and knowledge. It provides managers with tools to gather information, analyze reports, and make decisions. 

It's quite simply the first place to go whenever you need anything. Where do your employees go when they need something?

The Internet can be viewed as a communication medium just like TV, radio, and newspaper. It's another way to communicate with employees, stockholders and external candidates, vendors and regulators. Like other media, it needs to be managed.

You need to monitor who, when, and why people use the Internet. What messages have the most impact? Do they reach your target market? Understanding how your audience (applicants, employees, vendors, regulators, etc.) uses the Internet shows you how to manage the Internet.

In this virtual world, the key to success is getting people to share and exchange information. However, technology tends to isolate employees in faraway virtual offices and locations. The positive outcome from the virtual workplace may be offset by the negative outcomes of virtual relationships.

On the other hand, we can't do without technology. Simple technology tools such as e-mail and browsers have improved the availability and response time of communications. Imagine a world without e-mail!

The key is to use the right tools at the right time to improve sharing, collaboration, and communication.

The path to knowledge and information starts on your employees' browser. From your corporate Intranet, to the Internet, this is the place to go to find almost anything you need. Conversely, the amount of information on the web can be staggering and overwhelming. Your employees can spend hours and hours of time trying and failing to find the right information.

Portals get employees to information on the web quickly, helping them find mission critical information is a shorter span of time. You can develop a digital dashboard with access to the information that employees need to do their jobs.

What should be on your portal? Can you separate the good from the bad information? Should it vary by employee? Do you have the answers? Are you asking these types of questions?

A little dose of technology goes a long way. Let's look at some simple (or complex) HR technology solutions that can dramatically improve your life.

Click here to view our technology toolkit

Technology tools enable the customization of products and services for your customers and employees. Personalizing HR services to employees' needs and requirements leads to increased satisfaction, productivity, and RETENTION. Avoid overwhelming employees with unimportant and irrelevant information.

A lack of technology constrains HR customer service since it limits access to an HR professional to business hours. This presents a problem since many employee decisions are made in consultation with family members during non-business hours. Using technology to allow a 24x7, 365 days a year HR service leads to increased employee satisfaction and retention.

We view technology as a process improvement tool. That is, a way to do more in less time and with fewer resources. Before you can apply technology as a solution, you must do your homework. First, identify your processes, then analyze methods to streamline and improve them. Sometimes technology is the answer, and sometimes it isn't.

Once you decide on a technology solution, you must ensure a linkage to organizational goals and HR departmental objectives. Technology can then be used to improve your operations generating increases in productivity and decreases in costs.

It is inherent that technology supports your processes. Installing technology and not integrating it into your processes can be a prescription for a disaster. At the least, this will waste a large amount of money and decrease ROI. A little dose of technology goes a long way. Instead of spending millions of dollars, we recommend you look at web-based solutions that are simpler to install and can have a dramatic improvement in your productivity at reduced costs. Keep in mind that technology is not the end, but the means to the end.

Let us show you how to build technology around your requirement instead of building your requirements around technology.

People will not use use technology solutions just because you implement them. Leveraging the power of the Internet and of technology requires a knowledge of the people-side of technology. We understand why people avoid using technology, and from this we develop strategies to help people grow with technology instead against it.

In this virtual-world you need a balance between high-tech and high-touch. Human interaction with technology must be understood before you can successfully leverage it.

Why people avoid technology

• Too complex, difficult to use
• Will it make my job easier?
• Long learning curve and time investment
• Not involved in the implementation process
• Afraid it will take my job away
• Not enough training
• Bad experiences, don’t trust it
• Can’t get information out of the system
• Can’t get IT help
• Limited access to technology
• Cultural barriers

Ways to get people to use technology

• Get people involved in selecting and implementation
• Commitment from senior management
• Training - early and often
• Show results, benefits
• Anticipate and respond to problems and
  areas of resistance
• Communications
• Involve Technology "Champions"
• Timing & Sequence of changes
• Integrating training, rewards and performance management