Perceptive HR Technology

I’ve been busy travelling to several customer sites to talk about new talent management projects.  I am very encouraged by what I’m hearing, especially with respect to the way HR leaders are engaging in the process of creating the right kind of ‘bridge’ between process and technology to solve critical business problems.

As I wrote about in my recent post from the cruise ship, many of the companies that jumped into talent management early are now struggling to reap some of the long-term benefits of integration and the use of competencies in collecting data.  But the last three meetings I’ve attended with VPs of HR (in the last three weeks, by the way), I’ve noticed consistency in the longer-term thinking that seems to be taking place.  And some of these customers have point solutions installed — others are just getting started.  But the story is the same — we have to look at the broad range of issues (with surprising focus on building a reusable competency infrastructure) FIRST — then look at business process, then technology.  Now for some, that will require reworking that technology.  For others, it’s a great opportunity to select a well integrated suite of products with an embedded competency framework (sorry, I couldn’t stop myself!).

The benefits of such an approach are broad and game-changing.  Some, like John Ingham in a recent post suggest that the implications are dramatic and could be costing organizations billions.  If it’s true, and companies can really master all elements of good talent management (people, process, AND technology), there should be competitive advantage for those that do.

And if my unscientific data is any indicator, perhaps there’s a trend.  Time will tell, and I’ll be watching.