5 Steps to HRMS Self-Service Employee Buy-In

The best system is only as good as the uses people put it to. Your new HRMS self-service functions may be state of the art, but if you can’t achieve employee buy-in, then they’re just expensive window dressing. The problem is, unless you’ve done away with your entire HR department in favor of software (highly unlikely and not to be recommended) then there are still HR people who can be approached directly by employees. And if for some reason, an employee doesn’t trust or understand the self-service route, then they’ll just fall back on the old way of getting an answer to their inquiry: go see HR.

The secret lies in putting employee engagement and buy-in at the heart of the selection and implementation of your HRMS and in addition to the obvious user training prior to the go-live date, there are a number of tactics and factors to leverage to be sure of driving up the rate of buy-in.

HRMS Self-Service Buy-In Step #1: Constant Communication

Your users are a key stakeholder group. In fact, they may even be the most powerful stakeholder group. After all, the board have strategic and budgetary control but it’s the employees who choose to use the system or not. Involve them from the start with bulletins, newsletters, focus groups, etc. All emphasizing the benefits of HRMS self-service while inviting them to flag up the potential problems; and then engage them in solving those problems.

HRMS Self-Service Buy-In Step #2: Familiarity Breeds High Usage

Your HRMS system’s functionality may be cutting edge but the user experience – what they see on-screen – shouldn’t be too strange or new. Perceived familiarity is a significant factor in people’s adoption of the new HRMS and boosts employee buy-in by clothing new functions in old appearances; in such circumstances, users can rely on their intuition and past knowledge to guide them in exploring the new system.

Recommended Reading: HRMS Self Service - Steps to Success

HRMS Self-Service Buy-In Step #3: Motivation

If the system is rolling out on a large enough scale, you might offer tangible incentives to encourage employee buy-in. For example, a prize draw (store vouchers, extra paid time off) that includes everyone who accesses a particular function, such as benefits enrollment.

HRMS Self-Service Buy-In Step #4: Reduce HR Services

One way of preventing people sliding back into just calling their ‘HR buddy’ instead of learning to use the HRMS self-service system is to remove access to the old ways of doing things. Change HR’s phone numbers. Communicate HR’s role changes. Channel all calls to a temporary helpdesk that talks people through using the system (i.e. enables and encourages them to use self-service).

HRMS Self-Service Buy-In Step #5: Peer Pressure

In any workforce, some employees will drag their feet and be reluctant to use the new system while others will be enthusiastic early adopters. Ask these enthusiasts to be your ‘on-the-shop-floor’ ambassadors and coaches. They can perform a valuable role in assisting colleagues with system use and gathering information on genuine user issues that need to be resolved.