How to Implement Training for a Global HRMS

Whether you’re implementing a global HRMS for the first time or bringing new populations into your current system, training is a key area to consider. Without proper HRMS training, even the best system will be misunderstood and underutilized. Going global does add some complexity to a training strategy, however, by planning ahead, you can ensure that appropriate training methods will support your HRMS implementation and contribute to the successful adoption of the technology.

Design and Deliver HRMS Training Around User Segments

There are many different training audiences when it comes to an HRMS: HR Professionals, Directors, Managers, and the Employee as Self, for example. Each of these groups will have a different role in the system and the HRMS training should be geared toward their activities. Rather than putting everyone from one country through the same training, it is better to gather like professionals, such as groups of managers, and then to present the ‘who, what and why’ of system responsibilities.

It is helpful to consider how different the old processes are from the new, global HRMS and to incorporate change management as appropriate into your training. Often, it’s not the system itself that causes the issue, but that employees and managers do not understand why they are being asked to perform certain tasks or the background details of them.

Keep Training Bite-Sized and Just In Time

In the past, when implementing traditional ERP systems 10 years ago, as an HRMS Manager I often created user manuals of 300-400 pages in Word, as there was so much functionality in these new databases and they were different from anything we knew earlier in the HRMS world. Times have changed however; system users are more technology savvy and expect answers at their fingertips. They don’t have a lot of time to go looking for help, they expect it to be immediately available - that is the nature of the “always on” generation.

To meet this need, it’s best to have small quick guides available, either from within your HRMS or on a centralized repository, such as your internal company portal. It’s recommended to group processes together, by audience, in order to make the information available. For example, if a Shared Services Center (SSC) employee is responsible for all activities related to hiring a new employee, this will usually require much more system training than what a hiring manager may need to do in the system to approve the new hire. Each role should have an appropriate level of HRMS training available to do the task.

As well, it’s wise to have multiple forms of communication channels: HRMS champions within HR, local HRMS analysts and other support personnel are helpful to spot learning gaps and to provide extra assistance to ensure that your HRMS training efforts keep a personal touch and are successful.