How to match your HR goals with HR software features

Are you gearing up to select a new HRMS? There are many strong products on the market with plenty of interesting features. A starting point for HRMS selection should be your HR goals. What do you want to achieve via your new HRMS? But how can you be sure that you have aligned your HR goals with potential HR software features during a software selection project?

1) Document and share your HR goals

While HR leaders can have set goals in mind, it is helpful if they are clearly defined for everyone involved in the sales cycle, from the HRMS vendor sales teams and external consultants assisting with the selection process through to internal HR resources. This will mean everyone comes to the table with a common starting point.

2) Ensure that your HR goals are broken down into measurable and quantifiable items

While you may have goals such as ‘reduce staff turnover’ or ‘increase employee motivation’, it’s important to document further details of how you would like to get there. For example, do you want to increase employee motivation through career development? An HRMS that measures employee performance, competencies and training may help you to meet such a goal. Or do you want to increase employee motivation through rewards and recognition? In this case, an HRMS with strong compensation functionality will meet your needs better.

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3) Match your quantifiable items to HR software features

If you’ve determined that a strong driver is rewards and recognition and that robust compensation features are needed, then you need the software vendors to come prepared with a demo of their functionality. Of course, you should provide some key points where you would like to ensure there is a functionality fit. For example, if you know that your current HRMS lacks the predictive ability to find flight risks (underpaid employees who are over-skilled in their jobs), a potential HRMS should demonstrate functionality for this requirement during the HR software demo.

4) Look ahead to future goals

While immediate goals need to be met, it is important to keep an eye on future functionality as well. For example, if you know that the business is planning to grow by acquisition in the longer term, even if this is not an HR goal, it is important to keep this scenario in mind. Does the HR software easily allow for mass loading of employees? Is the licensing model suitable if staff numbers increase? Place such goals in a ‘nice to have’ or ‘placeholder’ bucket to get feedback on these as well as your current HR goals.