3 reasons you need an HRMS implementation plan

Let’s make a sweeping generalization: most people don’t like to plan. Planning takes a special kind of attention to detail and somewhere along the way, most cultures have concluded that planning is boring (and therefore to be subconsciously avoided). However, when it comes to your HRMS implementation, spontaneity is not your best approach.

1. An HRMS implementation plan results in more effective change management

Good change management processes are the key to a successful HRMS implementation, and your implementation plan is the outward expression of your change management. The very act of drawing up the plan forces you to consider each step in the process, to identify and reach out to stakeholders, to accurately assess time estimates, and to focus on how you define a successful outcome (and how you’ll measure that outcome).

Recommended Reading: HRMS Implementation Guide - Construct your HRMS implementation plan using our 9 step guide

The quality of your plan is a kind of litmus test for the quality of your implementation proposals. If your plan is anything less than comprehensive, the chances are your implementation will fail or stumble at some point.

2. An HRMS implementation plan gives you a system that meets your needs

Your organization’s requirements for its new HRMS were identified in advance of the software selection phase – essential and desirable features, functionalities, links to other business intelligence systems, and so on. But the implementation plan is the document that lays out exactly how those needs will be met in practical terms. Activities such as data cleansing, user training, process mapping (and updating or even re-designing) are all focused on making the vision of a more efficient HR future a reality. And your implementation plan is the tool that lays out a project roadmap that results in a functioning system and people who are skilled in its use.

3. An HRMS implementation plan keeps everyone accountable

HRMS implementation is never a one-person show. The above-mentioned stakeholders come in all shapes and sizes, from the c-suite to the ‘shop floor’ and they have different levels of interest and influence over your project. In any project, success only comes when everyone does what they’ve committed to doing. Your plan will break down the implementation process into a series of tasks, activities and milestones, allocating responsibility for each one. The HRMS implementation plan acts as a record of commitments and responsibilities and is your primary tool for monitoring progress, including holding each involved person to account. Which is not to say that your plan is inflexible. After all, circumstances change, unexpected issues arise, requirements are altered, but the plan changes with these factors, always clear and up to date.

Put simply, your HRMS implementation plan is the proof that you have a genuine project, and not just a vague idea of the way forward…