Category: Others

Research indicates that businesses with high composability are positioned for stronger financial growth. In 2022, these organizations saw an average revenue increase of 7.7%, accompanied by a 4.2% rise in IT budget allocations, allowing for further technological innovation and agility. In contrast, low-composability enterprises, which struggle with flexibility and digital adaptability, are projected to experience a more modest revenue growth of 3.4%, with IT budgets increasing by only 3.1%. This data highlights the competitive advantage of investing in composable business strategies and adaptable technology ecosystems. Organizations invest substantially in HR technology to simplify operations, boost employee satisfaction, and achieve higher business results. Multiple organizations struggle to achieve all benefits from their HR technology investments because their systems operate independently. The isolation of data platforms generates performance losses through increased human labor and produces unreliable information. The optimal method for maximizing HR tech ROI depends on developing intelligent connections between HR software and payroll systems, benefit platforms, workforce planning applications, learning management systems, and applicant tracking systems to establish a complete digital system. The piece delves into how HR technology integration enables operational improvement, data management refinement, and executive decision improvement. The Challenge of Disconnected HR Systems Many organizations operate with fragmented HR systems, where different tools handle various HR functions, such as: Payroll processing Recruitment and applicant tracking systems (ATS) Performance management Learning and development Employee benefits administration Workforce planning and analytics Several difficulties arise for companies whenever their systems display inadequate information exchange capabilities. Human resources teams need to manually enter data several times, which increases the possibility of errors. The separate data platforms companies use to generate multiple inconsistent versions of employee information since they store data differently. The lack of unified data prevents HR teams from developing appropriate analysis through inadequate reporting ability. The multiple platform necessity for employees creates a challenging experience that decreases their work engagement and satisfaction. The Benefits of HR Tech Integrations 1. Enhanced Efficiency and Automation Companies achieve automated functions through system integration of HR tech platforms across different organizational functions. For example: Synchronizing employee hours with payroll through an integrated system reduces processing time. ATS and onboarding platforms function as a system where candidate selection data automatically moves to HRIS and payroll to remove duplicate information entries. 2. Improved Data Accuracy and Compliance The lack of system integration leads to higher possibilities of mistakes in documenting employee records and filing taxes and benefits enrollment processes. Smart integrations ensure: Consistent employee data across all HR platforms. Accurate tax withholdings and compliance with labor laws. Employees who enroll in benefits on time avoid delayed coverage and empty periods without insurance. 3. Better Workforce Planning and Insights Real-time workforce analytics within integrated HR technology systems lets companies base their decisions on data findings. The decision to hire new staff members occurs when there are existing personnel vacancies, and periodic employee turnover occurs. Companies use forecasting tools to budget their labor expense costs. HR organizations utilize diversity and inclusion measurement systems to monitor their progress toward recruitment targets. 4. Seamless Employee Experience The interface becomes more seamless for employees when HR systems are connected, thus enhancing their engagement. Examples include: Single sign-on (SSO) access to all HR platforms. Through self-service portals, workers should be able to modify their personal records while seeking time away and checking salary information. Learning and development platforms unite on one platform to provide individualized opportunities for career progression. 5. Cost Savings HR tech integrations reduce operational costs by minimizing manual labor, optimizing workforce expenses, and preventing compliance-related penalties. Automation eliminates redundant tasks, reducing the need for manual data entry, payroll processing, and benefits administration. Integrated systems enhance workforce planning, helping businesses minimize unnecessary overtime and improve staffing efficiency. Automated tax filings, benefits deductions, and labor law compliance prevent costly fines and errors, ensuring financial stability. Key HR Tech Integrations to Maximize ROI 1. HRIS + Payroll Integration To operate together successfully, both payroll and Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) need: The system calculates salaries by processing working hours together with all deductions accurately. Specialized systems must file taxes automatically for both federal and state requirements. Seamless direct deposits for timely employee payments. Example: The connection between Workday and ADP creates a system that performs payroll automatically, so workers do not need to move data between systems manually. 2. Recruitment + Onboarding Integration An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) connected to onboarding software creates a faster hiring process through its functionality. Such system is useful because: Helps in auto-populating new hire information into HR systems. Employees can accept and sign digital documents through electronic signatures. Systems using the integration eliminate paper-based work together with manual administrative procedures. Example: Integrating Greenhouse ATS and BambooHR enables the smooth transfer of candidate information between systems. 3. Benefits Administration + HRIS Integration The connection between HRIS and benefits administration ensures the following benefits: New workers can enroll in benefits automatically as their eligibility starts. An HRIS has built-in capabilities for immediate adjustments after life events such as marriage or childbirth. Accurate payroll deductions for health insurance and retirement contributions. Example: The connection of Zenefits to the Rippling platform enables automated benefits management processes. 4. The integration of Time Tracking + Workforce Management functions A connected system enables: Accurate tracking of employee hours and overtime. The scheduling system uses automation to determine optimal staffing requirements. The system implements better compliance measures for labor law enforcement of employee break rules and overtime payment requirements. Example: UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) uses Paycom software to simplify time tracking and payroll processing. 5. A Learning Management System (LMS) coupled with Performance Management tools A connected system between LMS and performance management software delivers several benefits, including: Track employee skill development. Personalize training recommendations. Synchronize the company’s performance assessment system with its learning objectives. Example: Organizations achieve better upskilling through the combination of LinkedIn Learning with SAP SuccessFactors. Best Practices for HR Tech Integrations 1. Prioritize HR Software that supports Open APIs Another term for software communication systems is application programming

Design Calculated Field Design Etiquette (⚠️Don’t Build Otherwise) One of the most powerful ways to take ownership of your Workday data is through the use of Calculated Fields. As long as the data is in Workday, you can (usually) get to the exact piece of information you’re looking for within your own parameters. BUT! There’s a catch – a steep learning curve. So! While you’re on the learning curve, let’s get some things straight so you 1) avoid creating bad habits, and 2) configure like an EVOCs consultant. Here are the major dos and don’ts of calculated field design etiquette starting with your choice tenant. Where to build a calculated field? There are two choices when deciding where to begin building a calculated field. The first is which tenant. The second is whether the calculated field should be accessed tenant-wide or be report-specific. Here’s the best practice. Create first drafts in testing tenants There are false starts when creating calculated fields. You think something will work, but, to your dismay, the output pulls an unintended value or straight-up blank. It takes time to figure out. Because of this, DO NOT BUILD UNPROVEN CALCULATED FIELDS STRAIGHT IN PROD. Unless you remember all the no-go fields you created (unlikely), you’re going to unintentionally clog up your tenant and cause confusion for the report writers who come after you. We’ve all seen the calculated fields like “AJ TEST Termination” floating around, and chances are Mr. Al Johnson doesn’t work here anymore. So, instead of PROD, use the Preview or Sandbox tenants. When your calculated field has proven itself, migrate to PROD and let your scribbles be erased by the next refresh. WHEW! Build report-specific calculated fields when they need to be protected There’s a risk every calculated field experiences, and it’s that someone else with report writer access could edit and break it. (You probably have someone in mind who either did this to you or knows just enough to be dangerous.) One of the ways to protect your calculated field is to make it report-specific. This means the calculated field can’t be used in other reports or functions across the tenant. The likelihood of it getting messed with decreases astronomically. This is especially useful for RaaS reports where the information within gets sent on a regular basis via integration to another source. That’s one place you definitely don’t want the fields breaking, so report-specific fields add peace of mind. TLDR Do: Use Preview or SBX tenants to build calculated fields for tenant hygiene, and use report-specific calculated fields for RaaS reports. Don’t: Build straight in PROD How to name a calculated field? Remember “AJ TEST Termination”? Not only does it look like a mistake in the tenant, but it also doesn’t tell me nearly enough information about its output. Will it show the termination event, the date, or the reason? Does it include future-dated terminations? Will it show me the past termination of rehires who are currently active? You need to think of naming your calculated field as an opportunity for collaboration with the report writers who come after you. Here is the etiquette. Use a prefix, e.g. CF TF – [Name] The prefix has a number of uses. “CF”, which stands for “calculated field”. It’s your at-a-glance signal to all future report writers that this field is created, not delivered. Next, include an acronym to indicate the type of calculated field you’re making. A True/False field is typically abbreviated as “TF”. A lookup-related value field is LRV. With practice it becomes intuitive. You’re telling other report writers details about the field type or method. You’re ALSO telling them you’re a super cool Workday configurator who knows the etiquette…😏 BONUS: You can type in LRV or ESI etc as a shortcut for selecting the field type upon creation. Name the calculated field exactly what the logic says There’s no lying to you. Sometimes the title gets LONNGG because the logic can be layered and complex. Don’t fret. The report’s column heading override solves this problem, allowing you to display whatever title makes sense to your end-user running the report. But for your fellow report writers? Name the calculated field properly so they have the insight at first glance. For example, if you build a calculated field that pulls the most recent termination event’s effective date that includes future events, you should name it exactly that – CF LRV – Most Recent Termination Event (incl Future-Dated) Effective Date With a clear enough name, you’ll save other report writers from time spent investigating what the freak your field does. They’ll know right away whether the one you created serves their purpose. Overall, a good naming convention will – Reduce duplicate efforts Lead to better use of your calculated field throughout the tenant Give the hint to STAY AWAY from using or editing something unrelated to their work. TLDR Do’s: Name your calculated field exactly what the logic pulls and include a prefix for CF [Field Type Acronym] – Don’ts: Name your calculated field something unclear or misleading, including your initials (embarrassing). Common Mistakes And lastly, common mistakes. The tea you’ve all been waiting for. What are the hints someone is an inexperienced calculated field creator? Unnecessary Layers Let’s say you want to create an evaluated expression field to return a certain value if a Worker is On Leave. There’s a WD-delivered True/False field (also called boolean) specifically for On Leave. This can be placed directly into the calculated field condition slot. There’s no need to create another True/False calculated field for On Leave = CHECK. If you did, you’d be creating an unnecessary layer of logic. Taking the Scenic Route The only time this will ever be said. But, when making a calculated field opt not to take the scenic route. There are many ways you can make a calculated field, and you should spend time with the logic to narrow it down to the path of least resistance. Your calculated field will

Companies with predictive HR Analytics outperform their peers by generating 30% higher stock returns than their competitors.  This knowledge is nothing new, we have known for over a decade since “Talent Analytics: From Small to Big Data” was published back in 2013. So why does change take so long and why are some companies resistant? Ironically, one of the primary reasons is a lack of human resources… a lack of people in our department with the knowledge and skills necessary to execute advanced and predictive analytics. I recall back in 2017, my first position in Human Resources as a Compensation Coordinator. Compensation sat in a block of cubicles that was adjacent to the HRIS office space and another separate area for HR Analytics. I was encouraged to stay out of their work although I often found myself inquisitively hanging around their space. They were some of the highest paid individual contributors in HR and were rockstars, but their work was mysterious to anyone not in their inner circle. This bothered me because their work seemed important, and I wanted to advance my career. I never imagined that I would one day lead a reporting & analytics practice. Even this Fortune 500 company with an analytics practice that was heavily sought after was either not willing or able to implement a data driven HR practice across all of HR. The practice was a silo that secretly pushed information for decision making up the ranks but not across. I can only assume that their reasons may have included privacy concerns, corporate culture, or a vote of no confidence in the rest of HR. I cannot blame them. Why spend time and resources pushing out analytics to people who are either not interested or have no training in the area? I have worked now with dozens or persons in HR who cannot perform basic Excel functions or interpret any form of statistical analysis. I do not mean to be unhelpfully critical, only for us to humbly be honest with ourselves so that we can make real progress. Other lines of business cannot be to blame for our perceived lack of financial impact. HR positions are some of the furthest roles away from cash inflow. A learned that I learned early in my Compensation days is that contributors who are closest to cash inflow or who directly bring money into a company (i.e, Sales) are often the highest paid. It is easy to see their direct effect on the bottom-line because their work is about revenue. Because HR with maybe the exception of Talent Acquisition, cannot be easily associated with revenue, we must work harder to prove our financial worth and we can do that by speaking the common language of mathematics. If I want something done and I tell my boss that it will make them look great because we will decrease Time to Fill or we will save X dollars, now I have their attention. Mathematics, Reporting, and Analytics is the golden ticket to our seat at the table. Easier said than done, right? If Fortune 500 companies with all the resources that money can buy have ineffective HR Analytics, how then can the rest of us build from scratch? First, I want to remind you of the point I made earlier; it can be extremely difficult to convince leaders about the importance of HR Analytics. This is true regardless of the size of the company and so large companies struggle with implementing analytics the same way smaller companies also struggle. Leadership needs to sponsor the change, less we ask employees to divert from their other work to prove our point. Who in their right mind wants to push such a boulder up the hill, on the same salary, only to be rejected? If 30% better stock value is better…. If what I have said about HR’s technical proficiency resonates… If you are tired of feeling underutilized and underpaid…. Here are 5 suggestions for implementing a successful HR Analytics practice. Gain executive sponsorship If you are fortunate to have leadership that already understands the value of reporting and analytics from all departments, then I envy you. If you have this and fail, there is no one else to blame. Select the team Do not take the road blindly; include experienced analytics professionals in your journey whether it be peers, consultants, or colleagues from other departments. Choose your software I am bias because of my role as a Workday consultant, but it is my opinion that companies spend way too much time and effort on software selection. At their core, most software of the same class performs the same functions. Too much credit is often given to the tools especially when blame is assigned. ‘The user experience for our managers in Job Change is terrible!’. Is it the UX or have you tried to make Workday an employee experience platform like Service Now when it is marketed as an Enterprise Cloud Management Platform, basically a new version of the ERP? 60% Implementation / 40% Communication and Training For your efforts to be effective, they must be received well. It is not only communication that is important, but also data literacy and ability to perform self-service. When implementing the software or analytics program, budget up to 40% of time and money for training and OCM. Half measures avail nothing. Focus on Decision Support Passion projects are great and sometimes our customers don’t know what they need or want, think Steve Jobs. But if you want a practice that managers rely on, always frame your analytics practice as decision support. Start with answering basic questions and exposing data that managers cannot access without your help. One day, you may lead a team that prescribes efforts and predicts outcomes.