Future HR Solutions Roadmap

Leslie Lundberg, SVP-HR, Con-way

Dramatic Reduction in Cycle Time

Six years ago we transformed our staffing and recruiting process using Taleo. We have a highly distributed workforce with hundreds of locations. At the time every location was responsible for their own hiring and sourcingand processing was manual and had long lead times. With the implementation of the Taleo Recruiting and Onboarding (which at the time was a standalone offering) we eliminated a complex multi-step manual process and automated our hiring process from the use of paper forms to fully integrated systems. The technology now takes us all the way through from posting the requisition to applicant tracking and screening, through background check to the on-boarding and new hire process. The impact on efficiency and more importantly the reduction in cycle time from application to start date was dramatic.

“HR solutions and technology are no longer a sideshow or just your system of record. They are the biggest differentiator in how well you can deliver HR services”

The introduction of the technology actually drove fundamental changes in the organizational structure and process to support staffing which increased visibility and metrics on hiring quality and focus. We continue to improve Recruiting Process Management by incenting Con-way’s employee referral program with Talent Vine.

Managers no Longer Reliant on HR

Last year the introduction of Manager and Employee Dashboards provided all our staff with access to their personal data and to their direct reports’ job data. With on-line transactions in our first year, over 100,000 pieces of paper disappeared into the ether resulting in a more efficient and more transparent experience. Now the managers can be their own resource of information and not just rely on HR. The dashboards also provide the on-ramps to the Con-way Enterprise’s future HR Solutions roadmap. Planned stops include Learning, Performance and Talent applications.

Pain Points in the HR Domain

• Minimize the implementation and upgrade requirements.
• Integrated technology around employee life cycle processes; currently it is still a bit of a piecemeal offering.
• Mobile which has the necessary security.
• One-stop shopping for the employee information and experience.
• Global applications and usability.

Update Payroll through Tablets

The social media advantages in the internal corporate environment are still in their early evaluation, but mobile access to HR Solutions is clearly a positive trend toward efficiency and engagement. Earlier this year, one of our HR team orchestrated mobile access to our career sites and job applications using a Taleo tool kit. In the first month of operation, 24 percent of the 33,514 external job applications Con-way received were completed entirely or in part on smart phones or tablets. Con-way employees view and/or update their personal, payroll and PTO information from their tablets and smart phones which plainly have ever-growing roles in HR solutions.

Technology the Biggest Differentiator in HR Services

Honestly I think many HR leaders and their teams are uncomfortable with technology and are not the evangelists they could and should be. The HR function often feels more comfortable in the traditional areas of HR and talent management. I would offer that HR solutions and technology are no longer a sideshow or just your system of record. They are the biggest differentiator in how well you can deliver HR services and are expected by the newer generation of employees. Educate yourself and stay current on the quickly evolving landscape. Don’t just rely on your HRIS and IT staffs or your HR solutions vendors for advice as the technology plan needs to be part of a strategy. I am not sure there has been much change as a proactive HR leader should by definition be out in front of industry and market trends to offer business solutions. I think the only difference is that the technology offerings are allowing more change opportunities.

HR Solutions Require Implementation Resources

HR Solutions while evolving quickly still require significant implementation resources and feel like they take too long and cost much more than originally planned or indicated by the solutions providers. Part of that may be the need to not automate what is currently manual. To realize the full advantage you should rethink your business process, evaluate how the technology tool works in its native form and work to create business process that optimizes alignment to the tool.