Employers Contemplate Social Networking, Focus on Improving Technology in 2008

By Watson Wyatt

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2007 — Companies will focus on upgrading and integrating their human resources technology in 2008 in an effort to improve HR administration and better engage employees, according to experts at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm. Among likely trends are the increased adoption of advanced Web solutions, such as wikis, blogs and social networking, and a focus on making HR technology easier for employees to use.

"Managing a workforce is increasingly complex, and employers are searching for the right solutions to help them address this challenge," said Richard Hubbard, director of Watson Wyatt's North American technology and administration solutions practice. "Technology will continue to help companies manage the most intricate HR tasks, including some, such as talent management, personnel records management. Employers' biggest challenge is staying on top of the trends and investing in areas where they will get the most for their money."

Among the top trends Watson Wyatt has identified for 2008 are:

• Taking a Flexible Approach to Outsourcing HR Administration. Rather than outsourcing the entire HR function, a growing number of companies are taking a flexible approach to their HR administration processes. A flexible outsourcing structure allows companies to administer the processes they do well while outsourcing HR administration - processes and enabling technologies in which they have less expertise.

• Focusing on Improving Employee Service and Satisfaction. Companies are exploring the best way to leverage their investments and improve employee service and satisfaction. Many are incorporating HR technologies that feature decision support tools and online content in addition to improved usability and self-service for employees - tools that reduce administrative costs while boosting employee engagement.

• Implementing Integrated Technology Solutions for Talent Management. More and more companies are using technology to manage the disparate data involved in talent management programs. Specialized technology for recruiting, succession planning, workforce planning and learning management processes is now widely available and can reduce administrative burdens.

• Adopting Advanced, Web 2.0 Technology. With the rapid growth of consumer-oriented Web 2.0 applications, organizations are considering increasingly interactive strategies and technologies. While many corporations are using Web 2.0 elements such as blogs and wikis, organizations are just beginning to implement other elements of social networking. All of these systems could reduce the focus on traditional e-mail and make work communication a more dynamic experience for employees.

Other areas in which employers are expected to make inroads this year are the growing use of decision support tools, self-service applications and Software-as-a-Service. The last innovation helps companies reduce costs by allowing them to access software through an external provider, removing the burden of internal software maintenance.

"While many of these technology solutions hold great promise in engaging employees and solving HR challenges, they will not be successful if companies don't lay the proper groundwork for implementing them," Hubbard said. "Before selecting the right technology, companies need to make sure their HR processes overall are working well. Otherwise, even the best systems will not live up to their full potential.

The Business Benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

Today many companies are turning to recruitment process outsourcing to streamline their business processes. Research shows recruiting is one of three functional areas HR executives and professionals are likely to outsource. Strategic sourcing is key to reinforcing clients' employer branding and market presence, enabling them to attract and retain top quality talent.

While a typical external candidate sourcing process might begin with a posting on internet job boards,  strategy enhances this process.

What non-traditional methods of recruitment are rising in popularity?
The unique characteristics of Generation X and Generation Y require that you to modify your recruiting strategy; the vast majority of Gen Xers and Gen Yers are computer literate and much more likely to utilize digital forms of communication. They also tend to make key decisions based on input from social networking services, which tend to be widely popular among younger professionals.

The recruitment methodologies that have emerged include non-paid internet sites and job boards, as well as social recruiting and networking search engines; interactive websites that incorporate video, pictures, blogs and career sites have sprung up. Portals such as Facebook and MySpace also offer the opportunity for individuals to create online resumes. The key is to understand the different generational traits and refine your recruiting message through alternative channels, technologies and media.

How can an external Recruitment Process Outsourcing provider help a company? 
Industry research shows that an increasing number of companies define RPO as a key differentiator within their businesses. As the market continues to expand, Recruitment Process Outsourcing providers are building increased functionalities into their technology platforms to provide end-to-end, employee life cycle solutions. Implementing an RPO solution enables a company to operate more productively and efficiently by managing the strategic, tactical and administrative elements of the recruitment process. 

An external Recruitment Process Outsourcing solution may make sense because it allows your company's HR department to focus on strategic initiatives, leverage its core competencies, and reduce human capital expenses. Bringing this capability in-house may be too costly whereas working with a Recruitment Process Outsourcing provider gives your company the ability to leverage their expertise, cost-efficiencies, industry best practices and other economies of scale to improve the recruitment process.

What are the most important things a company should look for when selecting an RPO provider?
Companies are looking to Recruitment Process Outsourcing vendors for a cost-efficient solution that reduces their time to hire, increases the quality and quantity of their candidate pool, provides metrics and media effectiveness analytics, reduces cost per hire, and improves compliance. Recruitment Process Ooutsourcing providers should have deep expertise in developing recruitment strategies and technologies that are designed to help companies reach their business goals. Their core competencies need to be in implementing RPO programs and projects as well as providing recruitment sourcing and administrative services. In this capacity the Recruitment Process Outsourcing vendor really needs to play the role of a strategic partner by leveraging their knowledge base, technology and best practices to add real value.

By  hrmreport.com