HCM implementation is like a relay; here the baton goes from one team to another during different stages of the project. Post go-live begins a new lap. The customer takes the lead here and is joined by the implementation and support team. This is the longest lap in the process and will decide the time of the entire race i.e. this will be the entire HCM environment until the customer decides to decommission the old HCM system and move to a new one.
Here are the top 5 important activities to put into action, post go-live of your HCM system.
1) Take Stock of Backlogs and Prepare an Action Plan:
Your management would have mentioned that the HCM go-live date is sacrosanct and to work backwards/plan accordingly. Suddenly, the go-live date is drawing near and this would mean prioritization of ‘must have’ for go-live and parking rest of the activities for a later date. Most times, the parked activities would be critical, and it could be an oversight due to go-live pressure. Take stock of those activities, for e.g. it could be an update of delta data created in the course of production cut-over, modification of report columns, business workflows etc. Prepare a list of such activities and then work out a plan with your implementation partner.
2) Work Continuously on Product Adoption:
As we all know, post go-live, employees, HR managers, line managers, and senior management will use the product. For effective product adoption, create email campaigns, “Did you know” tips, steps to check personal information, create and publish small videos on “How to…”, create messages on the product usage trends, number of transactions, etc. This will create an impact on all users and slowly and steadily the usage trends will show increasing product adoption.
3) Revalidate Data Security and Access Privileges:
It is always a best practice to ensure that the access privileges are monitored at regular intervals. Particularly, after go-live, run audit reports to ensure “who sees what” because the data stored in HCM is very critical. Any leakage of employee information because of improper access privileges will lead to major complications.
4) Avoid Immediate Changes:
Allow the system to settle down with the configurations done, based on the business processes defined during the course of implementation. Most of the times, the process owners will be tempted to keep adding or modifying the processes, which may lead to severe confusion. If any change is inevitable, then, conduct Steering Committee sessions and get the necessary approval to implement the change. It should be an informed decision rather than adhoc changes.
5) Demonstrate Value to stakeholders:
Prepare a presentation mapping the original business case for implementing HCM vis-à-vis the system implemented. Run the presentation highlighting the value combined with actual demonstration of the system. Ideally, this should be done in the 1st month of the go-live. Keep a track of usage trends, number of transactions, and any other success measures of implementing HCM. In the fourth month, make a presentation for the stakeholders demonstrating the usage and trends for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd month. Make a presentation with both Qualitative and Quantitative benefits of implementing the system. Similarly, make another presentation at the end of the year to showcase the benefits reaped over the past months and ROI. This will help the stakeholders/management get a clear perspective on how HCM solutions benefit employees, HR and the organisation in totality. A holistic picture presented from a HR functional and business strategic standpoint helps your organisation better understand the value that, HR aided by the right HCM solutions brings to the table.
~ Dr. Ravichandran Kanniappan Ph.D. – Sr. Vice President – Head Product Innovation