With over 85 vendors in the marketplace today, small to mid-sized businesses have a lot of choices when it comes to human capital management (HCM) solutions. If their current provider isn’t meeting their needs, there are plenty of others waiting in the wings. And chances are they are being solicited by those providers on a regular basis.
If you’re not providing your clients – or trying to win over prospective clients – with an HCM solution that meets – or better yet exceeds – their expectations, chances are they will look elsewhere. But what exactly do they want? According to isolved’s Transforming Employee Experience Report, a survey of 500 human resources (HR) leaders, three expectations dominate and are what service bureaus need to address to retain and expand their client-base.
Top expectations for an HCM solution
The technology is a full, end-to-end platform
According to 30 percent of the HR leaders surveyed, their top expectation for an HCM solution is that the technology is a full, end-to-end platform. When an HCM solution doesn’t support the entire employee journey, the employer must continually add to their tech stack, which can get costly and difficult to navigate. Turns out that almost half of employers can relate. Our similar survey from 2021 found that 41 percent of HR departments are using more than five different software platforms to handle their needs.
With disparate systems, performing everyday HR tasks requires downloading data from one system and uploading it to another. These practices result in data redundancies and overall inefficiencies. An integrated platform that supports all HR functions (like hiring, onboarding, benefits, payroll, engagement, retention, etc.) provides a centralized place to manage the entire employee life cycle.
Our company can grow with the platform
One-size doesn’t fit all when it comes to HCM solutions. Your clients want a platform that can scale as their business grows and needs change. In fact, 17 percent of the HR leaders in our survey say they expect their HCM platform to accommodate them as they grow their business. Your clients don’t want to worry about adding new software, and you don’t want to worry about them switching to a new provider that can address their needs.
Employers seek HCM platforms that can be easily customized with add-ons, especially during periods of rapid growth. But they don’t want to be sold technology that they will not use. The ideal provider can orchestrate a staged roll out of what is needed now and suggest what is needed tomorrow. Today’s savvy employer wants an HCM provider that prioritizes being future ready, today.
It’s easy for employees to use
With so much emphasis put on providing positive employee experience (EX), it comes as no surprise that HR leaders want a solution that’s easy for their employees to use. According to our survey, 15 percent say that is their number one expectation from an HCM solution.
Traditional HR processes no longer meet the needs of employees. Employees expect the technology they have at work to perform like the technology they have access to in their everyday lives. Employers seek HCM platforms that provide a consumer-like experience for positive EX. Scheduling an interview through an integrated calendar, electing benefits from a cell phone, completing learning management courses online and using an employee portal to collaborate with co-workers are a few of the experiences modern HCM solutions provide, that employees crave.
If your current HCM technology partner isn’t meeting your clients’ expectations, it might be time to look for a new solution. Discover the six factors that indicate when it’s time to move on in our eBook: Signs it’s Time to Switch HCM Partners