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Performance Management

 

Kelly Services: Using Technology to Meet Talent Needs

Deanna Hartley

 

Kelly Services Inc. — a company that specializes in workforce management services and human resources solutions — has adopted technology solutions for a variety of talent management processes, including the applicant tracking and recruiting process, succession planning, career development, performance management, assessment, compensation planning and information management.

Strategically Select Technology Tools
Prior to selecting HR technology tools, talent managers must meet one fundamental prerequisite: have a talent management strategy, according to Nina Ramsey, senior vice president of human resources at Kelly Services Inc.

“We chose a talent management tool that was customizable, flexible, and it met the needs that our process dictated,” Ramsey said. “But what’s important, first of all, is to have a strategy and select a talent management technology solution that can meet your needs.”

The company embarked on a journey to select compatible technology solutions that would improve and enhance their talent management processes.

“Be a very selective consumer, and make sure you’ve benchmarked what others are doing and what kind of capabilities you could have access to,” Ramsey said. “First, we benchmarked what others were getting: We compared that to what we needed [and then] selected the technology solution that would support us.”

The company even did test runs during the development phase to ensure the technology solution met its specific needs. Ramsey also said talent managers should be mindful of future needs that may arise.

“Get a cross section [of vendors]. Make sure you find one who’s willing to work in a manner that meets your needs but also allows for flexibility and future change because our needs today are going to evolve over time. You want to make sure you purchase a technology that will give you flexibility in the future,” she said.

One challenge Ramsey said she likely will encounter is determining which employees can gain access to certain data.

“We find ourselves developing the operating rules around who will see what information and establishing those guidelines with the leaders around the organization,” she said. “I don’t see it as an insurmountable challenge, but it’s one you have to be prepared for.”

After having discussions with talent managers at other organizations, Ramsey discovered that unauthorized employees commonly demand specific information or data.

Ensure Efficiency of Process and Strategy
There often is a misconception that simply introducing technology solutions in an organization will automatically produce relevant talent data or results.
“The technology is only as good as your processes are; your processes have to be alive [and] well-adopted within the organization or you won’t have the information in the system that you need to make decisions,” Ramsey said. “It’s easy to make the mistake that if you have the technology, the data will come. That’s not how it works.”

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