Determining your HR tech stack - it’s a bit much
I took the bait. I received a demo request for virtual meeting software that was sure to transform our employee experience. The intro video was bright, colorful, and just the shiny penny I ALWAYS picked up (I mean, I had a problem). So I clicked the scheduling link.
The demo was great. As the meeting went on, I found myself identifying different use cases and envisioning adoring employees shouting exclamations of gratitude for how their work lives had changed for the better since I introduced them to this amazing new product. In my head, I heard chanting; “Mar-nie, Mar-nie, Mar-nie!”.
I jumped off the demo with enthusiasm, having likely led the sales exec on a bit (I’m always well-intentioned, but not always down for the commitment). After a good night’s rest, I started to contemplate if implementing this platform should actually be prioritized. Was I really ready to spend one of my precious bargaining chips with finance to upgrade a weekly all-hands? The answer:
🎤 I got 99 problems and virtual meeting software ain’t one.
I was just starting to put our tech stack together. We still didn’t even have a proper HRIS system. So, like clockwork, the sales executive followed up at the end of the week with optimism, only to have me crush it. I felt terrible, but it was what it was. They rebut the idea that jazzy virtual meeting software should be prioritized below other areas like; performance management, employee feedback, onboarding…the list went on…
The sales exec and I parted on defeated but friendly terms and with the promise they’ll follow up in 3-6 months to see if my strategic initiatives have shifted (albeit probably in vain).
The moral of my story? Building an effective people tech stack takes clarity.
When you’re working for an early series start-up or small business, it’s easy (and smart) to lean on technology to automate processes and provide tools that enable your team to do their best work, faster, and with ease. That’s the beauty of technology! The introduction of SaaS-based HRIS products like BambooHR and Bob all but transformed the people ops industry through thought leadership and freed up a one-person HR team's time from administrative burden. Now specialized people technology further empowers the HR profession to connect teams across the globe with relative ease and enhance the employee experience at a higher rate of speed and with fewer resources than ever before.
🚧 But lean on these tools with caution.
In a startup, you have limited resources (and time) for implementation and budget. There’s a fine line between empowering performance through software and purchasing what will ultimately become virtual shelfware. As a people ops professional, I’m bombarded by promises from HR tech companies that they will make life easier and enhance my team’s experience. In many cases that may be true! But the sheer amount of noise and volume of these promises is absolutely overwhelming. I’ve started to map out all the people technology segments that are out there and it’s massive.
Examples of People Technology Solutions:
HRIS (HR Information Systems) - the OG of HR technology
ATS (Applicant tracking systems)
Onboarding
Performance management
Career development
Employee recognition
Employee engagement
Employee gifting platforms
Coaching platforms
Career growth
Remote team engagement
Org charts
Goals
…and holy sh&%$ so many more. People are complicated and so is the technology offerings that come with them.
For the tech-savvy entrepreneur or people leader, this is why it’s so easy to find yourself paying well over your budget for software that doesn’t get to the root of your people initiatives.
A few tips for when you’re ready to build your people tech stack.
Focus on your strategy and values, not theirs.
Your company likely has a strategy and goals for the year. You’ll want to focus on what software/features help your team accomplish those goals. If your top-level company goals are to retain the current team you have then you probably shouldn’t invest in a more robust applicant tracking system. Not this year, at least. That’s a tomorrow problem.
You also probably have a good handle on your company values. Reviewing your values ahead of any software demo helps to gut check on what the right tools are to empower your team to live those values. If you have a value centered around “keeping it simple”, implementing a robust and convoluted employee communication system doesn’t quite make sense. If lively, engaging virtual meetings are an important piece of your culture, then boy do I have a virtual meeting tool for you (see beginning of post).👆
HR tech companies produce more content on the best practices around people operations than one person can digest. Why? Because they want you to trust them. Then, when the time comes to purchase, they hope you’ll remember your dependence on their knowledge. I value these thought leadership pieces (big HR tech fangirl, here), but it doesn’t automatically mean the product’s always a fit for me. It needs to be the right time and right place. Proceed with clarity on purchasing for your strategy, not theirs.
Keep your employer brand in mind.
Tell me you have an employer brand without saying you have an employer brand, because the fact is, most business leaders don’t really know what that means. But you absolutely have one! If you have employees you have an employer brand, and it’s different than your external brand. Some companies intentionally design a way to market themselves as an employer while others simply embrace “who they are” and let the brand live it’s best life. Either way, be true to your brand when picking out software. It’s major whiplash if the tools you’re providing don’t jive with the story you’re l-i-v-i-n.
Define your minimum viable product.
Once you’ve reflected on your strategy, values, needs, and brand, it’s time to start shopping. I like to approach this shopping excursion similar to Eric Ries’ definition of “minimum viable product”. “In his book The Lean Startup, Ries explains; “The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort.”
In other words, don’t overcomplicate it. Technology is supposed to make your life easier…just buy what’s going to have the biggest impact on your team and save the shiny penny for your next funding round.
Integrate, but not at the expense of user experience.
A long time ago, I tried to shop for a SaaS-based HRIS by determining which one had the most integrations. I figured I was getting the most bang for my buck. You can guess what I discovered in the demo…the system had ‘all the things’ but the experience was rubbish. They weren’t experts at any one thing, which rendered the product average at best.
Meh.
I was lucky to have someone give me advice early on; integrations are cool. They help provide a seamless experience, but employees would rather click between two platforms for the sake of a better user experience within the tool. It’s all about the destination.
Yes, UX matters.
Walk in the shoes of your team (or prospective team). The technology you provide tells a story about your company experience, whether it’s accurate or not. For instance, if you’re a candidate that just took a job with a tech startup that markets itself as being intuitive and progressive, imagine your surprise when their onboarding software is riddled with downloadable PDFs to “scan” back to them. It sets the tone and it’s not a good one.
Book demos strategically.
Your time is valuable so book your demos based on the strategic direction you set ahead of time. Not in the market for a gifting platform, but some salesperson offers you a gift card just for going through a demo?
⛔️ Don’t do it.
Gift yourself the extra hour of your time and theirs. Spend your time seeking out demos from companies that fit your strategic direction and need. Be a hero. The long-term gains for you and your team far surpass the value of that gift card.
Sleep on it.
Had a demo and you're stoked about it? Don’t run to your CFO just yet. Walk around with the decision for a day or two. Research other alternatives. Get pricing from their competitors. Speak with peers and community forums.
In short, think like an entrepreneur. If this was your company, would you spend the money on it or prioritize that spend somewhere else?
Want help?
The world of people and HR technology is rapidly expanding and particularly noisy right now. It can be absolutely overwhelming if you let your technology aspirations get out of control. You know that old saying, “See the forest through the trees”? Building your people tech stack takes just that mentality. Focus, a plan, and a little bit of (let’s face it) discipline will set you up for growth in the long run.
Need help building out your people tech stack? Feel free to reach out to me at marnie@marnierobbins.com to see if I can help.
