Workshop 12 (half day)
The Role of E-HR in Human Resource Transformation: Build, Buy, or Outsource, and at Least Twenty More Questions Answered
Presenters: Tom Ruddy, Siemens Corporation USA
Mike Christie, Hewitt and Associates
Coordinator: Joan Gutkowski, KPMG
Human resources departments throughout the world are striving to become more business oriented in order to play an enhanced role in driving business results. The rally cries for HR transformation are everywhere: “We want to become more of a business partner,” “We need to manage the intellectual capital of the organization,” and “We want a seat at the table.” The first step towards HR transformation is to free HR departments of routine and often mundane transactional work (e.g., payroll, standard reporting, maintaining HRIS systems, and processing transfers). Automating these transactions liberates HR to concentrate on higher value work such as talent and competency management, work force planning, employee engagement, and other strategic priorities. Automated HR transactions that facilitate manager and employee self-services have become possible in the last 10 years through advancements in enterprise database systems, data warehousing, and the explosion of Internet-based software and communication protocals.
Although the outcome of such transformation has great promise, the journey itself is difficult. Common questions include Where do I start? How much will I need to change existing processes before automating them? What is the basis of the business case? How much will it cost? How will I measure the return on investment? Will it really transform human resources? The purpose of the workshop will be to explore these questions and provide tools, resources, experiences, and answers that will help an organization on its journey to HR automation and transformation.
The workshop will pull from the experiences of Siemens USA multiyear journey to implement e-HR across 70,000 employees and 16 different business units as a first step in its HR transformation process. The workshop will also draw on the expertise of Hewitt and Associates work with over 100 clients who have experienced a similar journey. Participants will learn a variety of techniques for planning, designing, marketing, and executing an e-HR strategy as part of a larger HR transformation effort. In addition, the merits of building, buying, or outsourcing technology for specific HR processes and transactions will be debated in small group discussions. The workshop is aimed at HR practitioners who are either starting an e-HR project or who are in the midst of a larger scale HR transformation. The presenters will also draw on the expertise of the participants by engaging them as part of the dialogue and debate on the key questions outlined above.
The workshop is designed to help participants:
• Identify the business drives impacting the need for HR transformation and e-HR
• Develop a business case for e-HR
• Design, develop, and implement process changes necessary to enable a successful e-HR implementation
• Use tools for understanding build, buy, or outsource decisions regarding HR transformation
• Develop plans and measures for assessing the return on investment of an e-HR effort
• Avoid common pitfalls, barriers, and mistakes in HR transformation efforts
Tom Ruddy is the senior director of Executive Development and Learning for Siemens Corporation. His current responsibilities include the identification, development, and movement of talent within Siemens United States. He joined Siemens in June of 2000. Tom previously had responsibility in Siemens for the digitization of employee work processes including the deployment of Siemens global Employee View Portal as well as the e-enabling of human resource processes through the Siemens e-HR system. Prior to joining Siemens, Tom was appointed manager of Knowledge Management for Xerox Worldwide Customer Services in September 1997. At Xerox, he was responsible for developing knowledge management strategies for Customer Services; including the global deployment of “Eureka,” a system for the authoring and sharing of technical knowledge. In addition, he had responsibility for Xerox Empowered Team strategy for Worldwide Customer Services in over 35 countries. Prior to his time in customer services, he worked for 6 years in Xerox human resources in a variety of areas including employee selection, employee engagement, and succession planning. Tom has conducted extensive research in the areas of knowledge management, team effectiveness, total quality management, organizational structure, performance evaluation, employee retention, customer satisfaction, leadership development, and employee selection and assessment. He joined Xerox in 1984 as the manager of Selection Research for Xerox United States Customer Operations. He is currently the chairman of the board of The Mayflower Group. Tom received his PhD in I-O psychology from Bowling Green State University in 1989.
Mike Christie is a leader in Hewitt’s HR Outsourcing business and is located in Hewitt’s Lincolnshire office. Mike works with Hewitt clients to develop HR sourcing strategies, analyze internal HR operating environments, and explore various HR outsourcing models. Mike was involved in the development of Hewitt’s broader HR Outsourcing service offering and has been directly involved in developing outsourcing solutions for a number of Hewitt’s existing clients. Prior to his current role, Mike was a leader in Hewitt’s HR Effectiveness consulting practice where he advised clients on HR service delivery, technology, and shared services strategies. Mike holds a BA in journalism and philosophy from Marquette University.
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