Engineering a Successful Integrated Talent Management (ITM) Implementation

While this is an extremely high-level overview of what it takes to help ensure a successful ITM implementation, it is by no means a comprehensive set of steps. HRchitect advises companies to go through a pre-implementation process before embarking on any kind of HR system implementation in order to ensure the highest level of success and take as much of the risk out of the project as possible. If you’d like to learn more, just let us know!

 

Each one of these areas requires its own level of thought but it’s a good framework for a successful ITM implementation which to be done right includes a top-down approach incorporating the following components:

 

• Philosophy Development – leading firms take the time to answer the big questions regarding the major goals and objectives to be achieved via ITM. They determine this philosophy based on the organization’s unique characteristics (e.g., workforce demographics, geographies, key job categories, business strategy) – resulting in a general approach for ITM that guides the other components.

 

• Strategy Development – based on the firm’s ITM philosophy, articulates the programs that will be put in place, how functional areas will work together, and the timelines for implementing redesigned processes and enabling technologies.

 

• High-Level Process Redesign – guided by the strategy, this component digs into the details of each ITM process and assesses which integration ‘leverage points’ are critical to success (see below) – resulting in a set of processes that are appropriately woven together and can more fully utilize available applications. It is important to note that a more detailed level of process redesign is also required; this is usually done after the ITM application(s) is/are selected.

 

• Technology Deployment – although process redesign needs to be done with a strong working knowledge of the capabilities of available technologies, specific application evaluation, selection and implementation should be the ‘tail’ of the ITM ‘dog,’ and be done after the philosophy, s

trategy and high-level process redesign components are completed.

 

It is important to note that this approach to ITM focuses on business goals and objectives (the “What”) before addressing lower-level concerns like processes and technologies (the “How”).

As a result, a firm can have multiple ITM technologies from disparate vendors, and still be executing an ITM strategy. This broader, more inclusive definition is key, given the state of the vendor marketplace that is attempting to fulfill the ITM vision of many organizations.

Solving a piece of the puzzle… 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect