Independent Assessment of Strategic Plans for New HR Initiatives

Client Challenge

A regional healthcare provider with 12,000 employees, working in 4 hospitals, 208 clinical settings and administrative offices originally needed an independent assessment of progress on the strategic plans for HR. The organization had grown significantly over the previous 10 years through acquisition and organic growth. Despite this growth, the HR staff and the HR technology remained largely the same. The organization was in the process of revamping the HR organization and had launched 5 individual initiatives. We were retained to determine if these initiatives were on track and moving in the right direction.

The Solution

Our analysis, which was based on data gathered by interviewing members of all 5 teams and reviewing project plans and project charter documents showed that the teams were on track but could use some additional cross functional communication and better project planning. The most significant finding of this study was that all 5 work teams were converging on and in need of new technology that could better support the resulting organization; the organization would need to determine the best technology strategy. Options included investing in the current 20-year-old highly customized solution, adding additional “best of breed” solutions or investing in new technology that could support the organization as it continued to grow.

Once the strategy of adding new technology was agreed, we were retained for a 2nd SOW to facilitate an independent vendor selection process with two incumbent vendors and one additional new vendor. The results of the selection process were a competitive and comparative cost analysis and client-driven assessment of each solution’s functionality and vendor’s abilities to meet the needs of the organization.

We were further retained on a 3rd SOW to run a competitive process to select the implementation provider. Once the implementation vendor was chosen, we were retained for the 4th and final SOW to provide full-scale program and project management during the 18-month implementation process.

The Results

• A technology strategy that is focused on a modern ERP capable of supporting the organization’s future needs that had defined links to the organization’s enterprise strategic initiatives.
• Objective vendor selection process that was client focused in which the client actively participated. The result: the client has made the decision and has buying to the ultimate success of the project.
• Creation of a staff augmentation budget.
• A six-month preparation process to get ready to move from on-premise to cloud computing. Led a client team through the documentation of current state HR processes and the evaluation of grand fathered past practices and policies in an attempt to simplify and harmonize.
• Program and project management for an 18-month implementation project, including development of change management assets (job aid videos).
• Worked with the client, vendor and implementation consultant to identify alternative solutions and workarounds for software deficiencies.

Practice Highlights

Assessing and Planning

• Thorough Discovery
• Objective analysis
• Detailed understanding of client requirements, needs, & wants.

Evaluation & Selection

• Understanding the vendor market place
• Objective evaluations
• Detailed cost analysis – truly understanding the numbers and terms of the contract
• Vendor Mgmt. skills
• Remain objective and independent

Implementation & Organization

• Management consulting skills (influence, motivation, relationship building, objective and facts based, vendor management
• Project Management skills
• Understanding the work and the Work Breakdown Structure
• Change Management

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