How Application Management Services Enable HR Innovation

As the demand for newer, more capable HR technology shows no sign of slowing down and new technology comes online, one of our favorite sayings rings true:

“Digital transformation won’t stop and wait for you to catch up.”

2023 presents enormous challenges, and HR must “adapt quickly and decisively to survive and thrive” this year. We would put it this way: the war for talent is over, and employee experience has won.

But Josh Bersin warns that we need a fresh approach. There will be disruption even if you follow the tried-and-true change management process.

“We need to change the paradigm and move away from a focus on management to one that facilitates change and supports employees along the way.”

— Josh Bersin, It’s time to rethink how we approach change, HR Executive, February 17, 2022.

Typically, change management efforts center on methods and processes that consider human nature only in the abstract. We call them early adopters, followers, and laggards, treating them like groups instead of individuals.

However, with effective two-way communication and employee involvement in the change, we quickly adapt to small changes nearly constantly. So, Bersin says, “incremental changes, over time, result in significant change.”

What does AMS have to do with innovation?

Typically, AMS has been about stabilization and cost control, enabling HR to

• Attain stable and predictable application performance;
• Enjoy more efficient operations;
• Get relief from the difficulties, staffing, and demands of frequent software updates.

You can avoid service disruptions with well-defined service level agreements (SLAs). AMS teams have insights into your operations, enabling them to make timely recommendations for changes or upgrades.

New Challenges, New Capabilities

Now, HR faces new challenges that require much more. Workforce burnout and resignations are up, and HR budgets and headcount are declining. Technologies are expanding, and HR needs to take advantage of them now.

AMS is moving away from transactional efficiency to support HR’s transformation into a strategic partner. Maintenance and efficiency are now the foundation for the evolution into strategic value services.

The Innovation Benefits of AMS

The most valuable AMS service is having the right skills when you need them.

A savvy AMS partner will anticipate your needs and maintain a skilled labor pool to meet them through partnerships with staffing firms, specialized consultants, and internal talent pools.

From making a slight tweak in your onboarding app to upgrading your core systems or creating a custom solution, an AMS partner will reduce ramp-up time, help you control costs, and speed up your time to value.

Process Improvements

Your weekly meetings with your AMS team allow you to explore improving your workflows. Your provider will have suggestions on optimizing your processes.

Much of the value of HR technology goes unused. Your provider will have application experts who can guide you in realizing new value in your apps. If you need a custom tweak to your software, your AMS will have experts who can build a custom workflow or applet to give you a solution that works with, but independently of, your primary app.

For example, a global sports vehicle company used the news page in its LMS to create an onboarding self-tracking tool for sales teams. It lowered their new hire attrition by over 60% and boosted revenue because they learned the new role faster.

Integrations

If applications are the heart of your business, data is its lifeblood, and integrations are the arteries that carry it to where you need it. Your AMS team will have integration specialists on tap who can improve the data flow in our existing apps, help you organize your data streams, or integrate new technologies into your current stack.

New Technologies

Small, agile companies and new unicorns create new capabilities that an established vendor may not have for months or years. One example is the new talent marketplace that helps your people prepare for and connect to internal opportunities.

Your AMS team will have the resources to give new apps seamless connections to your existing platform. Also, your provider will assist you in exploring the capabilities of your system updates to make sure you don’t miss out on improvement opportunities.

Core Systems Upgrade

When it’s time to consider upgrading or replacing technology, your AMS team’s connections to independent consultants will give you a head start and an advantage in filtering through the hype and choosing the right solution. They also have specialists and implementation teams to make your improvements work for you.

Do More

With a well-connected AMS team, you can do much more than keep things running smoothly.

• Get more value from your existing tech stack.
• Take advantage of your vendors’ new features as they arrive, not "later."
• Take advantage of emerging trends to stay ahead of your competitors.

Innovation isn’t magic or luck. It’s the result of taking the proper steps to experiment and improve.

About Pixentia

Pixentia is a full-service technology company dedicated to helping clients solve business problems, improve the capability of their people, and achieve better results.