Who Moved My HR Software?

Transcription

1 Who Moved My HR Software? By Peter Gold How to navigate the cloudy world of technology In association with

2 First published 2011 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Who Moved My HR Software? (ebook) P. Gold ISBN (English version) Copyright 2011 Lumesse Ltd Lumesse Ltd Tempus Court Onslow Street Guildford Surrey GU1 4SS United Kingdom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of the copyright holder) except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act Applications for the copyrights holder s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the author. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents are correct, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained herein. All content was originated by the author. Printed in the United Kingdom Published by Context Products Ltd 53 Mill Street Packington Ashby de la Zouch Leicestershire LE651WN United Kingdom

3 About the author After 20 years in employee land Peter Gold set off into the maze of self-employment at the height of the first dotcom boom. He built his first recruitment software product in 1999, but it wasn t really software as there was nothing to install; it was only available over the Internet. All you needed was a web browser and an ISDN line and you were ready to go. This concept is now familiar, although back then it was called ASP (Application Service Provider) whereas now it s called SaaS (Software-as-a-Service). Selling up in 2002 he became a recruitment software paper millionaire, only to see his fortune turn to dust in Without stopping to lick his wounds he snubbed a return to employee land and ventured forth into the lonely world of business consulting, with the aim of convincing organisations to use Internet technologies and web software to underpin their people strategies. Peter has successfully helped a number of enlightened organisations use technology to help people perform better and can often be found sharing his latest thoughts at conferences and workshops. His direct and uncompromising approach to technology, has led to his established reputation as one of Europe s leading talent technology bloggers.

4 Why write this book? This book is not just about HR software. It s about how different aspects of business software have changed and how you can navigate your way through the confusion of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) versus on-premise systems. As technology moves so fast, opinions are divided about what determines a true SaaS product. So this book serves to explain some of the key principles for a business user, rather than define the exact technical aspects. For simplicity we have used the term SaaS to represent a system that is a subscription-only service, which cannot be customised, and on-premise for a system that is licenced and can be customised, yet can be hosted internally by the IT department or externally by the supplier. We hope the rest will make sense from this starting point. So take some time to follow this journey of discovery, which may help demystify the world of business software. Then, when you are in the market for some SaaS or an on-premise system, you will know the options so you can make the right choice. It s a somewhat light-hearted journey, with a few well-placed quips to keep you entertained. You may recognise some of the characters or places you encounter along the way. You may even think the story is about you. But fear not, the worst that can happen is that you find yourself in amongst the multi-tenants and self-configurations, with rain pouring from the clouds, and not knowing which way to turn. You will not be alone, of course, so just keep turning the pages as clarity and safety will never be far away. Every cloud has a silver lining. Enjoy the journey.

5 5 Who Moved My HR Software? Introduction Henry Steel loved to dream and as a child was often accused of having his head in the clouds. Little did he realise how major a part clouds would play in his new role as COO of B&S, the 300-year-old German consumer goods company. Just like his last company, NormCo PLC, B&S was once a market leader, but it is now starting to see its market share nibbled away by Internet start-ups and international retailers. But B&S is not alone. Many other established organisations are struggling to come to terms with how Internet technologies and social networks are changing the way they need to think and behave, and are seeking out people like Henry to help them find a new path to success. Which is why Henry finds himself searching for answers in a technological maze, where software and data have started to move from the computer and into the cloud. B&S wants to know what options he has to mix the old with the new to get the right answers. This book is about the changing world of business software and how Peter, Ingrid and Bruno help, and sometimes hinder, Henry on his quest to save B&S from extinction.

6 Chapter I B&S

7 7 Chapter I Henry Steel, newly appointed COO of B&S, the nodding dog in seat 4C, finally awoke as the wheels hit the runway at Hamburg airport. He rubbed his eyes and looked out of the window at the thick dark clouds in the sky. Heavy rain started to fall. Great welcome to Germany, he thought. The perfect German planning could have given me a bit of sunshine for the first day of my new life. Or were the dark clouds some kind of omen? Getting from the plane to arrivals proceeded with the expected German efficiency and as he walked through the arrivals gate his driver was waiting, ready to whisk him off to his swanky hotel suite. It was very different from his house back in England, which he had painstakingly created with a top architect to his exact design. Now he had to find a home all over again, in a new country. This time the stakes were not so high, as he had decided to rent rather than buy. Henry hoped the German real estate agent, Claudia, would be able to find him something interesting. The next day, Claudia arrived promptly and brought with her a strict property viewing itinerary that started at midday and finished six hours later, culminating with dinner in the hotel restaurant; booked in advance of course. After dinner Claudia got the conversation onto business. So what did you think of the apartments? she asked. Well, said Henry, they were all very nice, but they all looked exactly the same to me. Same colour scheme. Same kitchen design. Same room layout. Same, same, same. As you know, in England I had something a little more unique.

8 8 Chapter I Not surprisingly, the apartments were all very modern and fully serviced, which was what he thought he wanted. The best block included everything from designer kitchens to a private fitness centre and was more flexible on choice than the others while still being fully serviced. Each year tenants suggested and voted on upgrades to the services, and the top choices were added automatically at no extra cost. They were already adding faster broadband and there was even talk of a swimming pool. Henry took another look at the brochure. Not only were these the best apartments, but the location was perfect for Head Office. Like all the buildings you ve seen today, this one has multi-tenant occupancy, so the landlord can keep his costs down. He adds new services for everyone at the same time, rather than having to work on individual requirements. Of course, you don t have to use the new services, but at least you know they are there. You won t have to worry about finding good, trustworthy tradesmen to maintain or update anything, like you did with your house. Claudia was doing her sales pitch. Even the agreement is very simple as you are only renting. No need to worry about selling when you want to move on. It s all designed to be quick and simple. Henry knew the idea of a fixed monthly rental that included maintenance, upgrades and even cleaning made sense, considering how busy he would be at B&S. He couldn t believe he was seriously considering an off-the-shelf apartment which he could just move into pretty much

9 9 Chapter I overnight; not at all like designing and building his own house. Give me a couple of days and I ll make a decision, Henry replied. This would be one of the easier decisions he had to make over the next year. B&S would also be considering renting versus buying, albeit for software rather than buildings, and that decision might prove to be more of a challenge. At least the rain had stopped for now.

10 10 Who Moved My HR Software? Have you enjoyed the first chapter? Henry has only just arrived in Germany but there s a lot more for him to do. If you like the story so far and would like to get the entire book please visit the Lumesse website at Who Moved My HR Software? is available to download in the following languages: English, German, French and Chinese. It is also available in multiple formats to suit your requirements: as a PDF, a digital book in Kindle or epub (ipad & iphone) formats and even in audio allowing you to sit back, close your eyes and listen (English only).

11 11 Who Moved My HR Software? About Lumesse * Lumesse is the only global company making talent management solutions work locally. They help companies around the world implement successful local talent management initiatives that identify, nurture and develop the right people, in the right places, at the right time; helping CEOs sleep at night. Their multi-cultural background and presence means they understand that people like Henry, Peter, Bruno and Ingrid need to deliver business solutions that work the way their employees work, as individuals and as teams, because no two people, organisations or cultures are the same. They regard differences as strengths, not as obstacles. Like Henry, they know that one size does not fit all. The Lumesse vision is to let our customers decide what s right for them, not tell them what we think they need. Some companies want a solution to a single problem in a single country; others want a complete integrated talent management system for a global business. Some companies are comitted to SaaS; others want to run their own systems or have us host them in secure data centres. That s fine by us, because we think choice is important. 1,700 companies work with Lumesse in over 70 countries because they recognise that commitment, innovation and value only come from people. Lumesse helps companies to unlock and inspire the human potential in their businesses. Its integrated talent management solutions are comprehensive, intuitive, secure and fully internationalised into over 50 languages. * formerly StepStone Solutions

12 Disclaimer All characters appearing in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No clouds were harmed during the writing of this book.

13 About this book This is the second in the Lumesse Who Moved My book series inspired by the bestselling book Who Moved My Cheese? Again it takes a light hearted approach to exploring how the different aspects of business software, whether that is HR, Marketing or Production, have changed and how you can navigate your way through the confusion of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Using examples to help demystify this cloudy world of technology you will have a much clearer understanding to enable you to make the right decision for your business. Do you opt for SaaS, on-premise or a combination? Let Henry and his friends take you on a journey of discovery to find the answer. About the author Peter has successfully helped a number of enlightened organisations use technology to help people perform better and can often be found sharing his latest thoughts at conferences and workshops. His direct and uncompromising approach to technology has led to his established reputation as one of Europe s leading Talent Technology bloggers. About Lumesse * Lumesse is the only global company making talent management solutions work locally. They have offices and partners in more than 40 countries, covering EMEA, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. To find your nearest office and talk to someone who speaks your language, visit: * formerly StepStone Solutions In association with ISBN Published by context