HRchitect released the first edition of this report in May 2008 and was the first in HRchitect's ongoing HCM Technology Reality Check series.  The main focus of The Suite Life is to provide readers with the real world perspective that has been gained through hundreds of software evaluation, selection, and implementation projects conducted by HRchitect consultants over the past decade. Also contained within the report are insightful summaries of the top ITM suite vendors in the industry.

We are putting the final touches on the 2010 version which will be available in January. The report can be yours for just $495 and we have a special holiday offer for you. Order the report before the end of 2009 and not only will be send you the 2010 report in January but we will send you a FREE copy of the first edition immediately so you don’t have to wait to get some valuable information on the benefits of Integrated Talent Management. Simply visit our web site to order.

 
Each of the 21 vendors summarized in The Suite Life were asked to complete a detailed survey outlining their products' capabilities, technology platform, global coverage, customer implementation, and major areas of differentiation.  These surveys, combined with reviews of each company's website and collateral and insights from HRchitect resulted in the vendor summary section of the report.

The report delivers a concise overview of the ITM software market, including dynamics, enterprise and mid-market segment characteristics, fundamentals of the vendor landscape, and critical ITM decision drivers. The report concludes with recommendations to help firms negotiate the complicated ITM landscape, and provides specific summaries of the major ITM software vendors that will give prospective buyers a head start in evaluating "best fit" solutions for their organization.

For a flavor of the report, here is an excerpt from the Executive Summary:

Executive Summary

Integrated Talent Management (ITM) is a major focus for many organizations today and the market for ITM software has continued to grow despite the economic downturn.  In the current economic environment, consumers and businesses are spending less, tax revenues are down in the public sector and organizations are under pressure to deliver innovative products and services faster with fewer people.  These economic challenges have increased the need for executives to effectively measure and monitor both organizational and individual performance.  Accessing the health of an organization’s talent pools and knowing which employees have the critical competencies required to achieve the organization’s goals is becoming increasingly important. 

The U.S. unemployment rate reached 10.2 percent in October 2009 and with 15.7 million people unemployed, organizations currently have plenty of candidates, however, finding qualified talent is still a challenge in many industries.  As the global economy recovers over the next several years, the demand and competition for skilled labor will increase.  Although labor shortages may be offset in part by Baby Boomers who delay their retirement due to the stock market decline and the continued use of a growing supply of offshore labor, the future trends still project potential shortages in critical skilled positions.  

The workforce is also changing and now includes several generations, each of which brings its own unique perspectives, attitudes, and values about work.  The Baby Boomers climbed the corporate ladder by working hard, communicating in person and a ‘live to work’ ethic.  Generation X (born between 1965 – 1980) is moving into middle management, but does not have the experience of the Baby Boomers. This generation needs to be developed, ‘works to live’ and wants a work-life balance including flexible schedules. 

Clearly the personal computer, Internet, email, mobile phone, texting and social software technologies have changed how all of us are doing business today.  Generation Y (born between 1981 – 1994) and also known as the “Millennials” seems to be phenomenal at being able to use all of them at the same time.  This generation has joined the workforce demanding a fast-paced environment where creativity and independent thinking are encouraged. Generation Y grew up with access to the Internet in their homes, personal cell phones, instant messaging, social networking and information at their fingertips.  They are bringing their technology tools, ability to quickly find and share information on the Web and collaborative external networks into the workplace raising new concerns related to the loss of productivity and company intellectual property.  This new generation is confident, collaborative and wants learning and growth opportunities. 

In addition, the workforce continues to become more global, diverse and distributed.  Companies are expanding by opening office locations around the world and establishing corporate partnerships and alliances that add a new dimension to the ‘virtual’ workplace. To bridge these distances in space and time, organizations are increasingly implementing internal social software to connect scattered employees opening up the opportunity for building relationships that yield knowledge sharing, productivity increases, and opportunities for professional development.

In response to the changing workforce and need to attract, develop and retain talent, organizations are evaluating and implementing ITM suites. The ITM software market is beginning to mature with several leading ITM vendors now delivering a competitive depth of functionality in 2 or 3 of the components in the integrated suite, however, there is not a mature ITM suite vendor yet with competitive offerings in each component. The HCM software vendors are enhancing their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suites to include ITM features, however, they still lag the ITM suite vendors in breath and depth of functionality. 

Many organizations are attempting to weave disparate HR processes and technologies into a comprehensive ITM approach to maximizing workforce performance. For most firms this is a challenging, multi-year project that involves strategy development, process redesign, change management, and implementation of supporting technologies. Organizations face a bewildering array of technology solution providers who claim to deliver comprehensive ITM suites, and it is often difficult to separate vendor hype from the realities that customers experience as they try to implement these systems.

 

To pre-order the 2010 report, please fill out the form below.  An invoice will be sent to the email provided.  As soon as payment is received, the 2009 edition will be delivered to you.  The 2010 edition will be published in January 2010 and will be sent to the email address provided on the publishing date.  Contact Tiffany Appleby with any questions.