Webster Buchanan Research http://www.websterb.com/newsfeed/websterb_eng.xml Webster Buchanan's Human Capital Insider en-us Thu, 10 May 2007 22:51:58 -0400 Thu, 10 May 2007 22:51:58 -0400 60 f321f4a773d785df http://www.websterb.com/articles.php?ID=f321f4a773d785df The concept of supplying software as a hosted 'service' - where users access it online rather than installing it on their own machines - has usually been viewed as something for small and midsized businesses. But now, says Phil Wainewright, larger companies are also showing interest 7e649c674de695f2 http://www.websterb.com/articles.php?ID=7e649c674de695f2 Shared services centres can help organisations reduce their HR and payroll costs - but they're not always easy to get off the ground. One UK county council has seen both the challenges and the potential benefits d2871c535b7091ce http://www.websterb.com/articles.php?ID=d2871c535b7091ce How closely do you control the money you spend on contractors? Do you know who the highest performers are - and which ones you should never hire again? And are you exposed to legal risks? Contractor management is big business, but it's one of the most overlooked parts of the people management equation 5f99c3a66490d537 http://www.websterb.com/articles.php?ID=5f99c3a66490d537 Using internet-based HR self-service is a great way to gather employee data - but how do you get people to use it? At the Primary Group insurance firm, a combination of practical employee benefits and the harsh reality of payroll accuracy did the trick 7a896ffef36c431a http://www.websterb.com/articles.php?ID=7a896ffef36c431a Comparing the price of different software packages is about much more than calculating licence fees. The cost of getting systems up and running varies widely - and that's before you start forking out on maintaining and upgrading them. 26websterb http://www.websterb.com/blog.php?channel=hcm It's refreshing to hear that the 'Big Bang' approach to getting people management software up and running hasn't died. For all the talk about best practices and phasing in software, sometimes you've just got to get the stuff in there and make it happen. 25websterb http://www.websterb.com/blog.php?channel=hcm Forget for a moment all that stuff about Human Capital Management and the strategic role of HR - we seem to have a problem with humble HR administration. Even in the hire-and-fire culture of the US, sacking problem employees is becoming more and more difficult, largely because businesses aren't getting the basics of performance management right. 24websterb http://www.websterb.com/blog.php?channel=hcm How much can you learn about people management from your desktop printer? Not a lot when it comes to the finer points of performance management, succession planning and retention strategies - and not much about best practice, either, to be honest. But understanding the way the printer industry works could save you a lot of pain when you next buy HCM software. 23websterb http://www.websterb.com/blog.php?channel=hcm The work being done by Debbie Whitaker at Standard Chartered Bank demonstrates just how much people management has got in common with accounting. When it comes to reporting, any old bean counter can trot out numbers - but there's a real skill in making the numbers meaningful. 22websterb http://www.websterb.com/blog.php?channel=hcm When was the last time you calculated the value your employees contribute, hard and soft, on a spreadsheet? Sure it's tough to do - in fact, it's impossible to perfect. But it helps if you're trying to ensure your pay structure owes less to the constraints of your planning and budgeting tools, and more to the contribution of the people it's supposed to reward.