Five things to consider after go-live of your new HR system
A major milestone: your new HR system is live! You've put a lot of effort into selecting and configuring it. Success seems guaranteed, right? However, even after the ‘go live,’ there are still some important considerations. What should you keep in mind to ensure a smooth landing for your new HR system? Think of it primarily as a change management process, advises Digital HR Consultant Valentijn Rath. Here are some practical tips for managing expectations and avoiding pitfalls as you transition smoothly.
1. Stabilize the Performance of Your New HR System
No matter how well a system is designed and tested, it may experience some teething problems. This isn’t unusual, but it’s something to monitor closely, especially in the first few weeks after go-live. Are your HR processes and integrations working as expected? Where might they be falling short? Most HR systems offer tools to monitor and report on performance, allowing you to quickly see where there’s room for improvement.
2. Establish a Governance Model for Managing Your HR System
Who is responsible for changes to your new HR system? Even after the initial stabilization period, the system will continue to evolve—whether because more users are added or their needs change over time. Anticipate these changes and establish clear guidelines on how modifications to the HR system will be handled and who will execute them.
3. Ensure Your User Support is Well-Organized
A new HR system means a new way of working, which requires some adjustment. Even though employees were trained beforehand, they haven’t yet used the system in their day-to-day work. Provide ongoing support to help users navigate the system and ensure they have a place to turn for questions. Consider creating an online knowledge base, a practical checklist on your intranet, or sending out a weekly newsletter with tips. If you have a service desk with ticketing, determine how quickly you’ll respond to tickets and who will handle the inquiries—your internal team, your IT provider, an external HR expert, or a combination of these? Find the solution that works best for your organization.
It’s also crucial to maintain contact with your IT provider post-implementation. Prepare scenarios in advance and make clear agreements about roles and responsibilities. For example, what happens if the system turns out to be more complex for users than anticipated? How can your IT provider assist in such cases?
4. Tailor Your Communication for Different User Groups
The adoption of your new HR system takes time. Typically, it takes six to twelve months before users operate the system as intended. The goal is for users to become self-sufficient, which means three things: first, they know what to do with the system; second, they feel confident using it; and third, they see the benefits in their day-to-day work. An effective communication strategy can help boost adoption. When crafting this strategy, put yourself in the shoes of the different user groups. For instance, what’s the relevance of the system for recruiters? What about employees and managers? What are their specific needs? Use the ‘what’s in it for me’ approach as the foundation of your communication to each user group.
Start your communication before the implementation and keep users informed throughout. What will happen when? How is the project progressing? By consistently highlighting the system’s benefits and communicating small wins—such as faster HR processes or an expanding user base—you build trust. Using key users as ambassadors helps too, guiding users step by step through the journey.
5. Continue Supporting User Adoption
Implementing a new HR system is a change management process, and change often brings resistance. By involving users in the process design, you’ve already paved the way for smoother adoption. But what if unexpected resistance arises after go-live? Be prepared for this. Offer users opportunities to provide feedback and suggest improvements—whether through short surveys, star ratings, or a feedback button in a newsletter. This not only helps you adjust the system to meet evolving needs, but it also ensures that the HR system stays in tune with your organization’s changes.
Consider who will handle the feedback—will it be the project group responsible for the implementation, or a special focus group to evaluate whether the system is functioning as intended?
Of course, you don’t need to overhaul your HR processes at the slightest critique. As mentioned, system adoption takes time, and users need a chance to get comfortable with it. The goal is to continuously refine your HR processes together, optimizing them for the benefit of everyone involved.
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