What’s in your HR tech stack?

If I had to guess maybe… a little bloat?

TBH: I’ve used anywhere from one to ten HR tools and systems simultaneously. 

One was rough, ten was also… rough. 

Finding the magic combination of tools can feel like Goldilocks searching for the perfect chair, porridge or bed. 

Somewhat difficult. 

And sometimes you only really know when you’ve actively tried! 

But if you’re in HR systems hell then it’s time to rethink your HR tech stack.

Because a GREAT HR tech stack can: 

• Help streamline your processes 
• Enhance an employee’s experience
• Drive strategic decisions 

This week I’m going to break down how to think about your stack and in the following weeks I’m going to dive into specific system types and share my recommendations. What a time to be alive, full geek self mode ACTIVATED. 

Here’s how to get started rethinking your stack:

1. Audit your systems
2. Align with organizational goals 
3. Prioritize the user’s experience (employee + HR!)

Let’s look at what each entails. 

Audit your systems: 

^^ That’s me looking at your tech stack. 

A lot of us don’t get to choose our HR tools, we’re inheriting a stack that maybe we would never build! 

Then new tools are introduced and before you know it some Frankenstein style HR tech stack is born. 

I’ve been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when it comes to my tech stack. 

In order to avoid creating an evil monster of a tech stack, you should do an audit. 

My recommendation is to do an audit at least once a year, but if your business is evolving rapidly I’d consider smaller sprints quarterly or bi-annually. 

To do a tools audit consider:

• What functionality am I getting from this tool? 
• What are the user requirements? 
• What are some pain points about using this tool?
• What is easy about using this tool?
• Is there any duplication of functionality across all tools?
• What is the employee experience?
• What is the HR team’s experience?
• What is the cost per employee for this tool?
• Can this tool scale with the organization? 
• Does this tool solve a business need?
• Does this tool offer automation?

I know, I know that’s a lot of questions! 

But answering these questions about every tool in your tech stack will give you a lot of clarity on if that tool is worth the valuable real estate in your stack. 

With the answers to these questions you should be able to decide of your tools which to: 

• Keep
• Replace 
• Retire 

Then you should start to make moves, your HR tech stack can be fluid. In fact, if you have a rapidly changing business you’ll want your tech to be more agile. 

Don’t be afraid to test a tool and decide, it’s not working for your org! 

BTW: This list of questions is handy in assessing similar tools against each other. 

Aligning your tech with your objectives:

In the last few years organizations have been going through it!

Some orgs saw the years of hyperscale (2020-2022ish) to the years of lock it down (2022-now) and that 180 can give any organization whiplash. 

It’s one thing to onboard a tool to focus on a specific initiative then what if that initiative is no more???

Like onboarding a new ATS to help streamline and make your recruiting process more efficient but then being put on an indefinite hiring freeze. 

It is super important to align your tech with your organizational goals. 

To do this, you must be able to answer these 2 question: 

1. What are your company’s strategic objectives? 
2. What are your HR goals?

After answering those you could be able to return to your HR Tech stack with a critical eye. 

Any tool that doesn’t help achieve those goals consider giving it the boot. 

Prioritize the user’s experience:

Nothing slays my soul more than when an employee tells me they’ve never logged into a system. 

Or when the employee uses the system for 1 thing and hardly ever touches the rest of the beautiful functionality that you have searched high and low for. 

Why do we do the things that we do? BRB existential crisis coming on… 

But truthfully, that has happened more often than not. 

Do me a favor?  Ask your friends what HR software they use. Listen to what they say. Now imagine your employees saying something similar. How does that make you feel?

On the flipside nothing ruins my day faster than logging into a system I dread. 

So, if the employee hates the system and HR dreads logging into the system… WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?!

Probably not great things… 

When you’re thinking about your tech stack you have to prioritize the experience your employees and you are having!

Why?

Because you want to get the most out of the systems as possible! Without a good experience that would be a bad investment.

BTW: Over the next few weeks I’m going to share my top fave tools and what makes them stand out! 

What’s next: 

Submitted for the approval of the I Hate it Here society, I call this story… 

The Horrors of HR. 

Next week join me for a brief break and something fun! I’ll be sharing HR Horror stories submitted by your fellow IHIH’ers. 

Buckle up because some of these are truly horrific! 
Also a teeny tiny request… please share any thrilling or scary novels and movies I need to add to my list.