HR Service Matters: By: Mike Smith

The employee portal is the doorway to today’s HR services.  Most organizations have at least a first generation employee portal and many others have introduced (or they are well on their way) a second generation portal.  So, how do you show off what you have done to make your employee portal look easy and exciting to use?

That question made me think about the ways that employees and the management team learn about the variety of HR services available at their fingertips.  Let me challenge you to think creatively about how you show off what your team has done.  Making a big impression about ease-of-use and depth of services accessible is important if you want to increase adoption rates.  Also, having an astounding impact can be a big boon to the viral marketing of dazzling new capabilities.

I thought about the legendary product Shootouts that Bill Kutik has made famous at the HR Technology Conference.  There is a lot that HR service teams can learn from these Shootouts.  Reflecting on these demos reminds me that while demo skill is important, other tools can make a big difference in perception.  For example, in translating this perception goal to portals, consider taking the time to build a “movie” that shows off key features.  A simple video can help you drive excitement and hype about portal enhancements.

Looking over the reviews of the fall 2009 HR Technology Shootout reinforces the value of highlighting what you want your audience to see and engage.  Ron Hanscome’s blog (link below) shows some real insight into the power of a good demo.

http://tinyurl.com/ygb3m76

All of this makes you want to have a good repeatable demo that is engaging to watch.  Enhancing your demos might be a great place to start as you ready new HR service features.  And, next year when you attend the HR Technology Conference Shootout, consider viewing the alluring demos as a way to learn new ways to show off your own employee services.