Decusoft’s own Leslie O’Connell spends a lot of time discussing “process” with compensation professionals who are currently relying on Excel spreadsheets for managing their executive and variable pay scenarios. While some compensation management software users haven’t completely moved away from spreadsheets, they are certainly spending less time performing tasks manually. In addition, they have a more accurate and secure system – which makes them an internal champion. We thought we’d ask Leslie how some professionals use that productivity gain.
Q: What do compensation professionals do with the improved position they are in after they bring more automation to their compensation management process?
A: Well, there are a couple of positive changes that compensation management software users experience. Number one, they sometimes get a bump in their reputation for championing a process improvement. Number two, they spend less time managing spreadsheets and/or internal systems and/or HCM systems, so there is a productivity gain. We find that the drive to automate also goes hand in hand with a desire to lead their department to what some call “HR 2.0.” They quickly latch on to new ways to modernize other aspects of performance management, which is a lot easier to do when technology is your friend. They become better and more innovative analysts because they can run better “what if” scenarios. They provide audits on the fly, which enables them to be more responsive to trends they may not have been aware of previously. Overall, they contribute to a more “real time” culture within HR, in a department where responsiveness is key.
