In this series, we're covering 19 detailed steps you can (and should) take, throughout 5 clearly defined stages, and how you can best approach completely auditing your existing screening program, vetting new vendors, and ultimately rebuilding your program to solve for all you needs.
It will help you understand the big picture and how you can best propose new solutions to optimize HR in your organization. The business case you build will include realistic expectations and clear understanding of resource needs to be successful.
Yesterday we talked about the first stage in rethinking your screening program, workflow, vendors, and overall strategy.
Today, we’ll be looking at the next stage, which involves the actual planning.
In the planning stage, you’ll begin work with all your SME’s, vendors, and stakeholders to build teams, plans, and expectations. At the end of this stage, all stakeholders should feel comfortable with the go-forward strategy, as a realistic and attainable roadmap for success.
We’ve broken out this stage into 6 key steps:
In this step, you’ll be using requirements gathered in the Pre-planning/Due Diligence phase to create a transition team dedicated to the migration project.
Vault can help you identify and assemble the optimal team to ensure your seamless migration. An assigned Transition Team Leader should continue to act as the project lead throughout the migration, facilitating tasks, communication, etc., that are necessary at different points of the process. The team will communicate directly with SME’s and outside vendors as needed, ensuring smooth progression of the project from start to finish.
By developing and maintaining a well-defined change management plan now, you can help prevent slowdowns and frustration typically present in any software platform change.
Your Transition Team Leader should help gather and define the goals and objectives of the migration plan. Upon making sure all stakeholders agree with those goals, the plan can be created. The plan, along with expectations and process can then be explained to all SME’s and stakeholders.
In this step you will be developing your migration timeline and demonstrable milestones to set expectations and measure project success throughout the stages. Work closely with all internal and external stakeholders to double check you have a clear understanding of what is involved with each step and provide detail when planning your deliverables. Create demonstrable milestones at logical steps throughout the project to make sure you are staying on track. Communicate any obstacles or changes as soon as possible so everyone remains in the loop on progress.
Vault can work with your team to create a realistic project plan and expectations. Timelines and milestones should be realistically set, and regular status meetings put on the calendar. SMEs will be given tasks and needs, allowing adequate time for proper planning for when they will be needed. The project timeline should be adjusted as necessary throughout, and an up-to-date version should always be accessible for all stakeholders to review throughout.
Creating a Risk Mitigation Plan will prepare your organization for any potential IT issues that may arise, by effectively conducting a thorough risk assessment, and creating a mitigation strategy prior to beginning the actual integration and migration.
Vault will work with your team to identify any foreseeable risks involved in the project from the screening platform perspective. Your organization will benefit from Vault’s experience in similar projects combined with internal risk known by your IT team. The Transition Team Leader should then work with appropriate SMEs to develop a robust risk mitigation plan prior to undertaking the actual integration and implementation.
Now that your plan is set, you can begin reviewing, contacting, cancelling, and/or renegotiating appropriate vendor relationships and contracts as necessary to ensure a smooth, manageable, and transparent migration.
Vault will work with your Transition Team Leader and SMEs to better understand your current process and vendor relationships. Often, these existing relationships and contracts can remain unchanged. However, should there be any additional requirements and or vendor relationships necessary, they should be presented to key stakeholders before the project commences.
While evaluating the current state of IT landscape in HR/Screening systems, you will most likely encounter areas which can be optimized, minimized or decommissioned as necessary. Eliminating redundancies or unnecessary vendors and contracts often yields unexpected cost savings in your overall HR Tech spend.
Vault can work closely with your Transition Team Leader and IT team to ensure you have the right technology, infrastructure, and software in place to support the new integration and program. Additionally, we will identify areas you may be able to retire, ultimately avoiding application/resource bloat and saving money moving forward.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, where we will share 4 steps to get through Stage 3: IT Integration. You'll learn how to successfully implement and test the plans you developed in Stage 2.
Below are links to all stages for this program:
We've mentioned Vault helping you along the way. We are currently offering a free comprehensive 30 minute program review which can help you make sure there are no red flags. A clearly defined program and policy ensures consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in your hiring process. Schedule today and we'll step through every aspect of your program and where you may be able to improve. There is no obligation or risk involved, and you'll receive a free report you can review with team members following the consultation.
The information and opinions expressed are for educational purposes only and are based on current practice, industry related knowledge and business expertise. The information provided shall not be construed as legal advice, express or implied. Consult with legal counsel before any action is taken or not taken in relation to information disseminated in this resource.