Periodically your Workforce Ready (WFR) platform needs a tune-up, which in the Kronos world is called optimization. Committing to an optimization initiative ensures your technology is still meeting enterprise goals as well as its intended ROI. Because WFR is a cloud-based platform, Kronos releases updates often, which a consistent evaluation of optimization opportunities.

While a full optimization assessment goes in-depth, this abbreviated overview will give you an idea of the potential scope of a WFR optimization plan

Phase I

Understand What is Needed (Where We Are)

This goal of this phase is to assess organizational readiness. Just a few vital questions to ask include:

• Is payroll included and will it be easy to integrate with optimization?
• Are recruiting and onboarding features included?
• What HR management needs can be handled more efficiently if we optimize?
• Compliance: Will this optimization help strengthen our compliance with COBRA, ERISA, FLSA, OSHA, and other statutes and regulations?

Phase II

Gather Requirements (Our Project Data)

In this phase, it’s essential to be able to access and gather employee data that may be impacted by an optimization initiative. Some of those records include:

• Employee records: Records, personal files, self-service, compensation, role history.
• Time-off management: Custom policies, automated balance tracking, calendar integrations, automatic payroll deductions, employee and manager self-serve
• Payroll management: Full-service payroll processing, payroll provider, integrations, unified HR and payroll data, secure file sharing, year-end processing.
• Recruiting and onboarding: Custom-branded job site, syndication to online job boards, email integration, invite third-party users, one-click onboarding.
• Performance management: Customizable surveys and review templates, progress tracking.
• Benefits management: Carrier data sync, employee self-service, payroll process integration.
• Reports: Preconfigured and custom reports, payroll reconciliation reports, exports to CSV, and PDF.
• System operations: Employee and manager self-service, mobile-friendly access, industry-level security standards, product updates, service packs, automated benefits, and payroll enrollments.

Phase III

Plan and Define Objectives (Where We Want to Be)

In this phase, we identify the organizational processes and/or pain points your WFR platform should be able to resolve. This phase should:

• Identify organizational processes/challenges WFR can address and what it can’t.
• Identify existing WFR functionality and what functionality doesn’t exist.
• Establish an optimization timeline that can be modified as research evolves.
• Discuss the potential need for Change Management as part of your overall optimization budget.

Phase IV

Involve Stakeholders (The People the Project Will Impact)

Getting everyone on board will be critical to the success of any optimization plan. Clear communication and inclusion of stakeholders will be essential. Be sure to:

• Present the business case for your new WFR Optimization Plan to upper management (organizational benefits, estimated budget and timeline, cost/benefits analysis, the opportunity cost for not investing in an optimization).
• Meet with all future users of the optimization to discuss how the new system will benefit their working lives and to get some feedback on your tentative training plan.

Phase V

Create Your Internal Project Team (The Project Rock Stars)

Behind every successful project is a carefully chosen, well-organized project team. Identify individuals who have the time, skills, and enthusiasm to see the project through. Build your team by asking:

• What are the different functional roles for the project team?
• How many people must possess each essential skill set for the project to progress on your required timeline?
• Which team members will be assigned full time and which team members will be rotating from their other duties within your organization? What will be the time requirements for these rotating employees?
• Identify and hire certified Kronos strategic support/planning/implementation consultants.

Phase VI

Create a Process Map for Executing Optimization (Let’s Get It Done)

This phase is in response to the findings of the preceding steps. Now that you've identified what functionality enhancements are needed to get your WFR platform from Here to There, a map will launch your optimization plan. This phase includes:

• Preparation: Launch your optimization initiative on a good note. Prepare the project team and have a pre-launch team dinner or outing for team building (this doesn’t have to be costly).
• Implementation planning: This step includes data integration and migration from all internal and external sources, HR workflow, and processes creation.
• Going live: Final pre-live testing, begin training of all system users, integration into operations in phases by the functional team, manage transition within the organization and HR department.
• Post-live evaluation and support: Assign internal support staff and begin long-term support contracts with your chosen Kronos partner. Also, assess system performance against original project objectives.
• Post-live training: Create a target date to have all users fully trained on new functionality, identify additional training needs, assign the most knowledgeable project team members to assist people responsible for further training employees.
• Testing post-live performance: Get feedback from stakeholders and WFR users on the optimization process and the new improvements. Also, test data quality, workflows, automated processes, modules, 3rd party integrations, GUI, and overall functionality.
• Celebrate project success: Acknowledge the planning and time your team invested in the optimization project. Marking the end of a successful project will keep the momentum going and set the tone for your next initiative.