Resources and FAQ

Settle these first. They make vendor demos far more useful.

• What problems are we trying to solve, and how will we know they’re solved?
• Which processes must the system handle: core HR, payroll, benefits, time, recruiting, or learning?
• Who will own the system day to day, and who needs access to what?
• Which reports do leaders and regulators rely on today?
• What data must move over, and how clean is it?
• What can the budget and calendar realistically support, including training and support after go-live?

A system project goes better when these are in place before configuration starts.

• A named project owner and an executive sponsor
• Documented current processes, including the workarounds
• A list of required reports and who uses them
• A data clean-up plan for worker, job, and pay records
• A defined security model: who sees and changes what
• A testing plan that uses real payroll and benefits scenarios
• A training and communication plan for employees and managers

Most mismatches have a simple cause. Check these before assuming the data is wrong.

• Do both reports use the same data source and the same population of workers?
• Are the effective or as-of dates the same?
• Are filters, prompts, and date ranges set the same way?
• Does the person running each report have the same security access?
• Do calculated fields or formulas count things the same way, such as terminated workers or pay components?
• Did the old report count something the new one doesn’t, or the other way around?

A quick test for any policy or procedure.

• Is it current with how you actually operate today?
• Is it written in plain language any employee can follow?
• Is it applied consistently across managers and locations?
• Can employees easily find it?
• Does it have an owner and a review date?

Policies or procedures that touch leave, pay, or discipline should also be reviewed by employment counsel.

If several of these sound familiar, a broad review is usually the best first step.

• The same HR question gets different answers depending on who you ask
• Key processes depend on one person who knows how they work
• Reports take manual work or can’t be trusted
• Onboarding or offboarding feels different every time
• Turnover or manager frustration is rising and the cause isn’t clear
• Growth or a system change has outpaced your processes

No. Workday is a large part of Lisa’s recent work, but Rethinking HR also works with ADP, Dayforce, Oracle Taleo, TriNet, BambooHR, and other HR systems. The firm also helps with HR work that has nothing to do with a system.

Benefit plan design and management, learning programs and systems, policy and procedure development, operations assessments, employee engagement and retention strategy, and leadership development training.

Rethinking HR has supported organizations from about 25 to more than 4,000 employees. Scope and approach are adjusted to your size.

Government contracting, manufacturing, civil engineering, construction, nonprofit, cybersecurity, healthcare, IT, telecom, and restaurant and hospitality.

Yes. Rethinking HR works with clients nationwide, and most engagements are done remotely.

HR, payroll, benefits, and security.

No. Rethinking HR provides HR consulting and can help you prepare policies and processes, but legal questions should go to your employment counsel.

That’s common. An HR operations assessment is designed for exactly that situation. A short call is also a good way to talk it through.