I like to use the parable of the six blind wise Men to illuminate the variety of opinions available on a single topic. Proximity to the problem often befuddles the judgment. Anyhow, someone was kind enough to forward this version. It’s useful to keep a copy handy. It is particularly useful when examining the opinions [...]

You may not have noticed but they make fun of HR people behind their backs. HR people think orthogonally to the rest of the business. The speak differently. Historically they focus on processes and not results. They worry about compliance and misunderstand performance. They use weird language.

This year’s HR buzzword is Engagement.

Savvy employees understand that engagement is a code word for “No raises this year.” That’s because an engaged workforce is less motivated by money and more motivated by the pure joy of work. Which accounts for the sky-rocketing level of executive comp.

Engagement deserves clearer thought than it is currently getting.

Here are five links to move the conversation forward.

I recently received a piece of email for a sourcing conference that teaches people how to find passive candidates. Tired of debunking this ridiculous notion, I went out to lunch at a local pub in search of a physical unit. After looking high and low, I realized that passive candidates probably all bring their lunch [...]

The HR SaaS Consortium Free Thought Leader Webinar #2–All Attendees Get 75% Off HR Demo Show Tix. Free Webinar Sign Up Panelists include: David Parent, Deloitte Consulting Principal in Human Capital Management. Dr. Katherine Jones of ICS, HR SaaS Advisor and Author John Sumser of HR Examiner, Chair of the HR Demo Show and HRO [...]

And, it hardly ever worked. It turns out that customization forces you to live withoutmoded processes until you can afford to fix them. You own the software but haveto feed an army of independent contractors. Enterprise software with lots of customization turned out to be a build your ownprison kit. You designed it, paid for it, and lived with the consequences.

SaaS is usually presented as a low cost alternative to self-incarceration. With nocapital investment and a month to month lease, it’s easy to get in and out of. Thebest news, according to many sources, is that the software can be rapidly modified.All clients are always at the latest revision.

That’s either a wonderful world or Alice’s Wonderland.

All manner of HR software is now delivered as SaaS: Performance Management, Talent Acquisition, Recruiting, Training, Talent Management, Applicant Tracking Systems, Incentive MAnagement, Compensation Analysis, Payroll. The question is not whether you’ll have SaaS tools but when. It’s not a straightforward change.

Here are the five most difficult realities: