Your Workforce Management Resolutions for the New Year
As 2006 is quietly wrapping up, workforce managers are looking ahead to their 2007 business resolutions. Experts advise setting SMART goals for the New Year. SMART is an acronym for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
Specific goals define exactly what you intend to do. Reduce missing timesheets by 90% each period and lower overtime costs by 20% annually are examples of specific goals.
Measurable goals offer a yardstick with which the manager can determine the success or failure of the goal. A vague goal may be stated as, “We will make our payroll processes more efficient,” but a specific goal may say, “We will decrease the number of paycheck corrections 60% this year.”
Attainable means the goals are within reach. It may not be reasonable—or attainable—to “eliminate adjustments to prior period payroll runs," but it might be possible to “automate the prior-period adjustment process so that it is done correctly.”
Realistic goals fall within the realm of possibility. They are do-able. If you don’t have the resources to implement a goal, then it is not realistic that you will achieve it. This goal attribute usually requires that you plan out your implementation in order to determine resources necessary for its successful completion.
Timely goals happen within the foreseeable future. For business goals, a three or four month horizon is short enough to keep your eye on a prize. The further away a deadline is placed, the less likely it will be reached. Limit your workforce management problems to those that you can attack in the next quarter or two.
By using the SMART framework for goal setting, you are building in a reality-check that will help take you through a thorough investigation of the business processes and resources available to optimize them.
Other People’s Resolutions
If you’re having trouble picking a place to start those 2007 resolutions, then investigate which problems are being solved by similar organizations. Call on colleagues in the industry or attend industry events to get ideas. For example, the American Payroll Association website (www.americanpayroll.org) contains lists of news items and upcoming events, which can be used as a barometer for trends. Watching information on the industry can give you a heads-up on what others are thinking about.
A quick look at the American Payroll Association website shows a number of upcoming events on regulatory compliance and auditing. This coincides with the increasing importance of these topics.
WorkForce Software, a leading provider of workforce management solutions, is sponsoring a free online webinar entitled Trends and Myths of Workforce Management on January 24, 2007. This webinar discusses a rise in regulatory complexity and employee self-service, and provides the top five myths surrounding workforce management software. For more information on this event click here.
The Bottom Line
Industry research can help you choose the right course and peer communication can help prioritize your workforce management resolutions for the New Year. It is also clear that companies that plan and implement SMART goals are more likely to achieve success regardless of the path they chose to solve that goal.
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