20 Key Considerations Before Implementing A New HR Tech Platform

Forbes

14-07-2025

To successfully roll out a new HR tech platform, you need to make sure the tool you choose aligns with your team's workflows, goals and capacity for change. Before you even start comparing vendors, it's critical to clarify what problems you're solving and how success will be measured. You'll also need to consider factors like integration with your existing systems, internal user adoption and the long-term scalability of the platform.
Here, 20 Forbes Human Resources Council members discuss key considerations to help you successfully evaluate and introduce a new HR tech platform for your organization.
1. Align Your Selection With Business Goals And Data Strategy
The primary objective of any HR tech platform is to enhance productivity, streamline processes and align corporate activities with relevant compliance frameworks. The aim is not to diminish manual work but to consolidate data in a secure location. Businesses should bear in mind that the HR tech platform provides insights into employee data, enabling them to make data-driven decisions. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
2. Evaluate Configuration Flexibility And Platform Connectivity
Consider the level of in-house access to configure and mold to needs as needed, avoiding module build costs later, which is inevitable when one buys a vendor-controlled configurable platform. Also, consider connectivity with other platforms used to optimize organization data analytics capabilities. - Angela O'Donovan, UCC
3. Prioritize Speed-To-Value Over Flashy Features
Don't ask what the tool does; ask how fast it gets people to day one. In hiring-led industries, time-to-productivity matters more than bells and whistles. Look for platforms that reduce operational friction, not just repackage it. - Vardhan Kapoor, Firstwork
4. Assess Integration Fit Within Your Existing Tech Stack
It's important to be mindful of the current tech stack and how the new HR tech platform will integrate with all the other tools the team uses. While one platform might be your favorite overall, there might be another that better integrates with the choices you have made until that point and might be the better decision in the long run. - Jennifer Morehead, Flex HR
5. Match Platform Capabilities To Your Employee Experience Vision
Before investing in a new HR tech platform, consider how well it aligns with the company's overall vision for employee experiences, particularly during key moments that matter. It should not only support day-to-day HR ops but also enhance meaningful interactions between employees and the organization via personalized, seamless and engaging XPs that reflect the company's values and culture. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, myWorkforceAgents.AI
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6. Choose True Integration Over Patchwork Connectivity
When selecting HR platforms, one must consider the full spectrum of the business's needs. Systems that are truly integrated, not just connected, provide higher value and ease of use. The more connection points between systems provide more opportunities for technical difficulties. One-stop shopping promotes employee adoption, better self-service and reliable data integrity, which are invaluable. - Dedra Ward, Conduent
7. Look For Personalization, Cost Control And Actionable Insights
When evaluating a new HR tech platform, prioritize personalization to enhance employee engagement, ensure cost management aligns with budget goals and seek platforms offering actionable insights for strategic decision-making. These elements are crucial for fostering a supportive and efficient workplace environment. - Marcy Klipfel, Businessolver
8. Prepare Your Organization For Adoption Prior To Implementation
Ensure your organization is prepared to leverage the new HR technology fully. This means having strong change management practices in place and aligning your people processes to support adoption. Without readiness in these areas, even the most advanced tools can fail to deliver value. - Anthony Cheong, Boston Consulting Group
9. Tie Platform Investment Directly To Business Outcomes
When evaluating a new HR tech tool, the most important consideration is its ability to directly tie back to business outcomes—ideally, revenue. A strong business case should clearly map how the tool drives ROI, whether by improving efficiency, reducing turnover, accelerating hiring or enhancing employee engagement. Leadership doesn't invest in software—they invest in results. - Ann Piccirillo, JDA TSG
10. Consider Emerging Vendors But Vet For Compliance And Security
Don't limit your review to platforms from large, established vendors. Startups are often more nimble, provide excellent customer support, and offer innovative technology unencumbered by legacy systems. They can customize solutions quickly and at a lower cost. Just ensure any startup you consider has SOC 2 Type II certification and has passed accessibility testing to meet security and compliance. - Ximena Gates, BuildWithin
11. Keep In Mind The Digital Engagement Needs Of A Multigenerational Workforce
Companies must evaluate how the design of their platform, its interface, workflows and logic can disproportionately influence the learning capabilities of mixed generations, such as Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. This is called interface bias. Companies should address any potential gaps in digital engagement before rolling out to a multigenerational workforce. - Kevin Walters, Top DEI Consulting
12. Demand Transparency And Explainability In AI-Driven Decisions
If the platform makes decisions about people, like hiring or promotions, avoid black-box systems. Insist on transparency into how it scores or recommends candidates. You should be able to audit the logic to ensure it's not replicating bias, overemphasizing minor factors or making decisions you can't explain or defend. Ethical, explainable AI is essential. - Shiran Danoch, Informed Decisions
13. Invest In Role-Based Training To Maximize Platform ROI
When evaluating or rolling out a new HR tech platform, ensure that your team is properly trained on both the technology and the process change that it creates. Even the best platforms will underdeliver if users don't understand how to utilize the platform's features or how it integrates into their daily workflows. A role-based training program can help ensure adoption, minimize resistance and maximize ROI. - Gordon Pelosse, AICerts
14. Check For Scalability, Customization And User Fit
Be sure to evaluate the platform's scalability and customizability. You must also consider whether the platform's intended user base is a fit for your company's needs, capabilities and industry requirements. - Lori Landrum, Heights Tower Service, Inc.
15. Communicate The Platform's Purpose Across The Entire Business
Remember, HR tech is not exclusively impacting the HR team. Their efforts across talent identification, recruitment, retention and offboarding will change, and that affects the whole business. Transparency on why the tool was selected, what it will do and who will use it is key. We help brands with this situation every day, and not communicating these basics is a common pitfall, creating new issues. - Nicky Hancock, AMS
16. Define Ownership And Future-State HR Roles Early
When rolling out a new HR platform, many overlook a key step: defining the future-state HR function and ownership of the new system. Addressing this early helps align project roles with long-term responsibilities, ensuring a smoother transition and better system adoption. - Fran Maxwell, Protiviti
17. Plan Beyond Launch And Integrate Recognition Into Workflow
Having been in technology for more than 25 years, there are two opportunities to embrace. First, so much energy goes to launching things, but not enough consideration is given to "day two" and how this tech will meet the workflow of employees. Second, attach your recognition tech to your new HR tech—recognition will reinforce the right behaviors and amplify what great looks like. - David Bator, Achievers
18. Adopt Tech That Enhances Human Intelligence
When evaluating HR tech, don't apply old paradigms to new platforms. Choose solutions that augment human intelligence—leveraging AI, behavioral science and automation to unlock capacity, not just cut costs. The right platform should enable people to work smarter, faster and with greater impact, not just digitize outdated processes. - Prithvi Singh Shergill, Tomorrow @entomo
19. Focus On Solving The Right Problem, Not Chasing Features
One thing to consider is whether the technology is going to address the problem you are trying to solve. So often, companies seek technology investments to address challenges, but get enamored with the bells and whistles of the new platform. Too often, they don't pause to clearly define the problem and identify the pain points. A modern solution should be tech-enabled but authentically human. - Clare Miller, Atlantic Union Bank
20. Empower 'Super Users' To Reduce Tech Debt And Consultant Costs
Ensure super user configurability and capabilities to prevent costly vendor customizations, external consultants and tech debt by avoiding the need for numerous ancillary systems. By selecting anchor platforms that allow super users to enable features without coding expertise or vendor intervention, your organization reduces costs and maintains greater strategic control over HR technology. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal