Halogen and SkillSoft Team…from Halogen

 

Halogen and SkillSoft Team to Deliver Seamless Performance Based Learning Experience

HRchitect featured Halogen Software in our 2008 release of The Suite Life of Integrated Talent Management and also includes them in our list of top Talent Management Systems vendors that businesses should consider. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Market leader Halogen Software and e-learning provider SkillSoft (NASDAQ:SKIL) recently announced that they will deliver 10 SkillSoft e-learning courses as a standard component of Halogen eLearning Manager, providing outstanding value to corporate learning centers everywhere. In addition, organizations will benefit from the truly seamless user experience for performance-based e-learning.

“We know that for e-learning initiatives to be truly successful, they have to be easy to use and produce a measurable return in the areas they are targeting,” said David Mallon, senior analyst, Bersin & Associates. “The Halogen and SkillSoft partnership gives users an experience in which the whole process is completely seamless – the first we’ve seen of its kind. From assigning a development plan during the performance appraisal process, to registering for and completing courses, and signing off on learning activities, HR, learning leaders, managers and employees should find this closed loop experience to be extremely efficient and effective.”

The combination of Halogen’s performance-based approach to learning with SkillSoft’s targeted and effective courseware helps organizations of all sizes get up and running quickly with e-learning – with no additional work required. All courses are fully integrated and pre-mapped to competencies in the Halogen library, eliminating tedious and time consuming tasks for training administrators. The tight integration also means users can select an appropriate development activity to address a particular skill gap, and even launch an e-learning course right within the employee’s performance appraisal or development plan, without ever having to login to another system, or switch between user interfaces.

“We chose Halogen eLearning Manager because of the way it tightly links performance and developmental plans with learning,” said Michael Schott, Vice President Human Resources, Swank Audio Visuals. “This will make it much easier for managers and team members to address career progression during their mid-year and annual reviews. In addition, the accessibility of the appropriate training resources from within the team member’s appraisal section will be a viable tool for all. The SkillSoft courses will be a great addition to our learning portfolio.”

The SkillSoft courses included with Halogen eLearning Manager have been specially selected and vetted by business experts to help develop key competencies. Industry-specific e-learning bundles have also been created for healthcare, professional services and financial services organizations. Customers will also be able to purchase additional SkillSoft courses that will map seamlessly into the application.

“The Halogen-SkillSoft integration provides organizations with an immediate way to derive value from their e-learning investments,” said John Ambrose, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Development and Emerging Business, SkillSoft. “Learning is a critical component of any successful talent management strategy, and this combined offering levels many of the hurdles companies traditionally face.”

“We work very hard to deliver exceptional value to our customers,” said Donna Ronayne, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Halogen Software. “This partnership and the inclusion of valuable SkillSoft courseware with Halogen eLearning Manager is a perfect example of our commitment to deliver a world class customer experience.”

For more information on Halogen Software, please visit www.halogensoftware.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Ultimate Software Ranked #1 Best Medium Company to Work For in America…from Ultimate Software

 

HRchitect includes Ultimate Software in our list of top HRIS vendors that businesses should consider. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Ultimate Software (Nasdaq: ULTI), a leading provider of strategic end-to-end human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, announced today that it has been named the #1 medium company to work for in America for the second consecutive year by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW), the same research and management consultancy that produces FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work for” list for large companies, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). A family-like culture, unique benefits, and a down-to-earth management style contribute to the cohesive, productive business environment at Ultimate.

No other company has ever been recognized as the #1 place to work twice in the medium company rankings. This is the fifth consecutive year that Ultimate has been ranked in the top eight. The “Top 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America” for 2009 were announced today in New Orleans at SHRM’s 61st Annual Conference & Exposition.

“We are honored to be ranked the number one medium company to work for again. Taking care of our people is the cornerstone of all that we do at Ultimate, and our people have rewarded us by creating a first-rate suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for human capital management and by providing our customers with world-class service,” said Scott Scherr, Ultimate’s founder, president, and CEO. “We are grateful to have a business culture driven by a passion for excellence, respect, and honor, and that combination has given us a significant competitive edge in our industry.”

Hundreds of companies across the United States submitted entries in the very detailed and competitive analysis conducted by GPTW. The rankings are primarily determined from employee opinion surveys that analyze an organization’s workplace culture. Employee-survey responses count for two-thirds of an organization’s score. The evaluation process also includes the assessment of organization practices and perspectives from the leadership team, which accounted for one-third of the group’s score.

Full coverage of the award ceremony and other details are available at www.shrm.org. Organizations on the “Top 50 Best” list will also be listed at www.greatplacetoworkinstitute.com and www.cnnmoney.com.

For more information on Ultimate Software, please visit www.ultimatesoftware.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

HRMC Announces Acclaims v6.0: Talent Management Platform Extends and Deepens Candidate Engagement From Initial Intake Through Follow-up…from HRMC

 

New and enhanced capabilities provide candidates with an engaging single-session process while offering employers more comprehensive automated evaluations based on a web-enabled job analysis.

If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Human Resource Management Center, Inc. (HRMC), a pioneer in applying cutting-edge technology to talent acquisition, announces the release of Acclaim v6.0, a new and enhanced solution that engages candidates with a seamless single-session, interactive multi-media interview experience while providing employers with a web-based job analysis tool that identifies and rates skills and competencies required for top performance. The job analysis tool generates interview questions that address these skills and competencies and candidates are then interviewed automatically by HRMC’s Acclaim platform, evaluated, and rank-ordered with no employer intervention necessary.

Too often, candidates opt out of recruiting solutions because they are time-consuming, filled with starts and stops, and leave them wondering whether they will ever hear back from the employer. Acclaim v6.0 addresses these inefficiencies by offering an interactive process that engages and allows candidates to demonstrate their skills and expertise via customized workflows that can include integrated assessments and job simulations while also providing a sense of closure—whether it’s to auto schedule for an on-site interview or prompt them based on responses to apply for a different position that better matches their competencies. Acclaim v6.0 provides employers with a highly configurable solution to orchestrate the candidate experience and integrates all the essential stages of the recruiting process—from pre-screen to assessment and background check to on boarding—in one platform.

“Acclaim v6.0 reflects the need for employers to focus on improving the candidate experience and maintaining a solid pipeline of talent so that when the economy rebounds they will be able to quickly ramp up and stay competitive,” says Ron Selewach, founder and CEO of Human Resource Management Center, Inc. “With unemployment at record highs, many talented individuals are seeking opportunities and employers need a robust and versatile solution that swiftly engages, identifies, and maintains communication with top candidates while minimizing the involvement of time and resource constrained HR departments.”

In addition to offering candidates the flexibility to apply 24/7 via web, phone, kiosk, PDA, tablet PC, or any combination of the five, Acclaim v6.0 includes new and enhanced permission based self-service modules, including:

Multi-media workflow libraries. A library of candidate workflows are tailored to a job or job family and house content such as a realistic job preview video or welcome message from the organization, simple and complex interview branching, computer adaptive questioning, simulations, integrated assessments, and application forms. The workflow can be tailored to the look and feel of the organization, division, department, or location.

Web-enabled job analysis system. This capability facilitates the involvement of Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the creation of custom workflows based on determining specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and personality characteristics that make a candidate a good fit—not just for a given position, but also within the context of the company’s strategic workforce plan, which is a key determinant in job performance, satisfaction and, ultimately, retention.

Integrated assessments and simulations. Assessments and job simulations, which are integrated into the process rather than bolted on, allow candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and apply their skills in real-time. For example, candidates for an IT position might be asked to write code via a web simulation while candidates applying for a call center position could be asked to handle a customer complaint via phone using information contained in data entry screens delivered to their computer via the Internet.

Auto scheduling for interviews. This function automatically schedules the top ranked candidates for an in-person interview, eliminating the need for phone follow up and providing candidates with immediate acknowledgement and follow through.

Timed Released Correspondence. Users can set up and schedule e-mail sequences and deliver content based on a range of time or event-based events where top candidates are kept informed about the company in situations, for example, where there are no current openings. Timed Release Correspondence can maintain applicant interest through ongoing communications with no effort on the part of recruiters or hiring managers.

For more information about Human Resource Management Center, Inc., please visit www.hrmc.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Taleo Tops 100 Customers for Performance Management Solution…from Taleo

 

Sales Reach Milestone for Award-Winning Software that Optimizes Talent in a Tough Economy

HRchitect featured Taleo in our May 2008 release of The Suite Life of Integrated Talent Management and also includes them in our list of top Talent Acquisition Systems vendors that businesses should consider. Taleo participated in the Talent Management Systems panel and Talent Acquisition Systems panel on June 10, 2009 as part of theHRshow. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Taleo Corporation (Nasdaq: TLEO), the leading provider of on-demand talent management solutions, today announced that its performance management solution for enterprises and small and medium sized businesses (SMBs), has been adopted by more than 100 customers worldwide. Recently recognized as the “Best Human Resources Solution” for the 2009 CODiE Awards by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), as well as being listed in the Visionaries quadrant of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Employee Performance Management Software, Taleo had blazed a significant trail in less than 16 months on the market. 

Launched for enterprises in February 2008, Taleo Performance provides tools for goals management, performance reviews, succession planning, development planning and compensation management. The company also introduced a performance management solution for SMBs, Taleo Business Edition Perform, in November 2008.  Taleo’s performance products provide companies of all sizes with solutions to significantly increase their employee engagement and better align their workforces with corporate objectives.  Combined with Taleo’s industry-leading recruitment solutions, Taleo Recruiting for enterprises and Taleo Recruit for SMBs, the Taleo performance software provides companies with a powerful unified talent management platform to obtain a more holistic view of their workforce. 

More than 100 organizations around the globe and across numerous industries have selected Taleo’s performance solution to transform their performance management practices from an annual administrative event into an everyday occurrence. Companies trusting Taleo with their performance management include enterprises such as Dow Chemical, Bic Groupe, California State Automobile Association and North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and SMB’s including Imperial Toy Company, Emprise Bank, City of Montrose, Life Line Ambulance Services and Sooper Credit Union.

“At 70% of the average company spend, talent is any business’ biggest competitive weapon,” said Michael Gregoire, Taleo Chairman and CEO.  “The business environment is changing too quickly and the stakes are too high for businesses to find out more about their staff on Facebook than from their own systems. Businesses are putting talent at the top of their agendas and are turning to Taleo to help them move their staff investments from intangible costs to measurable fixed assets.”

For more information on Taleo Performance, please visit http://taleo.com/products/enterprise-edition-performance.php

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Peopleclick Launches New Partner Program at SHRM…from Peopleclick

 

The Peopleclick Advantage Program Provides Clients with Top-Tier Partners and Expedited Activations

HRchitect includes Peopleclick in our list of top Talent Acquisition Systems vendors that businesses should consider. Peopleclick participated in the Talent Acquisition Systems panel on June 10, 2009 as part of theHRshow event. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Peopleclick, Inc., the leading global provider of talent acquisition and workforce compliance and diversity solutions, announced today at the Society of Human Resource Management Annual Conference and Exposition in New Orleans, LA, the launch of The Peopleclick Advantage partner program.

The Peopleclick Advantage program includes a network of best-in-class services and market-leading vendors that help organizations enhance the effectiveness of their talent acquisition strategy. New vendors joining The Peopleclick Advantage program include Profiles International, Verifications Inc., New Editions and GettingHired; these organizations expand the list of Peopleclick’s previously established partners eQuest, Jobs2Web and Assess Systems (formerly Bigby Havis).

“The Peopleclick Advantage provides our clients with top-tier partners in the talent acquisition space, including vendors in job board aggregators, background checking, assessments, passive candidate sourcing, location mapping and search engine optimization (SEO),” said Tom Bright, Chief Operating Officer for Peopleclick. “These partners provide Peopleclick clients with the necessary tools to reach multiple candidates from multiple sources, in minimal time and provide the best resources to manage their entire recruitment process. With quick activations for many of our vendor solutions, clients experience a reduced time to implement and are able to attract the most talented professionals in the market today.”

“Profiles International is very excited about our new relationship with Peopleclick,” said Jim Sirbasku, CEO of Profiles International. “Both organizations really complement each other, and we look forward to providing Peopleclick clients a comprehensive selection of employee assessments to hire the right candidate for the right position, every time.”

“Verifications and Peopleclick are committed to providing a complete hiring solution for our clients,” said Samantha Hanson, EVP of Products and People at Verifications. “Throughout the talent lifecycle, our integrated systems provide a world-class experience for applicants, recruiters, hiring managers and employees. These two industry veterans combine decades of experience to provide consulting, software and service to thousands of clients.”

“New Editions is thrilled about teaming with Peopleclick to facilitate accessible web sites for their clients,” said Cindy Ryan, Principal at New Editions Consulting, Inc. “Our assessment and technical support services help ensure Peopleclick clients can access a larger pool of qualified candidates – including those with disabilities.”

“GettingHired is pleased to partner with industry leader Peopleclick, who has a visionary commitment to the software and services that help global companies find, attract and hire quality people,” said Carl Capato, Vice President of GettingHired.com. “We believe GettingHired’s mission of seeking gainful employment opportunities for people with disabilities is synergistic with Peopleclick’s mission.”

Peopleclick is one of the only providers in the market offering their clients a wide variety of integrations and services that will further advance their talent acquisition strategy. To learn more about the Peopleclick Advantage program or other Peopleclick products and services, visit www.peopleclick.com.

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

AIRS Launches Industry’s First Social Sourcing Certification…from AIRS

 

As social networking becomes an integral part of recruiting, AIRS, the leader in recruitment training, announced today at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) 61st Annual Conference & Exposition in New Orleans, the launch of a new certification aimed at ensuring recruiters are equipped with a through and up-to-the minute understanding of sourcing via social media.

Chris Forman, President of AIRS will appear on the HRchitect WebMingle on July 17, 2009.  Chris Forman also gave a presentation at theHRshow 2009 event.  If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

As social networking becomes an integral part of recruiting, AIRS, the leader in recruitment training, announced today at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) 61st Annual Conference & Exposition in New Orleans, the launch of a new certification aimed at ensuring recruiters are equipped with a through and up-to-the minute understanding of sourcing via social media.

As the industry’s first designation focused on social media, AIRS Certified Social Sourcing Certification (CSSR), can be obtained following the completion of AIRS Social Sourcing class and certification exam. Recruiters will walk away with the ability to use advanced tactics and techniques to find the deep wells of passive candidates, demonstrate the key players in social recruiting, better understand how they strategically benefit recruitment strategy and learn how to leverage social media to build an employment brand that creates a viral funnel of talent. Class attendees are also eligible to earn course credits towards their PHR®/SPHR®/GPHR® certifications

A recent AfterCollege survey of 670 college students found that over 82% of respondents use social networks on a regular basis. As Generation Y quickly becomes the largest generation in the workplace, the need for social sourcing expertise is imperative.

“As best-practices in recruitment continue to evolve, social media, networking and micro blogging are driving the future, said Chris Forman, President of AIRS, a company of The RightThing. “AIRS new Certified Social Sourcing Certification is a smart and economical investment to establish recruiters as experts and begin fully utilizing the low-cost, robust sourcing options social recruiting offers.”

As a leader in recruitment training, AIRS certifications are widely recognized professional standard for modern-day talent acquisition. Training over 60,000 recruiters since 1997, Certified Social Sourcing Certification (CSSR) is AIRS fourth professional certification joining AIRS Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR), Advanced Certified Internet Recruiter, (ACIR) and Certified Diversity Recruiter (CDR). Upcoming online CSSR classes will be held Friday, July 24 and Wednesday, August 5.

Building out its social media training classes, AIRS also recently launched a popular, four part, online LinkedIn Learning Series, providing recruiters with the tools needed to develop a successful LinkedIn strategy. Topics include how to impact your professional HR influence, creating a profile for superior personal marketing, building an effective brand and learning leading edge recruiting tactics.

For additional information about AIRS new Certified Social Sourcing Certification (CSSR), or LinkedIn Learning Series, please visit http://www.airstraining.com.

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Hiring Becomes More Precise With Kenexa’s Enhanced Interview Assessment Solution…from Kenexa

 

New Version of Kenexa Interview Builder Increases Accuracy, Efficiency of Hires

HRchitect featured Kenexa in our May 2008 release of The Suite Life of Integrated Talent Management and also includes them in our list of top Talent Acquisition Systems and top Talent Management Systems vendors that businesses should consider. Kenexa participated in the Talent Management Systems panel and the Talent Acquisition Systems panel on June 10, 2009 as part of theHRshow event. Ron Hanscome, VP of Product Strategy with Kenexa appeared on the HRchitect WebMingle on June 26, 2009. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Kenexa (NASDAQ: KNXA), a global provider of business solutions for human resources, today announced the latest version of its Kenexa Interview Builder assessment solution. This release provides a powerful online reference library of more than 3,000 questions that increase interviewers’ accuracy and efficiency in choosing the best employees. Kenexa Interview Builder also provides a range of job analysis tools, job description templates, interview guides and competency profiles.

Cost-effective recruitment and retention of the right talent has taken on critical importance in the currently weakened economy. Kenexa’s updated solution provides corporate recruiters and hiring managers with better tools and training for identifying, hiring and retaining the best employees, which reduces employers’ hiring costs. The updated version also helps organizations comply with fair and ethical hiring policies by bringing a higher degree of standardization to interview question development and scoring, ensuring that all candidates are asked appropriate questions and scored on the same criteria.

This Web-based solution significantly improves the interviewing process for specific job roles and positions, producing a more accurate measure of candidates’ fit as well as their impact on future business results. It enables the quick and efficient creation of interview question sets and interview guides that can be customized to specific job descriptions and responsibilities within an organization. Once created, the guides can be downloaded, printed or e-mailed and used multiple times by anyone in the organization. Built into the enhanced solution are 20 ready-to-use interviews developed by Kenexa, in addition to the more than 3,000 behavioral, situational, attitudinal and job knowledge questions that organizations can use in custom interviews.

“At Kenexa, we believe that when you multiply the right individual by the right environment, success is inevitable. Kenexa Interview Builder enables employers to find the right employees for their organizations, supporting business success,” said Rudy Karsan, chief executive officer, Kenexa.

Interview Builder complements Kenexa’s other offerings, which include Kenexa Recruiter BrassRing, an award-winning secure software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution designed to effectively and efficiently source and track employment candidates throughout the recruiting process.

For more information on Kenexa, please visit www.kenexa.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

HireRight Announces New Global Capabilities in Award-Winning Employment Screening Application…from HireRight

 

Solution Delivers International Visibility and Local Screening Experience Across More Than 200 Countries and Territories

If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

HireRight, a global leader in on-demand employment screening solutions, now offers industry-leading international screening capabilities through a single, on-demand screening management solution – HireRight Enterprise, the industry’s first Web 2.0 screening management solution, and winner of Human Resource Executive’s Top HR Product of the Year Award in 2008. HireRight Enterprise helps large employers address the complexities of employment screening by providing a unified solution for managing a global screening program — consistently, efficiently, effectively and conveniently — across more than 200 countries and territories, worldwide, while delivering a local experience for geographically distributed recruiters, security personnel, and applicants or employees.

“With differing laws, regulations, norms, privacy concerns, and data and screening requirements around the globe, expanding a screening program internationally is quite a challenging endeavor,” said Lisa Gallagher, vice president of international business, HireRight. “The new enhancements to HireRight Enterprise make it easier for global employers to implement and manage a consistent, yet highly localized global screening program. Through automation, built-in global screening expertise, global services and intelligent ordering logic that understands what information to collect — based on the global location of the person being screened and the searches being requested — HireRight Enterprise delivers a user experience that program owners, global offices and applicants will all appreciate.”

HireRight Enterprise enables organizations to initiate and manage background checks around the world from a single ordering interface, improving efficiency and ease of use. Because each country has unique privacy and disclosure laws and procedures for gathering background information, HireRight Enterprise offers targeted features to guide users through the data collection process. HireRight Enterprise includes dynamic, country-specific logic that prompts users to supply the information required to conduct an employment screening in each country and comply with regulations.

In addition, new enhancements in HireRight Enterprise improve report results by enabling organizations to collect a 10-year residence history to conduct more comprehensive searches. In another new feature, the solution automatically identifies any gaps in the background history provided by the applicant and prompts them to correct or explain the discrepancy before moving on.

These enhancements make it possible for global organizations to deploy and control a global screening program while enabling geographically dispersed business units to manage the program locally through a consistent recruiting and screening process.

HireRight Enterprise is an on-demand, Software as a Service (SaaS) application that provides access to HireRight’s more than 100 background screening, drug and health screening and employment eligibility services and an effective means by which to manage the complexities of today’s global employment screening programs.

For more information on HireRight, please visit www.hireright.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Accero Meets Growing Demand for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) with Accero On-Demand…from Accero

 

New On-Demand HCM delivery model provides anytime-as needed access for busy HR professionals while reducing clients’ IT burden

HRchitect includes Accero in our list of top HRIS vendors that businesses should consider. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Accero Software (formerly Cyborg Systems), a leading provider of Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions to mid-size and large enterprises, today announced the availability of Accero On-Demand, a hosted, subscription-based service that provides clients with affordable, secure, anytime-anywhere Web access to a full range of integrated payroll and human resources tools.

Through Accero’s new software-as-a-service(SaaS) business model, customers in the US, Canada and the UK can subscribe to the recently released version 6.0 of the Accero Cyborg application suite. The 6.0 release, widely considered to be the most feature-rich release of the Cyborg solution in over a decade, includes two key enhancements that support the SaaS delivery model; a new browser based user interface called Fast Forward and enhanced user and role based security.

“Many on-demand vendor products are condensed, scaled-down versions that limit customers to a narrow set of configuration parameters,” said Tom Malone, Accero CEO. “Accero On-Demand delivers broad configurability and full HCM functionality to meet our customer’s most complex requirements while at the same time freeing up their in-house IT resources from time-consuming chores such as managing upgrades and monitoring third-party maintenance agreements, as well as purchasing and managing hardware.”

Accero On-Demand is ideal for mid-size and large enterprises or major business units of large companies, where IT resources face a backlog of projects. Hosted in Accero’s SAS-70 Type II certified hosting centers, Accero On-Demand clients will benefit from scalable, high-availability and high-performance computing that likely surpasses the performance and reliability of in-house computing resources. As a hosted, on-demand solution, all hardware, software, security and network considerations are managed by Accero’s team of IT experts.

Accero On-Demand subscribers access the system via a secure, Web-based interface and manage day-to-day and periodic duties the same as if the Accero Cyborg solution were deployed locally. HR teams can easily manage the full hire-to-retire lifecycle of their global workforce, and key tasks can be distributed to a decentralized team. User authentication and role-based security controls each user’s access to specific features, functions and data sets.

Additionally, Accero announces the availability of Accero On-Demand PLUS, a variety of services designed to enhance the core SaaS solution and help clients to optimize their HCM investments. Services range from tax preparation and filing to year-end processing to position administration and open enrollment management. Customers can choose Accero On-Demand PLUS services on an ad-hoc basis or as part of their standard subscription service agreement.

Accero On-Demand taps into a growing market trend for robust business applications that are licensed via a subscription service and deployed and managed by the vendor. Gartner, Inc., the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, noted in a recent industry report that SaaS continues to gain in popularity. According to Gartner, worldwide SaaS revenue is expected to grow by 22 percent in 2009 (Gartner Market Trends: Software as a Service, Worldwide, 2009-2013).

Accero On-Demand’s availability, on the heels of the 6.0/Fast Forward release, demonstrates the speed with which Accero is emerging as an affordable, functionally rich alternative to traditional ERP vendors like SAP, Oracle and Lawson. The Accero Cyborg solution includes five industry-leading, best-of-breed HCM applications—notable for their configurability, robust functionality, rapid deployment and ease of use: Human Resources Administration; Benefits Administration; Payroll Administration; Employee, Manager and Benefits Self-Service; and Reporting Administration & Analytics.

For more information about Accero On-Demand, please visit www.accero.com.

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Peopleclick and eQuest Renew Multi-Year Partnership…from Peopleclick

 

Partnership Will Provide Global Job Posting Support and Expanded Job Board Management Services to Peopleclick Clients

HRchitect includes Peopleclick in our list of top Talent Acquisition Systems vendors that businesses should consider. Peopleclick participated in the Talent Acquisition Systems panel on June 10, 2009 as part of theHRshow event. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Peopleclick, Inc., the leading global talent acquisition solutions provider, and eQuest, the global leader in job posting and internet recruitment management services, today announced a renewed partnership that will continue to provide Peopleclick clients advanced job posting services through the Peopleclick Recruitment Management System (RMS).

Through the multi-year partnership, Peopleclick and eQuest will offer clients the following: 

• Additional domestic and European job board destinations
• Online tracking systems confirming job delivery status
• A new personalized metrics dashboard that evaluates the best performing career sites prior to choosing the desired job boards for delivery
• Automated job delivery scheduling

Peopleclick and eQuest offer some of the most recognized international job boards focusing on leading career sites in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

“Through our agreement with eQuest, Peopleclick is able to provide our clients with high-value job posting options that will further develop their talent acquisition strategy,” said Ginny Gomez, SVP of Product Management and Marketing at Peopleclick. “Right now, organizations are focused on finding the brightest and most advanced candidates in the marketplace, and our long-term relationship with eQuest assures our clients that we continue to offer innovative partnerships that make tasks such as job posting more effective and efficient.”

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Peopleclick,” said John Malone, President and Chief Executive Officer at eQuest. “eQuest is committed to providing new concepts and technologies that exceed expectation. We look forward to providing these to Peopleclick customers around the world.”

For more information on Peopleclick, please visit www.peopleclick.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Monster Introduces New Customizable Talent Management Suite…from Monster

 

Addresses the Unique and Evolving Talent Management Needs for Companies of All Sizes

If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Monster.com, the leading global online career and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), recently announced the launch of a newly configured Monster Talent Management Suite (TMS) that meets the growing demand for more flexibility and options in how companies can put talent management solutions to work. Monster TMS now provides a suite of tools that can be used standalone or integrated, including career site hosting, applicant tracking, and post-hire workforce optimization modules. TMS is customizable and scalable for any size of business, regardless of industry, complexity, geography and budget. Monster is introducing the new Monster TMS at the 61st Annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference & Exposition taking place now in New Orleans.

Monster TMS offers customers an all-in-one talent management product that will allow them to automate, manage and measure the employment lifecycle from pre-hire sourcing through post-hire employee retention via a single-source solution. A key component of Monster TMS is the modular pricing structure, which is based on a ‘per-user-per-month’ model, effectively addressing the important budget requirements of companies in today’s economic climate. Monster TMS is available with various pricing tiers, with further savings when users are added, for the purchase of multiple solutions, or if the client signs a long-term contract.

“It has never been more crucial for companies to elevate their unique employer brand and advance their workforce by efficiently assessing, attracting and on-boarding the talent they need,” said Puneet Bhasin, senior vice president, employer product, Monster. “Monster TMS delivers the tools to help companies easily accomplish these objectives by providing employers a customizable and affordable solution to develop and retain the talent they have to cultivate a more engaged, prepared and productive workforce.”

Product Info

Monster TMS has three offerings designed to enable customers to optimize day-to-day HR activities and offers sophisticated analytical tools to save them time and money while improving effectiveness and simplifying the process: 

• Monster Career Site Hosting: Includes an employer branded hosted career site, private resume database, EEO/AA reporting, optional OFCCP data capture and reporting, Monster.com integration for job postings and sourcing resumes, and candidate email capability
• Monster Recruit: A cost-sensitive out-of-the-box configurable applicant tracking system that offers employers self-help capabilities as well as the on-line support
• Monster Custom Recruit: A customizable enterprise version intended for employers whose requirements are beyond the extensive configurable capabilities of Monster Recruit

Monster TMS also offers post-hire modules including on-boarding, learning management and performance management. The addition of these post-hire modules marks the expansion of Monster’s product portfolio into talent retention solutions and provides Monster’s customers with a single-source, complete employment lifecycle solution.

Product Availability

Monster TMS is available in 10 countries and in eight languages with additional global expansion scheduled throughout 2009. For more information about Monster Talent Management Suite please visit us at www.tmsmonster.com or call us at 1-800-MONSTER (666-7837).

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt to Combine to Form Towers Watson

 

Combined Company Positioned for Sustainable Growth and Profitability with a Broader Portfolio and Wider Geographic Footprint

As with any merger, especially in the consulting industry, uncertainty and turmoil is sure to exist. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby, Inc. and Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: WW) today announced that their respective Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt will combine in a merger of equals to form a new, publicly listed company called Towers Watson & Co. Based on the closing price of Watson Wyatt common stock on June 26, 2009, the implied equity value of the transaction is approximately $3.5 billion. Watson Wyatt Chief Executive Officer John Haley will serve the combined company as Chief Executive Officer; Towers Perrin Chief Executive Officer Mark Mactas will serve as President.

“The combination of Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt into Towers Watson will create one of the world’s leading professional services firms, well positioned for sustained growth and profitability across all geographies and business segments,” said Mr. Haley. “The combination will further strengthen our core service lines while offering our clients an enhanced portfolio of proven offerings across a range of financial, risk and people management areas. Towers Watson will have tremendous global reach and service breadth to meet the growing needs of the world’s largest multinational corporations. As we provide more value for our clients, we in turn create value for our people and our shareholders.”

Mark Mactas, Chief Executive Officer of Towers Perrin, said, “This is an important transaction for our respective organizations that positions us well for a future of accelerated growth and higher levels of profitability. The fit between our firms is excellent, starting with a deep commitment to client service and shared values of integrity, professionalism and respect. Our service lines and geographic strengths are also highly complementary, which creates great opportunities for growth. We couldn’t be more excited about this combination, which will change the landscape of our industry.”

Towers Watson, which is expected to have annual revenues in excess of $3 billion, will benefit from the scale of the combined companies and anticipates approximately $80 million in pretax annual synergies. While significant savings are expected during the first two years following completion of the transaction, it is anticipated that full realization of synergies will take three years and cost approximately $80 million. Towers Watson will also have significant non-cash expenses during the first two years following completion of the transaction. The transaction is expected to be accretive to diluted earnings per share within three years following the consummation of the transaction.

 

 

Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Learn.com Names New Executive Director of Product Marketing…from Learn.com

 

Learn.com, the leader in on-demand workforce development and productivity, announced today that David Wilkins, former Senior Director of Product Strategy at Mzinga (formerly KnowledgePlanet) has been named the company’s Executive Director of Product Marketing.

HRchitect includes Learn.com in our list of top Learning Management Systems vendors that businesses should consider. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

“As Learn.com continues to grow, we wanted a seasoned professional to help shape our message and provide strategic insight into market direction and emerging growth opportunities. We are confident Dave has the passion, leadership, strategic vision, and the deep industry experience to help Learn.com extend its existing industry leadership and historical position as the #1 vendor in our space,” said JW Ray Chief Operating Officer at Learn.com.

In his new role, David will assume oversight of all product marketing activities at Learn.com, including market requirement documents, analyst relationships, and product messaging. David has over 15 years of experience in the learning and social networking space in various roles, including senior positions in product development, sales support, and product marketing.

As a well-known industry thought leader, David has spoken at over 40 conferences and has been published in every major trade magazine in the learning and talent management space, including Talent Management, Chief Learning Officer, T+D, Training, Learning Solutions, and Learning Circuits. David has also been an early adopter of social media technologies such as Twitter, and is a recognized expert in the emerging concept of social learning.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Learn.com team. For some time now, I’ve been keenly interested in the merger between traditional talent development practices and social talent management models. With its comprehensive suite of tools and services, Learn.com is the company best positioned to address both the formal and social aspects of talent development,” said David Wilkins, Executive Director of Product Marketing at Learn.com.

For more information on Learn.com, please visit www.learn.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

SmartSearch v13.1 Updates Include Gmail Integration, Enhancements for MAC Users, and Free Mobile Access on iPhone, BlackBerry or Other Hand-Held Devices…from Advanced Personnel Systems

 

Advanced Personnel Systems adds functionality to communication tools for mobile recruiting and improves capabilities for users on FireFox browser

HRchitect includes SmartSearch in our list of top Talent Acquisition Systems vendors that businesses should consider. Doug Coull, President & CEO, and LJ Morris, CTO with SmartSearch appeared on the HRchitect WebMingle on March 6, 2009. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Advanced Personnel Systems, Inc. (APS), a leader in talent acquisition management and recruiting business solutions, announced the completion of Version 13.1 updates to its SmartSearch solution, including incorporation of the Mobile Access module to the base system – which means users can now access their database from their iPhone, BlackBerry or other hand-held devices at no additional cost.

“SmartSearch was one of the first recruiting solutions to offer Mobile Access. As the demand for the popular add-on module increased over the last couple of years, we’ve done a number of updates including click-and-dial, quick note and email capabilities,” said LJ Morris, CTO of APS, “Now we’ve made it easier than ever for our users to tap into the system from their mobile devices, and built it right into the base system, making it available on demand for anyone that wants to take advantage of it, free of charge.”

Gmail integration is another popular enhancement for SmartSearch users and mobile recruiters. Users can set up email access to a Gmail account, in addition to using the Outlook Toolbar plug-in. Both tools are designed to facilitate the import of inbound and outbound email content – including the inputting of new or updated resumes with one click – into SmartSearch.

SmartSearch is one of the few talent acquisition and recruiting software products on the market that serves both PC and MAC users. Version 13.1 updates make it easier for MAC users on the FireFox browser to take advantage of additional functionality and document management capabilities.

The v13.1 updates are free and available to all SmartSearch users. SmartSearch offers real-time, talent management software that centralizes sourcing, recruiting, applicant tracking, and hiring activities in an online database where all the pieces come together in one easy to use interface.

“SmartSearch is designed to seamlessly integrate with our clients’ existing systems and applications for managing all sourcing and employment related information,” said Doug Coull, CEO of APS. “We are pleased to offer these enhancements to our communication tools and email handling capabilities.”

APS has been in the business of development and deployment of talent management and recruiting business solutions since 1986. Having pioneered the field of resume-scanning-based recruiting solutions, APS remains a leader in web-based technology and innovative approaches to recruitment data management. Its flagship product, SmartSearch, is currently in its thirteenth release and serves more than 6,000 users worldwide.

Learn more about SmartSearch by visiting www.smartsearchonline.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect

Halogen Introduces Next Generation Talent Profiles…from Halogen

 

Halogen Introduces Next Generation Talent Profiles to Improve Talent Decision Making, Drive User Adoption and Collaboration

HRchitect featured Halogen Software in our 2008 release of The Suite Life of Integrated Talent Management and also includes them in our list of top Talent Management Systems vendors that businesses should consider. If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, talk to HRchitect first. We have unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation.

Talent Management leader Halogen Software today announced its Talent Profiles solution, designed to succeed where traditional employee profiles have failed. These unique features provide greater flexibility and insight for talent decision-making across the organization, drive collaboration among employees and departments, and increase adoption and system usage, making talent management a core organizational value.

Halogen’s Talent Profiles solution incorporates all the elements one could expect from a profiling module and extends the value, security and adoption of such a system with distinct features including: fully customizable profile elements to collect information most relevant to a company’s business requirements, multiple role-based profile views, and an HR controlled process to ensure profile completion and richer talent information.

Flexible, configurable employee profiles

Where conventional solutions are static, providing predefined sections and fields based only on the vendor’s suggestions and limiting the search and reporting value of the data, Halogen’s talent profile can be completely customized based on a company’s business priorities. The ability to create custom fields can provide deeper insight into a particular factor or competency that is unique to one organization.

“Our firm growth targets require we have the right associates in the right roles at the right time. We need a tool that will help us match our associates’ skills and passions to the needs of a specific position and market,” said Claudio Diaz, SPHR, Chief Human Capital Officer with Wipfli LLP. “For example, if we need to find the perfect internal candidate to head up a new office, we want to be able to search on criteria that are anchored in our mission, such as giving back to our communities. Halogen’s offering allows us to create and maintain this rich level of detail that captures our associates’ broader experience, expertise and capabilities.”

Enhanced security levels

Security limitations with traditional employee profile systems mean they can only provide two profiles views: a “public view” which is more limited but searchable by all employees, or an administrator/manager view which shows much more detailed talent information but is potentially too sensitive to be used by other members of the organization. Halogen’s robust security model provides definable role-based views, depending on an individual’s requirements for information within the company. Organizations have the flexibility to determine who can see what, and they can define their own uses for the profile based on business needs.

“As an IT consultancy we need to give various team members different types of access to the talent profiles,” said Steve Swanson, Executive Vice President, Bleum Incorporated. “For example we are regularly looking for candidates to be on project teams. Project leaders and others looking to fill these roles will require different access levels to the profiles for security purposes. With a traditional talent profile, which only provides two levels of access, we could not accomplish this. Halogen’s talent profiles give us this critical flexibility.”

Promotes user adoption and profile updates

Another hurdle with traditional employee profiles relates to user adoption – and upkeep. They tend to rely on employees to independently complete them and maintain them, meaning any data or insight promised won’t be delivered if adoption is low. With Halogen’s robust workflow engine, HR has the ability to include process steps that relate to updating employee profiles, requesting employees to complete the required profile information, and reminding managers when their team members still have tasks to complete. Profile updating can be configured as its own process or included as a step in an on-boarding, performance appraisal or talent assessment process. This ensures profile completion is part of the overall talent management processes within the organization to drive user adoption.

Superior searching options

Halogen’s Talent Profile also provides superior searching and reporting capabilities, and makes connecting and collaborating easy for employees across the organization. Users can either conduct simple search engine type searches or advanced searches to find talent profiles that meet particular criteria. Searches are savable and can be exported for further analysis, and profiles can be compared against each other.

These advanced features provide HR and managers with more actionable talent information and enable departments and peers within the organization to connect and collaborate based on the information most important to them.

Halogen’s Talent Profile module will become available in September 2009 as an integrated component of Halogen’s talent management suite, at no extra charge to existing and new customers.

For more information on Halogen Software, please visit www.halogensoftware.com

 
Matt Lafata, HRchitect