Starting a new job is an exciting and important time in anyone’s life. It is a big deal; it becomes a part of how that person defines themselves.

When candidates are successful and begin a new position within your company, it is vital a planned and smooth onboarding process is in place. An organized onboarding process allows new employees to feel more connected to the team, less stressed and therefore be more productive.

The first 100 days are the most vital. Within this first trimester, an employee will be adapting to their new role and grasp if they have made the right decision to work for your company. An unorganized onboarding process may result in a high employee turnover or disengaged team members. You should press a positive company brand, culture and future vision onto the boarding process.

What new hires want on their first week of a job:

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To meet these requirements and successfully onboard a new employee you should be:

Rolling Out The Welcome Mat:

First impressions are everything.

When boarding new employees, it is essential to make them feel welcome – which is not only achieved by the team popping over to say ‘hello.’

Experienced staff members, with strong people and leadership skills, should be encouraged to get involved with the onboarding process. Managers should regularly network with newer members, a great way to break down barriers for employees who may be inexperienced and intimidated by their superiors.

The new hire must be taught about the background of your company and understand the long-term vision of the business. Doing this will help new comers understand where their role will fit into the organization and how their work will be contributing towards the company’s goals.

Setting goals and providing a transparent understanding of the companies aims, will drive the new employee to be more productive and motivated to help.

Through a friendly team welcome, a positive company culture and experience will immediately be pressed.

Tools and Training:

A work space should be set up before the new arrival joins, equipped with the basic supplies they will need.

Typical ‘housekeeping’ questions such as team chat rooms, the building layout etc should be promptly addressed. New hires should also learn about their flexible benefits, pay slips, what systems they will be using, businesses technologies and the company finance system.

If new employees are unfamiliar with certain systems, then appropriate training should be organized in order for them to be able to do their job effectively. If an employee isn’t trained, they may feel undervalued.

Brand Experience:

If your company brand has an overall positive experience, both internally and externally, then new team members will be more passionate and inspired about their new role.

A positive brand experience is created through both your customers and employees believing that the company products or services are valuable and delivered to a high standard.

Internal workplace experiences, such as the attitudes of your senior staff members towards the rest of the team, can affect new employees’ motivation and engagement levels when they come onboard. It is therefore vital that your business ensures a dedicated and respectful company culture on a continuous basis.

If your organisation can achieve this, it will give them a distinct competitive advantage and help attract and retain talented employees.

Though onboarding a new recruit may take up time and resources, following the procedure properly will ensure new employees succeed and integrate fully into their new roles, benefiting both them and your organisation.

Managers should collect feedback on the onboarding process after the new hire has spent around three months within the job, so you can evaluate what worked and what didn’t. This feedback should be taken into account for future onboarding procedures.

If you are looking to improve and organise your companies onboarding process, click below to discover how SAP SuccessFactors can help you:

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Having over 40 years of SAP SuccessFactors experience combined, our Jigsaw Customer Care team provides a tailored support service, so our customers can make the most out of their SAP SuccessFactors system. The JigsawCare team are continuously up to speed with the latest HR functionalities and IT updates and is supported by leading implementation architects. 

 The team offers and supports a range of services, so much more than an ordinary IT support service. JigsawCare provides annual reviews, configuration audits, training advice, GDPR set-up and communications. Customers can expect to speak and deal with the same individuals each time, meaning we understand your business and your SAP SuccessFactors system configuration.

Customers can submit support tickets through multiple channels, whilst receiving weekly calls from a team member to ensure that they are up to speed with all business and system requirements. The first quarter of 2019 revealed that our Customer Care team resolved 675 out of the 713 support tickets that were received. The first response SLA was 99% and resolution SLA 88%.

The customer care team go the extra mile when it comes to fixing issues with the system. Feedback showed that 79% of surveyed customers had had a positive experience whilst working with the Jigsaw support team. Comments from customers revealed that the team had been very helpful, ‘super quick and very informative’ with their responses and the resolving any SuccessFactors issues.

At Jigsaw, we look forward to continuing to support our SAP SuccessFactors customers throughout the future. The team will continue working to provide strategic roadmaps for businesses in order to help them reach their long-term business goals and ensure company success.

To discover how the Jigsaw Cloud Care Team can support all your SuccessFactors needs, click below:

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What is the CIPD #FestivalofWork?

The CIPD Festival of Work brings together two unmissable CIPD events, the Learning and Development and HR Software and Recruitment shows – and adds in a brand-new dimension, The Future of Work.’ – Festival of Work website.

This year the event will be situated within Olympia, London, on the 12-13 June. The event is to be attended by over 300 exhibitionists, 7000 HR professionals and provide copious amounts of business-led entertainment. It will certainly an eventful and informative two days.

With so much to explore and experience, I have rounded up the top three highlights for attendees and visitors to expect when they visit our stand:

Free Demos and Learning

Our talented and devoted HR Specialists will be offering all attendees FREE SAP SuccessFactors modular demos and consultations. Modules include Employee Central, Performance and Goals, Learning, Succession and Development, Onboarding, Recruiting and Compensation.

The demos are aimed to ensure that you and your company receive some undivided attention with our consultants. We would love to demonstrate how our system and it’s SuccessFactors HR modules can best be tailored to support your companies long term business goals and growth strategy. 

A winner will also be chosen on the second day of the event, from a random draw, to win a pair of Apple AirPods. These can be won after signing up and receiving the FREE SAP SuccessFactors demo, by one of our Jigsaw Cloud consultants.

To book your spot in advance, please click here: https://bit.ly/2DgZS9S 

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Competitions and Giveaways

Not only are CIPD events designed for educational and networking purposes but they also provide entertainment and healthy competition.

This year, Jigsaw Cloud will be giving away an abundance of tech-themed freebies when you stop by our stand or take part in one of our SuccessFactors competitions.

Put your SuccessFactors knowledge to the test with our timed module word searches and matching games, for the chance to get your hands on Amazon Echo Dots, lanyards, phone cases and more.

Network with our Team

With thousands of HR professionals attending the event, CIPD The Festival of Work becomes a great opportunity to speed network with those who share similar passions and line of work as you do.

At Jigsaw, we believe people are at the heart of what we do. Come and visit our stand to network with the Jigsaw Cloud and SAP team, we love speaking with people who share our interests for technology and HR.

If you are a current customer of Jigsaw Cloud, be sure to stop by and say hello!

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To book a SuccessFactors demo with one of our dedicated consultants click here:

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In an industry that is rapidly changing, staying ahead of the curve with digital technology is essential to create a competitive advantage. In a financial services organisation, ensuring that the business is recruiting, engaging and retaining top talent, is something which is critical for success. It is also vital for employees to understand the latest risk and regulatory requirements that are needed to stay compliant. 

Below are the top three reasons as to why financial services are investing heavily in HR resources.

  1. With the ever-evolving changes in HR technology, financial sectors are seeking to ensure that they stay ahead of the game. Having the latest technology updates and resources in order to maintain company growth, cost control and facilitate effective leadership. Therefore, financial services need to invest in a core HR system which would allow them to automate core HR processes, deliver intuitive employee self-services, track time and absences.
  2. Risk and Regulatory requirements impact all companies within the financial sector. From customer data protection to handling sensitive financial information, financial organisations must ensure employees comply with business regulations. HR technology can provide a learning solution that enables the organisation to manage, develop and deploy instructor-led, formal and social online training. 
  3. As financial services companies focus their growth strategies on global expansion and the pursuit of new markets, there is an increasing need to allow recruiters and managers to quickly hire the right talent around the world. The right HR solution could help companies to attract, engage, retain candidates and then measure the results.

Overall, financial services are investing more so than ever before in HR digital technology. Investing in HR support and services can help employees to manage recruitment, provide the correct risk and regulatory training for employees and ensure the global growth of the company.

Click Below to Book a Consultation/Demo with us:

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Companies that have policies in place to foster learning opportunities for employees generally see a rapid increase in innovation and growth as a result. However, this learning should not merely be focused on compliance issues, but on an effort to continually enhance the knowledge and skills of employees in order to compete in the market. Employees who have access to formal and informal learning and development programs are able to outperform their peers working for other companies. Essentially, it’s a win-win for all.

Why does it matter that the organization is about learning?

1. Enabling Skill Growth

Workplace learning has been described as an active and continual filling of human minds with information that enables them to grow. When an organization supports this effort, it’s pouring industry relevant information into the minds of employees, who are able to transfer this knowledge to better work practices. 

2. Enhancing Community Values

Another reason why organizations need to implement learning and development programs is because they are influencing the culture and values of the community. Starting with the employees they manage, they are building certain values into the hearts and minds of everyone. Cultural values can be a powerful influencer in making a difference in the world.

3. Improving Buisness Digilization 

In terms of organizational benefits, a learning organization is one that is adaptable and able to handle the challenges of changing business atmospheres. As new technology and improved processes come along, well-trained employees can put them to use immediately. This is a clearly a competitive advantage. The business that is always thinking ahead stays afloat while a business set in old ways of doing things will falter.

4. Supporting Employee Engagement 

A learning culture is also one that supports employees and their career dreams, therefore it’s much more positive. This can improve employee morale and retention rates dramatically. Employees who understand their employer is invested in their professional success speaks volumes in terms of performance. Learning also has the power to break down barriers between “silos” of employees, adding to the collective nature of projects and future initiatives.

As you build your own learning organization, remember that learning and development help employees to develop strong working practices and performance that’s aligned with company goals. Make learning and technology solutions a part of your organization.

To discover how SAP SuccessFactors can help organise training and develop your company employee’s skills, click below:

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Focusing on your business knowing that your critical data is safe and reliable is of the upmost importance. With the fast-evolving digitization of business processes security must be a main research point before you select a HR system. Even with evolving developments in technology, leaving data more secure than ever before, breaches and hacking are not impossible.

HR software companies must take data security seriously. They are required to cover all aspects possible when it comes to data security from technical to physical operations. In this blog, I have rounded up the top security questions you need to be asking when considering a new system:

1. How are the data centres physically secured?

Data security is imperative within the network not just digitally, but also physically. HR software companies need to ensure safety and accessibility to people data through using modern technology to achieve the highest standards of security.

Data centres are built specifically to ensure safety. Before you select a system, your company should learn about the exterior structure of the buildings. How thick are the walls? What material has been used to design them? What is the frame design of the server rooms? In addition, question how the data centres are powered and who operates that power.

It is important for you to know how the data centre is protected against a potential fire breakout – whether smoke detectors, preliminarily alarms and cooling systems have been put into place. The data needs to remain cool as all electronic components contain heat, which could lead to a decrease in efficiency of the processor.

When selecting an HR system, make sure you are aware of who has access to your data. Access to the data centre ought to be limited to a few individuals, which can be enforced through single person access and mantrap systems.

2. How is the data applied to the system?

Whether data is stored on premises or via the cloud, it is for you to determine the security impact these solutions have on your landscape.

Does the cloud platform use a secure multitenancy architecture? Multi-tenancy is an architecture in which a single instance of software serves multipletenants. This means you don’t have the concerns and associated risks of sharing your database with other customers or competitors.

3. What is the difference between cloud security and on-premises security?

I can assure you that the security standards provided by HR software businesses for both on-premise and cloud software are required to be very strict.Cloud security standards are surpassing traditional on-premise security standards, though key security concerns remain the same for both.

Ensure that you learn about the advantages for each security type. Running on a software-defined infrastructure, cloud solutions allow you to implement security measures on a larger scale if you map your existing security controls to those provided in the cloud.

Another advantage of using the cloud, is the increased ability in addressing security concerns and the reduced cost for researching, developing, and deploying updated security features.

4. What has been done to prevent people’s data being lost or hacked?

Your employee data is at constant risk of being breached or hacked into, so question how the HR system is protecting your people data. You need to ask what procedures and systems have been put into place if an attacker was successful at attaining your data.

Infrastructure controls at a cloud service providers site are key for maintaining high security for cloud-based software solutions. HR systems must use considerable measures to ensure that your people data cannot be lost or hacked – this includes encryption, data replication, multiple and redundant backups, off-site archival, and the employment of strict data privacy standards.

Does the HR business frequently scan all public cloud systems and all Internet facing systems, including web application servers, load-balancers and firewalls? Has safe penetration testing been implemented regularly? This is to check the cybersecurity strength of the cloud infrastructure.

5. Is the system compliant with international standards and GDPR?

Before choosing an HR system, check that it complies with all international standards and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). GDPR introduces a general data breach-reporting obligation.

HR software companies, now and in the future, are required to be entirely committed to complying with all relevant international standards and legalisations. These laws not only include following GDPR rules but other legalisations such as the Japan Social Security and Tax Number regulation, the Argentina Personal Data Protection Act and Canadian privacy laws.

What are your main security concerns when purchasing a new HR System? Do you have any other suggestions? Let me know below in the comments or book yourself a FREE consultation with any security questions you may have to discover how Jigsaw Cloud can help you.

Click below to discover how SAP SuccessFactors can improve the security of your HR system and people data:

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People drive the business in professional services, so keeping them engaged, happy and motivated is key to driving success. By enabling companies with the latest technologies, it gives a holistic view of the business so that organisations can better manage talent and make more informed decisions.

Below are the top three reasons as to why professional services are investing heavily in HR solutions:

1.  Total Workforce Visibility 

With the growing number of contingent and part-time workers, professional service organisations need to have a holistic view of the total workforce. SAP SuccessFactors allows companies to view real-time HR data across the organisation to enable the business to make more informed decisions.

2. Navigating HR Complexity 

Professional services companies often require specialists to complete projects. This means businesses have to tap into global talent networks in order to source the right people for the job. HR technology provides the tools required to attract, engage and retain these specialists.

3. Ignite Employee Performance 

Professional service companies require a diverse global workforce. Delivering compensation plans that engage with employees and align with key objectives isn’t always easy. HR Services deliver employee rewards that motivate a workforce and drive organisation performance.

Overall, Professional services are investing in HR technology and services order to gain a holistic view of their workforce, recruit and retain talented employees and improve employee engagement and performance. 

Learn more about how SuccessFactors can help you manage your total workforce

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What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is not equal to employee happiness. According to Forbes, “Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. This emotional commitment means engaged employees actually care about their work and their company.”

When employees are engaged, they automatically put more effort into their work. This creates an overall higher productivity, profit and performance rate within the company. 80% of HR employers, who took part in a G2 Crowd survey, revealed that using HR technologies improved employee attitude towards the company.

So how can companies ensure their employees remain engaged? Below I have rounded up the top four methods HR departments can use to ensure employees care about their job role and company:

1. Create Personalised Goals

If company managers want their employees to succeed, then creating personal, strategic achievements and goals is vital. If an employee feels as though they are not contributing enough to the business, then they may put less effort into their work or leave. HR departments should use an HR system that provides, easy to access goals for employees and for their managers to regularly review.

2. An Open-Door Policy

It is important for employees to feel that their organisation cares not only about their achievements but also their struggles, whether they may be work-related or personal. If an employee feels that they are lacking support, then the company may find themselves losing experienced employees.

Ensuring that the HR department implements an open-door policy establishes that the company is taking responsibility for their employees’ mental health and wellbeing. It also a great way of encouraging conversation and breaking down the social stigmas and barriers on certain subjects.

HR departments should take into consideration the concerns of the employee, implementing changes or providing support where needed within the employee’s job role.

3. Appropriate Training

No employee will care about their job if they feel neither their skill set, or experience, is developing.

HR departments should provide employees with the correct tools and training programmes in order for them to do their job properly and reach their full potential. If an employee feels they are being hindered from progressing down their career path, they may begin searching for another position.

Training programmes should be regularly provided and aimed to be varied in order to maintain high levels of employee engagements.

4. Employee Compensation

Hard working employees should be recognised and rewarded for their efforts. HR departments should implement compensation and reward schemes to ensure employees feel a sense of achievement and that they are appreciated for their productiveness.

HR departments can boost a companies employee engagement level through not only implimenting HR technology services but simply by recognising an employees concerns and achievements. Employees feel they are being seen more as individuals and less of a faceless mass, resulting in a higher interest of the company and increased engagement.

To find out how SAP SuccessFactors can help increase your organisations employee engagement, click below for your FREE consultation:

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Once a month, Jigsaw Cloud’s remote employees gather together, to contribute in the ‘All Hands’ meetings. It sort of feels like a family reunion – a Jigsaw family reunion.

During our January meet up, we were asked to think about our individual achievements and highlights over the previous quarter. On the moments that we were most proud of.

Being a member of the Jigsaw Cloud Support Team is certainly something special. It is all about sharing and caring for people, including both our amazing customers and dedicated employees.

My mind started reflecting over the previous three months, looking for ideas and moments to latch on to – just any little detail that sounded vaguely interesting.

Ah!
I thought.
I became a Grandad.
Hm… Doesn’t really count as it took no effort on my side at all….

I started to learn to play guitar…
Again!

No I thought I am clearly on the wrong track here.

Its all right for the guys in Sales.
They have things they can count.
They have Targets, New Customers, Squillions of Pounds in Sales…

And our Consultants.
They have projects that seem like Great Mountains peaks to climb.
They are like Brain surgeons wielding scalpels, going in with the team to perform amazing life changing surgery.

In Support we don’t do anything like that, not really.

We have our moments.
I could maybe find a fact.
Like we have improved the overall happiness quotient by 17.73%
(Editor’s note there is no such thing!) But in Support we have more in common with Nurses.

We are the caring side of the business.
We are turning down the sheets, taking the pulse, applying the bandages and making sure the patient is still breathing.