What HR Executives Want From SaaS

SaaS vendor Plateau Systems and advisory firm Saugatuck Technology released the results of an interesting survey earlier this year. The 200+ HR executives who participated in the study made it clear that they have compelling reasons to choose SaaS. Plus, they know what they want in an SaaS vendor. Online software access has become common enough that the novelty of the delivery system is no longer a prime selling point. Businesses can source core HR software from among a broad field of competitors. So, executives can afford to make comparisons.


Up front implementation is one area where businesses are looking to save money. By now, human resource execs know that it’s easy for an SaaS product to look great in the slick sales brochure - but that everything will fall apart without appropriate interfaces. HR is are catching on to the fact that they can’t just contract with an SaaS vendor and expect IT to do the heavy lifting in making the application work. Employers expect vendors to provide implementation assistance and troubleshooting. Ongoing support is also a negotiating point at the HR table. In other words, they want the service part of the Software as a Service package to mean something.

Effectiveness Draws HR to SaaS

As the focus in HR turns more and more toward strategic planning, executives are realizing that their business performance is lagging compared to other departments. They have the right priorities but simply don’t have the right tools to improve operations. While core HRIS is a central feature of SaaS for HR, niche products are also being sought to address strategic needs quickly and efficiently. Talent acquisition, management, and retention are all key areas where HR is trying to close the gap.

Onboarding is an obvious area of potential improvement for the mid to large size businesses involved in the Saugatuck survey. From the perspective of service, Emerald Software Group makes it a priority to help clients ensure a successful onboarding software implementation by collaborating with IT and HR. We also address another top HR executive concern (data security) through adhering to industry best practices. For more information, contact us at 770-569-5122.