Let me first say that I’m a user and implementer of technology, not a developer. For the purposes of this discussion, I believe this to be a good thing – it makes me less biased about the way technology impacts organizations, both positively and negatively.

As I see it, automation does wonders for some organizations but creates light-speed chaos for others. And the reason is technology is an accelerator – it tends to intensify your current trajectory or state, both good and bad.

A Myth

Although probably never articulated, sometimes there is the unspoken suggestion that slapping a technology application or tool on a broken process will miraculously heal it. (Feel free to envision a metaphorical palm to the forehead, the impending fall backwards, and the echo of “Be healed!”)

If something is inherently flawed and the root problems are not addressed, inserting technology tends to make things worse. At best, it temporarily covers the systemic defects and delays the addressing of fundamental breakdowns. At worst, it actually exacerbates the underlying troubles, but now you have technology actually complicating the resolution.

I’ve seen this time and again in the Talent Acquisition space.

Let’s say ABC Staffing Company has a compliance problem. The staff isn’t properly trained in doing a manual I-9, and sometimes they just don’t do them. The company mandates the use of a technology tool called E-verify and thinks they have the compliance issue under control…until they get audited. Then they find out the team stopped doing manual I-9s altogether when E-verify was launched. This spells trouble indeed.

Or, there’s the company that introduces a new background screening vendor and their fancy new website intended to automate and perfect the process. No more felons getting through the system and onto, you, the clients’ premises, right? Nope – no one ever trained the user on how to interpret the data. Now we have bad background checks and are still sending the workers…and I’m not sure this isn’t worse than sending them having done no background check at all (since we all know that felons always answer the application question about their criminal conviction history honesty).

Social media is a good example of technology that often accomplishes just the opposite of its intent. Studies have shown that people who are highly active in social networking and communication (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, etc.) often feel a greater sense of isolation and disconnectedness than those who use these platforms in a healthier way. With all their so-called ‘communication’ they still don’t feel a sense of real community. Just watch your kids text their sibling, who is sitting across the dining room table, while hiding behind an iPad and a cereal box. Is that breeding healthy social activity?

A Misunderstanding

Technology is not a panacea that cures all your ill-conceived processes or untrained people. It can help, or it can hurt. It can create efficiencies or cause confusion; streamline or stagnate; raise the bar or lower the boom.

Now don’t get me wrong, I advocate for the use of automation and technology in my world – that being primarily Vendor Management Systems/Software (VMS) for contingent labor applications. But I also strongly recommend that my clients look at what’s broken before seeking to implement a technology application. Don’t think for one second that introducing one of these fine tools is suddenly going to make your supplier base drastically better…or even automatically more compliant and capable. Don’t think that quality will immediately improve and internal efficiencies will be created like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Eventually, yes, this should happen – but not if processes are inherently flawed and people aren’t trained. That’s like putting a Band-Aid on a gangrened foot and taking a run for 26.2.

I make VMS recommendations all of the time – and I think there are platforms and configurations that will take your contingent labor programs to a new level – but be smart, be realistic. Do some organizational naval-gazing and consult with honest experts who will tell you how to best use technology, how to make it easy enough to use that it does what it was intended to do – to make you and your company better, not worse; to create simplicity, not produce complexity and inefficiency.

Want to learn more? Please contact Linden Wolfe, PHR, CCWP at lwolfe@excelsiorstaffing.com