Offers Secure, Cost-Efficient Access for Enterprises Adopting HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite SaaS Platform

SAUSALITO, CA—Feb. 17, 2012—HumanConcepts, developer of HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite, has opened a new data centre to meet the growing demand by UK and EMEA-based customers for high-quality Software as a Service (SaaS) organizational planning solutions.

Housed in London, HumanConcepts’ new facility will allow European customers to access sensitive enterprise information quickly, cost efficiently and securely while avoiding the internet latency and data privacy challenges often posed by cloud computing solutions.

In 2011, HumanConcepts introduced HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite, the next generation of its award-winning OrgPlus Enterprise platform, taking full advantage of the growing trend of moving corporate services to a web-based infrastructure, i.e., the cloud. Built to the highest industry standards for performance reliability, security and 24/7 availability, the Data Center strengthens HumanConcepts’ overall portfolio and marks the next step in its European development.

HumanConcepts CEO Martin Sacks said, “Our new data center underscores our growth and commitment to offering HumanConcepts’ European users advanced organizational planning solutions, able to satisfy complex business requirements.”

By adopting a SaaS implementation, new and current HumanConcepts customers realize considerable benefits. Quick to deploy, HumanConcepts’ web-based solution is easy to use and accessible from multiple channels, including web, enterprise portals and mobile devices. It is compatible with a wide range of browsers, including Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome and Firefox in both Windows and Mac OS environments.

“More and more of our users are looking to lower total cost of ownership,” said Sacks. “Our web-based services are ideal for them, requiring no upfront investment or capital expenditure. As many IT departments see staff numbers diminish, moving to a SaaS environment allows users to do more with less. Not only will our new data center provide higher performance, but it will guarantee that EMEA customers gain ultimate protection for their sensitive or mission-critical data in today’s cloud-based environment.”

About HumanConcepts

HumanConcepts enables enterprises to better manage organizational change of all types, including growth, rightsizing and reorganization. Using solutions from HumanConcepts, customers can achieve organizational agility, more easily understand how they are organized, plan for the future, and transition the workforce to its optimal state.

Used by many of the world’s largest organizations, HumanConcepts solutions provide immediate return on investment by enabling companies to reorganize faster, manage financial targets, stay in compliance, and reduce both cost and risk. The company’s products are certified by leading ERP and talent vendors such as Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft and Lawson. HumanConcepts is based in Sausalito, California, with offices in the United Kingdom and Germany. For more information, visit http://www.humanconcepts.com.

Press Contact
HumanConcepts
Katy Colletto
415-275-9178
katy.colletto@humanconcepts.com

Prepares Organizations for Business Continuity; Helps Plan and Model Practical Succession Plans from Org Chart Framework

SAUSALITO, CA—Feb. 14, 2012—HumanConcepts, developer of HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite, has announced the immediate availability of HumanConcepts Succession, updated as a 100% cloud-based application integrated directly with HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite.

HumanConcepts Succession’s candidate analysis and succession modeling helps Human Resource managers and executives build and deploy succession plans in minutes, not days, within the familiar context of the company org chart for any organizational role, not just C-Level positions.

Fully integrated with HumanConcepts Suite’s Visualize and Plan & Model modules, HumanConcepts Succession simplifies and streamlines succession planning. Unlike time-consuming solutions that require stakeholders to access multiple programs (e.g., finance, talent, ERP), conduct ad hoc planning sessions and base decisions on incomplete data, HumanConcepts Succession allows organizations to gain quick, visual talent insight to find the best candidates, plan and model succession scenarios before making final assignments, and make collaborative decisions based on both qualitative management knowledge and quantitative evaluations.

HumanConcepts Succession Features:

• Enhanced drag and drop planning lets users create and edit succession plans directly within organizational charts
• Integrated 9-Box performance and potential grids provide quick candidate comparisons as well as manual or automatic calibration
• User-defined or data-driven candidate pools facilitate rapid analysis of both qualitative and quantitative recommendations
• Improved access controls limit visibility and editing of succession plans to authorized users
• Publish (PDF, PowerPoint) and Export (Excel) controls help deliver boardroom-quality presentations for executive staff and managers
• Approval workflows facilitate sharing and decision making around succession candidates
• Portal integration, security and administration enhancements mean easy deployment to managers throughout the enterprise

“With the rapid pace of change in organizations, developing a robust succession planning discipline is critical to mitigating the risk of losing key employees or skill sets,” said Luis Rivera, president of HumanConcepts. “With HumanConcepts Succession, resource-strapped HR teams now have a practical, intuitive way to create and manage succession plans without the overhead and complexity associated with single-purpose succession planning offerings.”

Succession is available immediately as part of the HumanConcepts Organizational Planning Suite. For more information, please go to http://www.humanconcepts.com or contact HumanConcepts sales at 1-415-332-3030.

About HumanConcepts

HumanConcepts enables enterprises to better manage organizational change of all types, including growth, rightsizing and reorganization. Using solutions from HumanConcepts, customers can achieve organizational agility, more easily understand how they are organized, plan for the future, and transition the workforce to its optimal state.

Used by many of the world’s largest organizations, HumanConcepts solutions provide immediate return on investment by enabling companies to reorganize faster, manage financial targets, stay in compliance, and reduce both cost and risk. The company’s products are certified by leading ERP and talent vendors such as Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft and Lawson. HumanConcepts is based in Sausalito, California, with offices in the United Kingdom and Germany. For more information, visit http://www.humanconcepts.com.

Press Contact
HumanConcepts
Katy Colletto
(415) 275-9178
katy.colletto@humanconcepts.com

Many organizations are seeking new business opportunities and growth beyond their home borders. As businesses expand internationally, their technology infrastructure and their human resource processes must keep pace. How ready are most Human Resources (HR) and HR Information Technology (HRIT) organizations to support a global venture? What are the stages of globalization and some leading practices to follow?

To answer these questions and further investigate the process of globalization and the stages of global development for HR and HRIT, Jeitosa Group International, in conjunction with the International Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM) association, conducted the fourth annual Going Global Survey, available via free download on our site.

The survey consisted of a broad range of questions, covering business strategy and organizational design, as well as the people, process, and technology aspects that must be considered when going global.

The HCM Trends in Globalization report presents the findings from the 2011 survey.

Responses show that international organizations are seeing global results in improved talent development (31%) and enhanced business performance (38%), increasing 30% and 10%, respectively, over the last three years. There has also been an 25% increase in on-the-job training through job rotations and special cross-functional assignments over formal classroom training.

From an HRIS perspective, the survey shows that, while SaaS technology has long been a major alternative for talent management solutions, SaaS solutions are now moving into the mainstream for global Core HR, Benefits and Payroll with 49% growth over the last three years, driven primarily by Workday’s new SaaS offering.

On the other hand, the study unveils certain inconsistencies within global companies. Most significantly, there is a strong gap between global technology capabilities and global business processes. While 61% of organizations have implemented global technology, only 50% of organizations have 100% of their workforce on a single global system and only 41% have deployed global business processes across the organization.

There appears to be a significant lost opportunity with organizations deploying global technology, but not yet able to effectively leverage the global functionality and achieve the results of improved talent development and enhanced business performance.

Our returning HumanConcepts Webinar Series is free but invaluable for HR, HRIS, ERP and Talent Management professionals looking to expand their knowledge base.

Sign up for as many sessions as you like. We also recommend inviting colleagues, industry friends and anyone who could use a little organizational enlightenment.

Here’s the Winter-Spring 2012 Lineup:

Encore Presentation:
“One Organization. One Org Chart.”

How many org charts does it take to see your entire workforce? If the answer is anything greater than one, attend this webinar and learn best practices to understand your workforce hierarchy, gain insight into KPIs and overcome the challenges of centralizing data.

—Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST | Register Now

Encore Presentation:
“Build Succession Plans in Minutes, Not Days”

Most organizational succession plans are established after a cumbersome 18-step process that includes identifying candidates, defining competencies, assessing the talent pool, etc. See how HumanConcepts streamlines that flow, drastically cutting the effort it takes to put the right talent in the succession queue.

—Wednesday, Feb. 22 | 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST | Register Now

New for 2012: “The New Social Scene: HumanConcepts Suite”

Research suggests 80% of adults use social media, an increasingly critical tool to understanding an organization’s characteristics. Whether it’s perusing a colleague’s experience, finding workforce connections, or sourcing skill sets, see how to provide up-to-date networking information that allows for innovation in the workplace.

—Wednesday, March 7 | 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST | Register Now

New for 2012: “What’s Trending in 2012 and Beyond? A Look at Organizational Planning Practices”

Is your organization ready for 2012 and beyond? Does it have the agility it needs to adapt to change quickly and effectively? Learn why agility, data integration and social and mobile collaboration are a necessity for your organization this year, in the midst of changing economic, business and social conditions.

—Wednesday, March 28 | 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST | Register Now

New for 2012: “Mobile Org Chart: Accessing Workforce Data On-the-Go”

Today, it’s almost part of the job description to be on call and accessible whenever, wherever. Having access to the company’s organization chart directly from your smart phone or company portal promotes productivity, facilitates problem solving and gives managers the power to analyze metrics on-the-go.

—Wednesday, April 11 | 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST | Register Now

From small organizational changes to company-wide reorganizations, every organization is exposed to legal risk.

Is yours prepared?

Join us for the webinar How to Avoid Common Mistakes in RIFs and Restructurings: A Legal Perspective on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2011, from 10-11 a.m. PST/1-2 p.m. EST.

Register here.

Hear Scott Baken, Partner at Jackson Lewis, White Plains, NY—one of the leading workforce litigation firms in the United States—discuss the legal risks inherent in separation events and how to prepare and protect your organization.

Learn how to:

• Retain key talent during separation events.
• Avoid wrongful termination lawsuits.
• Prevent common mistakes that could cost your organization millions.

Scott will share expertise gleaned from more than 20 years supporting management in employment law, most often around employee separations and reductions in force. If your organization is anticipating a merger, acquisition, reduction in force or restructuring on any scale, this is a must-attend event.

About Scott

Coordinator of Jackson Lewis’ Reduction in Force practice, Scott counsels attorneys on cutting edge approaches to workplace reorg issues. He also advises clients on subjects such as sexual harassment, RIFs and the implementation of preventive personnel practices designed to increase productivity, enhance morale and ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws that impact the workplace.

For most multi-nationals, organizational strategy and workforce planning are driven centrally, then rolled out across divisions and geographies. While organizational planning in one division is difficult enough, rolling it out cohesively across the enterprise or world can be a complicated and challenging initiative. How can it be effective when roles, competencies, and skills are organized under completely different terminology and technology?

The barriers to a successful enterprise-wide initiative center around blending workforce information, understanding the baseline data and establishing a common vocabulary—as well as working through cultural issues. How can an organization break through the differences and align the workforce so it achieves the most important business outcomes?

The upcoming webcast Worldwide Workforce Planning: Facing the Challenge from Definition to Deployment, presented in partnership with Human Capital Institute, the Global Association for Strategic Talent Management, aims to help answer those questions. It’s part of HCI’s organizational planning track and features renowned HCM maven John Boudreau.

Worldwide Workforce Planning:
Facing the Challenge from Definition to Deployment

Presented by: HCI, HumanConcepts
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 | 9 a.m. PST/12:00 p.m. EST

Register here.

Webcast Presenters

Dr. John W. Boudreau is Professor and Research Director at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Center for Effective Organizations. He is recognized worldwide for breakthrough research on the bridge between superior human capital, talent and sustainable competitive advantage. His research has received the Academy of Management’s Organizational Behavior New Concept and Human Resource Scholarly Contribution awards.

Dr. Boudreau consults and conducts executive development with companies worldwide that seek to maximize their employees’ effectiveness by quantifying the strategic bottom-line impact of superior people and human capital strategies. An architect and the first Visiting Director of Sun Microsystems’ unique Research and Development Laboratory for Human Capital, Professor Boudreau is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources.

He has published more than 50 books and articles. Features on his work have appeared in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Business Week, among others. A strong proponent of corporate/academic partnerships, Dr. Boudreau directed the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS), at Cornell University, where he was a professor for more than 20 years.

Helen Friedman
Workforce Analytics and Planning, U.S. East Practice Leader
Towers Watson

Helen is a Senior Consultant in Stamford, CT, and leader of the Workforce Analytics and Planning practice in the U.S. East division for  Towers Watson. She has 25 years of experience in leading and supporting client efforts across a broad array of analytics, including workforce planning and optimization, dashboards and reporting, site selection and labor market analysis, and total rewards strategy.

Helen also is one of Towers Watson’s key thought leaders supporting the development of our strategic offerings and technology for global workforce planning and reporting. In addition, she has implemented sophisticated statistical modeling techniques that are being applied to uncover drivers of key organizational outcomes, answering questions such as: who is successful at our organization, what drives our turnover, and what workforce factors accelerate revenue growth?

Prior to joining Towers Watson, Helen was a Principal at another leading HR consulting firm and was responsible for that firm’s workforce planning and specialized analytics offerings. Over her years in consulting, she has had both direct consulting responsibilities and global management roles with regard to service development, including leading efforts to build proprietary technology to support workforce planning.

Helen is known in the HR consulting community as a thought leader in the area of workforce planning. Fortune 25 companies have consulted with her to better understand workforce analytics methods and solutions. Over her career, Helen has worked with large, multinational organizations in a number of industries, including defense, energy, financial services, health care, high tech, hospitality, specialty materials and retail.

Helen is a sought-after expert and speaker at national industry and general HR conferences and her work has been published in national journals including the Journal of Organizational Excellence. She earned her B.A. in Mathematics at Haverford College and an MBA with highest honors at Columbia Business School in Finance and Management.