The Traditional HR Tech Model: A Broken System HR technology vendors — whatever you call them — all share one fundamental problem: they're not mission-aligned with their customers. As services businesses with complex sales cycles, vendors constantly chase the next deal just to maintain growth. Most HR tech projects have only 6-12 months to prove value. Think about that.

Around 2020, I witnessed these challenges firsthand. Despite working with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500s like CBS and Cargill, we encountered persistent issues inherent to the traditional tech models.

• Vendors maintain substantial overhead: sales teams, marketing, implementation consultants Clients pay 2-3x market rates for basic functionality to cover these costs Organizations unable to pay premium rates often cobble together inadequate solutions Vendors frequently push unnecessary "AI-powered" features that go unused.

• Teams struggle with data migration and system integration Knowledge transfer between vendors and internal teams is often poor Initially promising pilots fail during full deployment Vendors prioritize new sales while clients seek sustainable value No continuity post-implementation leads to poor adoption

These problems weren't isolated to us — they were and still are common across the industry. After selling my tech consulting practice in 2019 and later validating these issues at market-leading enterprises, it became evident: organizations need to fundamentally rethink how they approach technology strategy. The costs and risks of traditional approaches are simply too high, with failure rates exacerbated by poor planning, misalignment, and technical complexity.

A New Approach to HR Technology Based on these experiences.
I began thinking about how companies could build effective HR technology solutions while minimizing implementation risk and maximizing business value. The traditional vendor model wasn't working — current players charged premium rates while delivering cookie-cutter solutions that failed to address unique organizational needs.

The concept is simple: help organizations build sustainable HR technology foundations that align with their business strategy, making it possible to create systems that are not only technically sound but also drive real business value, while keeping costs predictable and ensuring long-term success.

Core Principles of Modern HR Tech Strategy: Direct Business Impact

Technology decisions tied directly to business outcomes Clear metrics for measuring success Solutions that adapt to changing business needs

True Integration: Systems work seamlessly with existing technology Data flows efficiently between platforms No silos or redundant solutions

Implementation Velocity and Cost Efficiency: An integrated strategy moves more quickly than point solutions because of alignment. There's no vendor finger-pointing, no integration headaches, and no "transformation fatigue" where initiatives lose momentum. This translates to two critical advantages:

Faster time to value Sustained adoption and utilization

Let's look at the numbers:

A typical enterprise HR technology implementation costs $2-5M and takes 12-18 months Most organizations only utilize 40-60% of purchased functionality Over 60% of projects exceed their original budget and timeline

A modern approach focused on business value and sustainable implementation can reduce these costs by 30-50% while improving success rates significantly.

The Future of HR Technology We're entering a new era of HR technology, driven by several key trends:

Artificial Intelligence and Automation Real AI (not just basic automation) is transforming core HR processes: Intelligent candidate screening and matching Predictive analytics for workforce planning Automated compliance and risk management

Employee Experience Platforms The shift from traditional systems to integrated employee experience platforms: Mobile-first design Consumer-grade user experience Personalized employee journeys

Data-Driven Decision Making Analytics moving from descriptive to predictive: Real-time workforce insights Predictive retention modeling Strategic workforce planning

If you're considering a major HR technology investment, pause — it's likely there's a more efficient path forward. Traditional approaches to HR technology often result in expensive, underutilized systems that fail to deliver promised value. Modern organizations need a different approach:

Start with Strategy, Not Features Define clear business objectives Map current process pain points Identify quick wins for early momentum

Build Strong Foundations Clean, structured data Clear governance frameworks Robust integration architecture

Focus on Adoption Comprehensive change management User-centric design Continuous feedback loops

Whether you need full-scale transformation or targeted improvements, this approach provides more efficiency, better alignment with business needs, and sustainable value.

Looking Ahead The future of HR technology holds immense promise, but realizing that promise requires a fundamentally different approach than what most organizations currently employ. Success depends on:

Clear alignment between technology and business strategy Realistic assessment of organizational readiness Strong change management and adoption planning Measured, phased implementation approach Continuous evaluation and adjustment

By eliminating unnecessary complexity and focusing on business value, modern HR technology strategies offer a more efficient, flexible, and sustainable approach to transformation — one that actually delivers results before exhausting organizational patience and resources.

Remember: HR technology should enable your people strategy, not define it. Start with clear business objectives, build strong foundations, and choose solutions that truly align with your organizational needs. The most successful HR technology implementations aren't about having the latest features — they're about having the right tools to support your people and business objectives.

If you're embarking on an HR technology journey, take time to step back and ensure your approach aligns with these principles. The future of work demands more from our HR technology — make sure your strategy is ready to deliver.