Why People, Not Platforms, Drive Tech-Enabled HR Transformation Success

HCM (Human Capital Management) systems rank among the most transformative initiatives an organisation can pursue, driving progress towards key goals - whether that be for financial gain or positive social impact – all while boosting employee engagement and morale.

Our recent publication HR Reimagined, highlights that the core function and value proposition of HR teams is on the brink of, not just significant change but total reimagination: HCM is no longer a back-office system but rather it is, in some respects, the face of the organisation to its people. That makes getting it right ‘mission critical’.

The research certainly backs this up: Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends reports show that business leaders are united in their view: integrated, modern HCM systems deliver value across recruiting, onboarding, performance, payroll, and engagement — and form the foundation for enterprise-wide efficiency.

Why? Because it redefines how HR operates, from automating routine tasks to becoming a strategic, analytics-driven core: that potential is real. But it actually goes well beyond quantifiable benefits and the HR team’s own efficiency gains.

Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends found that organisations who effectively deploy HCM systems are 2.3 times more likely to be high performing.  In this work-from-anywhere world, employees interact with their organisation primarily through its software and that software becomes a representation of the organisation itself: getting this right i.e. creating a pleasant, easy-to use user experience, considerate of employee experience, becomes a competitive differentiation. Poor digital tools aren’t just an IT problem - they’re a talent risk. With Ireland’s low unemployment and intense competition for talent, the impact surely cannot be ignored?

This evolution has led to a major shift in organisations’ main value cases for technology investments. Our 2025 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends survey found that the top two business case drivers for investing in new technologies were enabling a workforce to do more, faster and to decrease cost. An increasingly prevalent theme is that of enabling workers and machines to create value together, to create new types of value, and improving worker well-being.

No doubt, this is why HCM systems now sit high on executive agendas. The above study also found that 77% of executives see HR technology as critical to the future of work.

Unfortunately, the same study shows that only 26% believe they are “ready” to harness HR technology. Could this gap between ambition and readiness explain why failure rates are so high? The reality is that a significant proportion of HCM projects fail or underdeliver.

This could hardly be classed as a marginal risk. The research shows that projects frequently run over budget, miss deadlines, or even worse, leave employees disengaged and fail to change how we work. 

Next up: Let’s explore what we typically see going wrong. 

Deloitte Oracle Alliance

The Deloitte Oracle partnership can support you in deploying the right technology at the right time to develop and motivate high-performing teams. Using Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM solutions, organisations benefit from a unified platform that seamlessly integrates HR, payroll, finance, and workforce planning and amplifies your success.

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