Growing ease of access to financial and other resources, coupled with an impending scarcity of talented, prime-age workers are galvanizing many corporate leaders to launch new HR initiatives in an effort to sustain longterm competitive advantage. High on a list of such initiatives are HR transformation and pay-for-performance.

Most organizations undertaking such initiatives support their efforts with substantial investments in new technology-often assuming little more was needed. While a few have achieved success, most find themselves in an ongoing struggle to generate meaningful change and wondering where things could have gone wrong. Sophisticated new HR solutions can dramatically improve a company’s ability to successfully implement pay-for-performance and other initiatives that enable it to strategically manage its talent. Indeed, the information management and communications capabilities today’s solutions offer are all but a prerequisite for success. But, success will only be achieved when the technology is chosen to closely fit the organization’s unique structure, systems, and goals; when it integrates well with other solutions and enterprise applications; and when its implementation commands the full attention of management such fundamental changes demand.