{"id":10356,"date":"2022-09-13T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=10356"},"modified":"2022-09-12T11:06:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T15:06:38","slug":"steps-testing-experimenting-ideas-hr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/steps-testing-experimenting-ideas-hr\/","title":{"rendered":"4 vital steps when testing and experimenting ideas in HR"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4 vital steps when testing and experimenting ideas in HR\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2022-09-13T09:30:00-04:00\">September 13, 2022<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"4 vital steps when testing and experimenting ideas in HR\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/steps-testing-experimenting-ideas-hr\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/charlottepenny\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/03\/charlotte-penny.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Headshot of Charlotte Penny\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Charlotte Penny<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">When it comes to HR, the days of strategies, initiatives and policies being \u2018once and done\u2019 are over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">As new ways of working come to the fore and the pace of change accelerates, HR and People leaders will need to think more experimentally to test, adapt and iterate their strategies and ideas to find out what really works in their organization \u2013 both for today and tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In this article, we take a look at everything HR and People leaders need to know about testing and experimenting, why this agile approach is vital in today\u2019s world of work, and how you can start today with help from HR tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"#testing\">Testing and experimenting \u2013 why now?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#and\">Testing and experimenting in HR<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what\">What can you test and experiment in HR?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#vital\">4 vital steps when testing and experimenting in HR<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#standing\">Standing out in the new world of work<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"testing\">Testing and experimenting \u2013 why now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Before the pandemic, just 29% of HR leaders were set up for agility, adaptability and speed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/human-resources\/hr-agility\/\">our research found.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">When coronavirus happened, this dramatically changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The world of work shifted, and HR had to navigate their organizations through unchartered territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Employees had to work remotely practically overnight, and it catapulted priorities such as wellbeing to the top of the HR agenda. It meant HR had to become more agile in their approach, to shift and adapt in times of change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, HR continues to move through unchartered territory today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">With the great resignation, the move to hybrid working, the rising importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and so much more, it\u2019s more vital than ever for HR to move away from modelling other organizations and for each HR team to find their own path in an agile way to support their organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Testing and experimenting enables HR teams to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"and\">Testing and experimenting in HR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Software engineering teams have been working in this way for years, breaking away from rigid systems to working in an agile way through testing and experimentation in small increments to constantly innovate and optimize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Like software engineering, for HR, successful testing and experimenting means a shift in mindset \u2013 moving away from a \u2018once and done\u2019 approach to a more iterative way of working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For example, drafting a policy shouldn\u2019t ever gather dust and become outdated. It needs to be constantly reviewed and revised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, at the heart of this way of working is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/\">HR tech<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You need a system that can support you when it comes to gathering, segmenting, analyzing and interpreting data, so you can use those actionable insights to find the right solutions for your people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\">What can you test and experiment in HR?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">While testing and experimentation can be used in practically any area of HR, here\u2019s some suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hybrid working policies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">One of the biggest trends to come out of the global pandemic is the rise of remote and hybrid working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">With many employees never worked fully remotely before, it\u2019s driven employees to want more flexibility in where they work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.co.uk\/topics\/economy\/articles-reports\/2021\/04\/13\/one-five-want-work-home-full-time-after-pandemic\">one in five employees<\/a> want to work remotely full time after the pandemic, and <a href=\"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/2021\/12\/09\/more-than-half-of-uk-workers-would-consider-quitting-their-job-if-hybrid-working-was-axed-research-reveals\/\">51% of employees<\/a> who currently work in a hybrid way would consider leaving if this option was removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">As a result, many organizations are still working out how many days employees need to be in the workplace and how many they can work elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This is where testing and experimenting can really help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you can find out what your organization wants when it comes to hybrid working, you can roll out a plan and use people data to understand how well it\u2019s working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">By iterating and reiterating, you can make any necessary adjustments to make sure you\u2019ve found the right balance for your employees, so they\u2019re at their most productive. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wellbeing strategies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"http:\/\/hrnews.co.uk\/burnout-symptoms-increase-for-24-of-uk-employees-in-2020-january-burnout-spike-predicted\/\">Searches online with terms such as \u2018signs of burnout\u2019<\/a> increased by nearly a quarter (24%) in 2020 compared to 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The pandemic has taken its toll on employees, so organizations should look to continue to support employee wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">But which initiatives will truly help to support your employees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A bank of wellbeing days? Implementing walking meetings? No meetings out of hours?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Making the wellbeing initiatives chime with your employees will help with uptake and overall satisfaction, so this is certainly something to consider testing which initiatives work best for your people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">By testing and learning from different approaches, you can find the right fit for your company and people \u2013 and ensure you\u2019re always ahead in the market when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recruitment practices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-great-resignation-hr-keep-top-talent\/\">The great resignation<\/a> is making the jobs market fiercely competitive, so you might be reconsidering how you can hire the best talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Now could be a great time to try something new with your talent acquisition processes to see if this helps you to find and hire top talent faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Ask your candidates and current employees for feedback, so you can start to act upon it and test and experiment with your recruitment practices to find and hire the best talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other opportunities for your organization to test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Many of the areas we\u2019ve mentioned above are larger and more long-term initiatives and strategies that you might look to test and experiment with the help of HR tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, there are likely to be other incremental but important changes that you\u2019d be able to make with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/\">a highly configurable, scalable and flexible cloud HR and People system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For example, HR leaders who had a cloud HR and People system during the pandemic meant they could make changes and customise their technology at a drop of a hat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This allowed them to tailor communications effectively, take new approaches to things such as managing remote teams, and, if needed, add in vaccine management tracking \u2013 all without having to go out and procure new systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">They\u2019re now also able to remove areas of the system that are no longer needed \u2013 all with clicks, not code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That\u2019s why, when it comes to experimenting and testing in HR, it\u2019s vital you have a scalable HR and People system to be able to make the changes you want to see quickly, so you can adapt as you need to the changing working environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vital\">4 vital steps when testing and experimenting in HR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">These are just some of the areas in which HR leaders can test and experiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, as we\u2019ve already said, testing and experimenting at its heart relies on a configurable and flexible HR system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">So, here\u2019s our four-step approach to getting it right, with help from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/\">HR tech<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Survey your target groups and get feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The best place to start is by collecting high-quality people data and getting feedback from the right people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you survey people often, you don\u2019t want them to experience survey fatigue. So pick your target groups wisely based on what you\u2019re looking to test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/\">cloud HR and People system<\/a> can provide you with a pool of people data which you can then segment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For example, if you were looking to address hybrid working, you could conduct a survey that asked employees about working hours and style of working, the ideal at-home set-up, and what they believe to be the right balance of home and office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Collate and analyze the survey results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This part may sound obvious, but it\u2019s so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Survey results provide a solid basis for understanding the needs and desires of the wider business and will also highlight differences in opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s also a crucial step for measuring the success of whatever you then implement. You can survey again and compare results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This is where it\u2019s vital to track and analyze the results over time. Our research shows that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/hr-in-the-moment-impact-through-insights\/\">70% of HR leaders say they\u2019re not providing leading metrics<\/a>, data that indicates future trends, despite it being a priority for the C-suite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">By tracking these metrics over time, you can spot trends and predict them before they happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Use the information to make informed decisions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This can be harder than it sounds, especially if you are trying to manage conflicting opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, having garnered everyone\u2019s input, you\u2019re now in a prime position to craft an informed approach that benefits both the business and your employees based on the numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">And this will allow you to provide the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/hr-in-the-moment-impact-through-insights\/\">insights to the C-suite<\/a> about the best course of action. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Execute your new approach \u2013 and keep iterating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Finally, take the time to inform employees of the upcoming change before implementing. This gives them space to get used to the upcoming shift and gives you time to plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">At this stage, you\u2019ll need to look to implement new workflows and rules depending on the change you\u2019re making. You might need to create new teams, objectives or dashboards to adopt and then monitor success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Once you\u2019ve implemented your initiative, strategy or policy, it\u2019s vital to keep on testing, experimenting, adapting and iterating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You might have implemented something new but there\u2019s likely some tweaks and adjustments you could make after you\u2019ve collated feedback. If something isn\u2019t working, you go back to the data, do some more digging and follow the process again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"standing\">Standing out in the new world of work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">There\u2019s never been one rule book when it comes to HR because every person, team and organization is different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">But in today\u2019s world of work, HR leaders have even more of an opportunity to set their organizations apart and create a truly irresistible place to work. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Testing and experimenting is vital to getting ahead and enabling your organization to stand out from the crowd. So be sure to follow the steps and make sure you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/\">flexible and configurable HR and People system<\/a> in place that can support you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If your HR team can adopt a mindset where testing and experimentation is the norm and leverage your HR system, then you can make sure that your HR and People strategy is always tailored to your people, as your organization continues to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Find out how testing and experimenting can help HR leaders make informed, credible decisions and recommendations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1660,"featured_media":10746,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"business_type":[],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[616],"class_list":["post-10356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Charlotte Penny","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-1149029523-300x169-1.jpg","imagine_tags":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1660"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/10746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=10356"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=10356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}