Stakeholder Management in HR Tech Selection

The number one reason HR tech projects fail is not the technology — it's a lack of buy-in. Research shows that 70% of change projects fail due to insufficient stakeholder alignment. This article provides a concrete framework to prevent that.

In every HR tech selection process, you deal with four groups, each with their own interests:

1. HR (Primary User)

Interest: More efficient processes, better data, less administration Concerns: User-friendliness, migration of existing data, impact on daily work Involve them in: Requirements, demos, POC testing

2. IT (Technical Stakeholder)

Interest: Security, integrations, manageability, architecture fit Concerns: Shadow IT, data leakage, additional management work, vendor lock-in Involve them in: Technical requirements, security review, integration assessment

3. Finance (Budget Holder)

Interest: Cost-benefit ratio, predictability, compliance Concerns: Hidden costs, ROI justification, contract risks Involve them in: Business case, vendor negotiation, contract review

4. Management (Decision Maker)

Interest: Strategic value, risk management, competitive position Concerns: Time investment, distraction from core activities, reputational risk Involve them in: Kick-off, shortlist decision, final go/no-go

Define in advance who has which role per phase:

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

Step 1: Share the Problem, Not the Solution

Don't start with "we're going to buy a new HR system," but with "we're losing 15 hours a week to manual processes." Let stakeholders come to the conclusion themselves that a solution is needed.

Step 2: Map Individual Interests

Schedule 1-on-1 meetings with key stakeholders. Ask:

• "What would a new system mean for your department?"
• "What are your biggest concerns?"
• "When would you consider this project successful?"

Step 3: Joint Kick-off

Organize a session where all stakeholders share their input. Use this to:

• Formulate a shared vision
• Establish criteria and priorities
• Agree on roles and responsibilities

Step 4: Regular Updates

Send a short status update to all stakeholders every 2 weeks:

• Where are we in the process?
• Which decisions have been made?
• What is planned for the next 2 weeks?

Step 5: Joint Decision

Ensure the final choice is a group decision with clear criteria, not a unilateral HR decision. Use weighted scorecards to objectively justify the choice.

"We don't need a new system"

Approach: Show the costs of not changing. Calculate the hours lost to manual processes, the risks of non-compliant processes, and the impact on employee experience.

"This costs too much"

Approach: Build a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) comparison. Compare the costs of the current system (including hidden costs) with the investment in a new system. Include productivity gains.

"IT doesn't have capacity for this"

Approach: Choose a SaaS solution that requires minimal IT involvement. Show IT that a modern platform actually results in less management work than the current system.

"We just implemented something else"

Approach: Inventory what the current tool does well and where the gaps are. Sometimes a supplementary solution is more logical than a complete replacement.

1. Involving too late: Only inviting IT to the demo → integration problems afterwards
2. No executive sponsor: Without management support, the project stops at the first obstacle
3. Seeking consensus on everything: Not every decision needs to be unanimous — use the RACI model
4. Only arguing rationally: Emotion plays a role — address concerns about job security and comfort
5. Stopping communication after go-live: Adoption requires continuous attention, not just at launch