Day 2 of SuccessConnect ran parallel with the Inform Impact pre-conference workshops with more delegates arriving at the picture-perfect conference location. While SuccessFactors was running sessions on creating a high performance work environment, achieving goal management excellence and employee central, Inform held workshops such as Measuring the ROI of Human Capital, Bridging the Gap: Taking Analytics from Page to Practice and PowerUp iᶟ. A common theme across all events was the importance of human capital. Carolyn Littlefield, Senior Product Marketing Manager, in her session on Employee Central: Next Generation Core HR described people as a company’s most strategic asset and emphasised the significance of being able to have access to accurate and reliable information about your employees – whenever, wherever! The Employee Central module improves this access to employee information and further empowers collaboration across the enterprise. I think that this particular session really showed that the SuccessFactors modules are developed with the customer in mind so that the functionalities are relevant but easy to understand and use at the same time. As a result, managers do not need to read a manual to be able to use the tools and don’t really require any training at all as the tools selectively expose the user to the information and steps that are relevant to them.
The customers also took center stage at Tony Ashton’s session ‘PowerUp iᶟ’. Tony presented the most recent ‘powered by Inform’ product releases and how the product capability has changed over the past two years. He then encouraged attendants to provide their feedback, discuss their ideas on what they would like to see included in the tools and how the communication about new product releases could be improved. This session was therefore not only a chance for customers to learn more about recent product releases but it was also an opportunity to improve our understanding of our customers and their needs.
The day was rounded up by another cocktail party – although this time drinks weren’t served in the shark aquarium, participants were treated to a little casino event with a lot of Las Vegas flair. This event, organised by Adele Bernard, was a great opportunity for SuccessConnect and Inform Conference attendants as well as staff to mingle, network and schmooze over some drinks, nibbles and, of course, some gambling!
The next morning marked the official beginning of the 20th Annual Inform Conference. The conference was kicked off with an attention grabbing picture slideshow summarising some twenty years of Inform conferences. The man who needs no introduction – Peter Howes – then took to the stage. After welcoming everyone to the conference, Peter talked about the past, the presence and the future of the HR industry and how the HR mindset developed over the years. He concluded that the HR profession currently needs stronger skills in the interpretation and use of workforce data and that in the future the industry will require increasing automation of predictive analytics. I think there was not a person in the audience who could not sense Peter’s passion and commitment to his work and business. Peter then introduced Lars Dalgaard who told an interesting story of their first dinner meeting. As Peter had run late for their meeting and Lars had arrived extra early, Lars was left with sufficient time to actually read through all the folders on Infohrm and Peter Howes which he claims shaped the rest of the meeting. The rest of this keynote presentation focused on introducing SuccessFactors and what it is that they do. Lars even put on his Australian accent when talking about Inform “dar-tar” (data) to better connect with the local audience. It was definitely an inspiring and engaging session to kickstart the Inform Conference!