Mobile Tops the List of VMS Technology Innovations
Staffing Industry Analysts released its 2015 VMS service and features differentiators report to CWS Council members last month. The report (available to CWS members only) was chock full of information on how the latest advancements in VMS technology are promising to continue to reshape the way workforce management is enabled by technology. While the VMS itself has grown from a disruptive new technology to an industry standard set of tools, ongoing innovations continue to influence the way this work is done. Perhaps more than any other, mobile technologies are having a pronounced impact on the day-to-day operations of workforce management programs. Here’s a recap of the many ways technology is being used in our industry distilled from the above mentioned report.
Leading VMS tools from companies like PRO Unlimited, IQNavigator and nextSource have been updated to address the rapidly increasing utilization of handheld devices – smartphones, tablets, etc. As more work is being done via telecommute and other flexible work arrangements, professionals in every industry are growing more reliant on their devices to drive increased productivity. This means that to be competitive, providers of business applications are rushing to meet the demand, developing Android and iOS apps allowing users to interface with their VMS tools directly from these devices. The apps provide functionality to serve the buyers as well as staffing suppliers and in some cases, even applicants themselves. NextSource recommends engaging a VMS solution that makes definitive efforts to address this need as mobile adoption shows no sign of slowing.
Other technical innovations referenced in the CWS report include tools to standardize IC classification and management. Some apps are even offering online portals designed to source ICs which represent a growing segment of the labor force.
Similarly, with SOW-based services continuing to grow their relevancy in the overall composition of the contemporary workforce, VMS solutions providers have been working to improve their tools for managing SOW engagements with document management capabilities, online negotiation tools, and processes for capturing supplier performance for improved efficiency in the utilization of SOW resources.
For those organizations engaging VMS tools in concert with MSPs (or for those with internal project management offices), solution providers are fielding solutions that improve management capabilities through improved integration with MSPs and PMOs, increasing visibility across the entire HR function.
Providers are even improving their technology offering in response to emerging workforce management strategies such as the Total Talent Management strategy (which we reported on in a recent post here), providing the flexible interface and capabilities needed to adequately source across a widening array of sourcing strategies.
All of the above mentioned solutions are enabled by the amazing advancements in computing power necessary to support these complex business processes and functions. So it is critically important as a buyer of workforce management solutions to not only be aware of emerging trends in the field, but also to be cognizant of which providers are up to the challenge of supporting the latest and greatest strategies finding favor in the industry. For more detailed consultation, reach out to your nextSource representative.
