Ottawa, ON, Canada -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/12/2006 --Halogen Software Inc., the industry recognized leader in providing Web-based employee performance management (EPM) solutions, today announced the release of Halogen Employee Performance Management Suite 8.0. This most recent offering includes numerous upgrades designed to make the solution easier to use while offering organizations even greater tools to effectively execute corporate strategy. Halogen EPM Suite 8.0 includes Halogen eSuccession™ a powerful yet simple to use succession planning tool based on talent pools, a proven best-practices approach. Halogen eSuccession eliminates the complexity and limitations of org-chart, replacement-based systems allowing users to get started right away without complex or excessive implementation overhead. This newest version also includes global-usability improvements and numerous eCompensation™ and eAppraisal™ Healthcare features.
Halogen eSuccession
As millions of baby boomers approach retirement, succession planning is becoming an increasingly urgent business issue. William J. Rothwell, PhD, identifies the top five benefits of succession planning in his book Effective Succession Planning as:
· Being able to provide increased opportunities for high-potential workers;
· Identifying justifiable training, employee education and development;
· Increasing the talent pool of promotable employees;
· Contributing to implementing the organization’s strategic plan; and
· Helping individuals realize their career plans within the organization
Halogen eSuccession allows managers to achieve all of these key organizational goals. The solution enables managers to understand their workforce’s potential and areas of retention risk, proactively develop employee performance and fulfill succession requirements with the right candidates from talent pools of people ready to meet the task head on.
“The aging workforce is a concern for all organizations. Our goal is to develop the talent of our employees and to prepare them for advancement.” said Debbie Clark, senior HR generalist with Oil States International. “Halogen eSuccession is a means to get everybody, from the top down, involved in the process of planning for our organization’s future.”
Global usability improvements
Halogen applied a rigorous scientific approach to extend its leading edge in ease of use and implementation. Halogen continues to push the usability envelope to further reduce keystrokes, help users better understand how the system works and improve ease of use. Greater ease of use, which has always been a Halogen strength, increases employee engagement in the performance management process. The new design is intuitive for users and enables them to get more out of the system.
“Halogen’s continued focus on usability shows their ongoing commitment to excellence in customer service,” said Jim Frain, vice president of human resources with South Bend Medical Foundation. “ Halogen’s improved interface enables our users to get the most out of the solution in the shortest time possible.”
“I appreciated being brought in early in the development of the system’s interface. The changes have addressed issues customers have raised and made the process even smoother for the manager,” said Heidi Metzler, HR projects manager with C-COR. “The tasks that need to be accomplished are instantly and clearly displayed as soon as the manager signs in.”
Enhanced eAppraisal Healthcare functions
Halogen continues to develop powerful and practical features specifically for healthcare providers. For instance, providers can store related documents such as certificates, licenses, learning transcripts and even emails with their employee appraisals; these can then be viewed instantly in a split screen. Also, new gap analysis reports allow healthcare providers to compare various score reports with performance targets. These most recent enhancements keep up with JCAHO accreditation requirements and reduce the administration required to manage hundreds or thousands of unique performance forms.
Greater eCompensation functions
Halogen eCompensation has new manager productivity tools that make the overall process of determining appropriate compensation even easier and more flexible. These improvements include:
· Incredibly flexible bonus profiles/calculator, which allows organizations to use up to 12 metrics to define a bonus profile for an individual, a group or the organization and to use more than one profile if needed;
· Improved graphical display of information including compa-ratios, percentage of salary in range, etc.;
· Expanded merit matrix precision provides organizations with more precision to reward high performers; and
· The system’s ability to warn managers of or even refuse any adjustment outside set parameters
Companies of all sizes achieve greater bottom-line results when performance is linked to compensation and version 8.0 makes it easier than ever to align these elements effectively.
About Halogen Software
With over 600 customers, Halogen Software Inc. has established itself as the leading provider of employee performance management (EPM) solutions. Founded in 2001 as a subsidiary of a successful consulting company, Halogen offers powerful, easy-to-use, and affordable Web-based software that dramatically improves HR and line-manager productivity. The company's flagship product, Halogen eAppraisal™, automates and simplifies time-consuming employee appraisals. Halogen eAppraisal™ Healthcare, endorsed by the American Hospital Association, was created specifically for the healthcare industry and helps to simplify the task of performing appraisals and meeting accreditation criteria. Halogen e360™ automates and simplifies formal 360-degree feedback procedures and offers sophisticated performance reporting. Halogen eCompensation™ automates the entire compensation adjustment process including budget distribution and approval. Halogen eSuccession™ makes it simple and affordable to get a best practices succession-planning program underway at your organization. For further information please visit http://www.halogensoftware.com.
Media contacts
Donna Ronayne
VP, Marketing & Business Development
Halogen Software
T: 613-270-1011 x 320
E: dronayne@halogensoftware.com
Halogen Introduces Succession Planning and Greater Functionality With Employee Performance Management Suite 8.0
New EPM offering makes it easy for organizations to determine workforce potential, areas of retention risk and execute corporate strategy