About Alexia Martin
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Alexia Martin
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As Vice President, Research and Analytics at CedarCrestone, Lexy Martin is responsible for its annual HR Systems Survey, now in its 15th year. When not working on the survey, she provides strategy, business case, and metrics and analytics services, along with deep dive benchmarking in all industries. Working with many of the leading HCM vendors, she has helped develop their value propositions and conducted numerous surveys of their customer bases. Lexy is also managing editor for the IHRIM Workforce Solutions Review.
A sought-after thought-leader and speaker, few researchers in the field of HR technology can match the experience that Lexy has accumulated during her career in introducing emerging technologies. From the pioneering days of introducing office automation and PCs in the early 80s, groupware in the late 80s, self service in the early 90s, and to continuing technology introduction this decade, Lexy is a consistent contributor to the industry's continuing evolution. |
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Learning from the Best Global Organizations
By Alexia Martin
New white paper released by CedarCrestone
I’m always intrigued by the results we get from applying the lens of organization type to our survey respondents. Starting several years ago, we asked respondents with operations in multiple countries to also identify their organization type – Multinational, Global, International or Transnational. This typology recognizes that organizations are different in the focus of their strategy, their organization structure, where decisions are made, and whether processes are standardized or not, among other characteristics. We find the four types are different as well in their adoption level of HR technologies. Read more »
Posted on February 13, 2013
Financial Performance and HR Technology Adoption
By Alexia Martin
I’ve been watching a pretty interesting dialogue on the HR Technology LinkedIn group titled, “No Link Between HR Technology and Strategic Gain, Say Researchers.” The report that sparked this dialogue was one by two research academics titled, “An evidence-based review of e-HRM and strategic human resource management”[1] and is available from Elsevier Publishing for $19.95. One of the authors gave me a copy. It is essentially an in-depth literature search with analysis and commentary covering about 40+ articles and studies done only by academics. One of the authors says, “Unfortunately, there is very limited scientific research (defined as published in academically peer reviewed journals—just the same as in medical research) supporting the claims and expectations for this evolving information technology.” Sigh…will the twain ever meet between academics and practitioners? I count us on the practitioner side.
With the CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey, we’ve worked for 16 years to identify the value of adopting HR technologies. Many other researchers among the consulting and vendor community have as well, and some of the work is excellent (I include ours, of course). We’ve consistently shown a correlation between HR technology adoption and strong financial performance. We’ve even shown cause and effect conclusions several years ago when we did a cross-lag analysis, as have others. We plan to do the same analysis again this year.
Today, we’re publishing a white paper titled, “The Seven Practices of Top Performing Organizations: Highlights and Recommendations from CedarCrestone 2012–2013 HR Systems Survey Results.” Read more »
Posted on February 11, 2013
Getting on the Fast Track in Indy
By Alexia Martin
Applying the Four Big HR Technology Trends and Other Lessons Learned from the 2012-2013 CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey
I feel like an interloper, never having been to an Alliance Conference. But my respected colleague, Liz Dietz, asked me to come to the Alliance Executive Forum and present our annual CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey results, fine-tuned for higher education and government, and so I will.
I noticed that the keynote speaker is futurist Jane McGonigal, who like me, once worked at the Institute for the Future. What’s not to like about a conference whose keynote speaker uses “alternative reality games” to conduct research, build communities, connect with markets and solve real-world problems? Alliance sounds the place to be!
Me, I’m a bit more of a classic researcher and have managed the CedarCrestone survey for the past 15+ years – a survey that last year enticed 1,250 people to respond to about 600 data points with almost 10% from Higher Education and Public Sector! This long running survey on the state of adoption of HR technologies and value achieved, now in its 16th year is a comprehensive research effort providing organizations with the data they need to plan, justify, benchmark, and execute HR technologies. The survey questionnaire collects responses from HR and IT management and business leaders of organizations with over 300 employees, across a variety of industries including education and government. You might think the survey would be boring, but with almost 1,250 organizations responding, there might just be something in it for you!
What I plan to do in my executive session is to discuss what the survey data says about the following, but to do this as interactively as my audience will allow:
- The four biggest HR trends and how higher education and public sector measure up
- The role and value of service delivery, talent management, and workforce management
- Five efficiency factors and five innovation factors
- Predictions for 2013 and beyond including one key success criterion – change management
- The seven practices of highly effective organizations
I will be joined by Liz Dietz, CedarCrestone Vice President for Higher Education. We will facilitate roundtable discussions with session participants to get at:
- Where your organization is at with HR technologies and the newest wave, where it is headed, and what value you are achieving. For this, we’re going to borrow some terms from global organizations that have different “organization types” that vary in terms of how centralized and standardized they are and how and where they make decisions. We’ll ask participants to match their organization to these four types to start our discussion. If you’re interested, take a look at this report to learn about the organization types. Do not despair if you think your organization is one that is not doing well. That report is from 2011 and things have changed! You may be surprised that your type is performing quite well!
- How you are doing with the efficiency and innovation factors. What we’ve noticed in our 2012-2013 research is that there’s a particular type of organization that is both efficient AND innovative and we think some higher education institutions excel with efficiency and innovation too.
So, if you are game to interact, and listen to me talk about the four big trends, determine your organization type, and see how your organization stacks up, please come to this session!
See you there?
Posted on January 9, 2013
Stay Tuned for CedarCrestone Research on Organizations “Going Global”
By Alexia Martin
Posted on December 12, 2012
Musings on the Future of HR Technologies…and Me
By Alexia Martin
I recently took two weeks off work due to a surgery (all good and it is past and I am mending quite nicely, thank you!) I couldn’t work. I couldn’t lift anything heavier than five pounds. I was pretty much dead in the water. I did keep up with email kinda, but my brain was a bit foggy. So, I didn’t have a lot of coherent thoughts for a while. But that forced down time absolutely, emphatically, showed me that retirement, despite being “of the age” is not in my cards for the coming year. Rather, what I needed was to “re-fire.”
That “re-firing” notion got me thinking about the value of changing HR systems. Read more »
Posted on October 15, 2012
15 Years of Success at the HR Technology Conference
By Alexia Martin
Bill Kutik is the best impresario of this dynamic conference that brings together buyers with sellers, and more importantly people who truly care about HR technology and each other. It’s great fun to see friends I’ve known since getting into this field about 20 years ago, whether at analyst briefings at Chicago’s finest restaurants, the Brazen Hussies, Chicas, or more intimate dinners with colleagues and clients, as well as in sessions and on the absolutely packed show floor.
What was astonishing for me this year is that I spent the first hour at the conference center without seeing one person I did know! Read more »
Posted on October 8, 2012
15th Annual HR Systems Survey Goes Live Today
By Alexia Martin
With over 1,200 respondents, the 15th Annual CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey is our best ever!
Key Findings
- HR technologies spending outlook is positive.
- SaaS is the clear direction for talent management and core system of record. Read more »
Posted on August 13, 2012
HR Technology Conference – the BEST One Around!
By Alexia Martin
October is my favorite time of the year. It’s the best time for taking a vacation. It’s warm during the days, cooler at nights. It’s the time of year I got married to my love of 30 years. It’s right before my birthday in November. It has all those wonderful fall colors which are my color palette for my clothes, my home, my hair. What’s not to love?
And then, there’s my favorite conference of the year – the HR Technology Conference, this year back in Chicago. While I work my fanny off preparing for presenting the CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey, this year at 3:15PM on October 8th http://www.hrtechconference.com/agenda.html#sv2, once I’m done, I’m there to learn, to network, and yes….to have some fun! Read more »
Head Count and FTE Survey Data Validation Lament
By Alexia Martin
Anyone who has taken the CedarCrestone HR Systems Survey likely curses me for this very long survey. But many people tell me they use our comprehensive research as it provides them important data to plan, justify, benchmark, and execute their HR technologies. We honestly strive to cut extraneous questions and then someone will ask….but “what are the most common combinations of talent management applications,” or “what’s the average size of HRIT and IT staff to provide application and technical services for HR technologies?” And, the result is our 600+ survey questions. Please tell me what we can drop? After all, we have to analyze it and fewer questions would make our lives easier! Read more »
Top Five Reasons to Participate in 15th Annual HR Systems Survey
By Alexia Martin
Almost 27 years ago, David Letterman broadcasted his first Top Ten List, “Top Ten Things That Almost Rhyme with Peas.” Since then millions have tuned in to hear the list read. While I do not expect the same size audience, I have come up with my own list for my labor of love, “Top Five Reasons to Participate in the 15th Annual HR Systems Survey:” Read more »
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