IBM Unleashes Kenexa Talent Suite for a Smarter Workforce

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Author: Jim Lundy
Topics: Social HCM
Issue: Who are the social HCM providers and how will they evolve?

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Summary: IBM released a video-based Social Learning offering along with new Cloud version of its IBM Kenexa Talent Suite. 

Event: Over the last several months, IBM has been launching its Social Learning offering along with a Cloud version of its Talent Suite that integrates with IBM Analytics. 

Analysis

Video learning is the new way forward, and IBM has launched a Social Learning product that puts Video Collaboration and Video Learning among its flagship capabilities.

Aragon Research declared the Pervasive Video Era two years ago,and while business users have clamored for more video, the industry has been slow to offer capabilities outside of Video Content Management (VCM).

IBM spent a lot of time developing its Social Learning video platform. Its launch customer, Boston Children’s Hospital, wanted a better way to teach pediatric surgery to doctors caring for critically ill children around the world. To date, BCH has provided almost 3000 users with access to video learning and communities where they can collaborate.

IBM: A New Force in HCM

With the launch of its new Cloud-based Kenexa Talent Suite and Video-based Learning Platform, IBM is poised to challenge other top names in HCM and Talent Management. IBM not only has the software solutions to compete in this market, it has a proven Human Capital Management practice via IBM Global Business Services.

IBM invests in Video-Based Learning

IBM’s launch customer for its Social Learning 1.0 product is Boston Children’s Hospital. We use the term “launch customer” because after IBM showed and discussed the concept of social video learning at an event two years ago, Boston Children’s worked with IBM to put the concept into production.

People learn better by watching vs. reading. Today, video how-to tutorials are already replacing product documentation. As a result, Aragon predicts that the growth of Learning Content will explode due to Video Tutorials. Our forecast is that spending on Learning Content will grow to US $600 Billion by YE 2018. Up to half of that will be for Video Tutorials.

Watson Foundations: The Shift to Predictive

A key capability that IBM made available with its Kenexa Suite is Watson Foundations, which we see as the start of an overall shift in software: a move toward predictive business applications. IBM has vast amounts of data from its Kenexa offering, and now with Watson Foundations, it can offer insight into candidates and workforce performance. This is a significant capability that enterprises should evaluate vs. other solutions available today.

What Social Adds to Learning

While digital learning is nothing new, the social element is a critical factor that de-isolates users by adding collaboration features that let them interact with peers and instructors, in real time or asynchronously. In addition to healthcare, this capability adds value in many performance support venues, from call center onboarding to sales training to new product launches to retail operations.

A Key Way to Recruit and Engage Talent

IBM is not new to Social Software, and was recently named a Leader in the Aragon Research Globe for Social Software, 2014. Integrating the Kenexa Talent Suite with the IBM Connections Platform gives IBM some of the most advanced Social capabilities on the market. For Talent Management, a social network that extends both inside and outside of the enterprise is a competitive advantage. IBM’s Talent Suite connects workers to the company and to each other and helps them work together more efficiently. CHROs should carefully evaluate the potential benefits of the IBM Kenexa Talent Suite as compared to its competitors.

Competitors Need to Respond

These moves into Interactive Video-based learning and a full Cloud-based Talent Suite will make IBM a force in the Social HCM and Talent Management markets. With its Video Learning introduction and the use of Watson Foundation analytics, IBM has pushed the envelope of what software can do in this area.

The Talent Suite makes use of IBM’s cognitive analytics capabilities, but it is not the only form of analytics that is having dramatic effects on the marketplace. Predictive analytics is also making big changes in the world of business applications.

Predictive Business Applications will do more to help both HR and business professionals in all aspects of their business. Competitors like Cornerstone OnDemand, Oracle, SAP and Workday will have to respond, as we see software helping identify and hire the right people faster vs. just sourcing new hires.

Aragon Advisory

• Enterprises need to include Video and Collaborative capabilities as part of what a next generation Talent Suite should include.
• Enterprises should ask their Talent Management provider for a Roadmap of what their future Talent Suite will look like.
• IBM should be on the short list of vendors to evaluate for this new approach to Talent Management.

Bottom Line

IBM is making significant investments in its HCM Suite that take it to the next level of Predictive, Social and Video. IBM has the potential to disrupt the HCM market with its combination of Products and Services. Enterprises should evaluate IBM when looking for a comprehensive Talent Management Suite.