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February 1, 1999

People Trackers

New software helps recruit, hire, manage personnel

By Jeff Sweat

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volve Software, Skillset Software, and Icarian Software are staking their claims in the growing enterprise workforce-management market, which applies enterprise resource planning principles to recruiting, hiring, and managing personnel.

"Firms are just waking up to the need for internal automation--if they can't optimize where people are, they're wasting 20% to 30% of their time," says Michael Putnam, an analyst at Forrester Research.

Users agree. "We now have so many employees, you just can't do this in your head anymore," says Bert Young, CIO for Chicago IT services vendor Whittman-Hart Inc.

Evolve will unveil Servicesphere this week to handle the staffing and workforce deployment functions for IT services companies. The software anticipates demand for resources and ensures that they're in the right place at the right time. "Our supply chain is people, rather than raw materials," says Young.

Young says the software will be used to assess personnel demands for specific projects, then find employees with the necessary skills and preferences for the job. That helps ensure the consultants are doing the kind of work that enhances their careers and keeps them happy, and that the company has people in place who can handle the job in question. The software, which can be connected to financial applications, tracks work hours and bills customers appropriately.

Workforce-management software can also help with internal HR needs. Icarian this week ships Icarian Workforce 1.0, which helps automate candidate selection, forecast hiring demand, and manage the job-offer process. And SkillSet Software introduced last month the second version of its Employment Exchange application, which features the ability to archive and retrieve resumés, pass job applications and requisition forms around an organization, and track employee skills.

"It just takes less time," says Aida LaChaux, staffing manager at @Home Networks, an Internet-access company in Redwood City, Calif. "With the market being so competitive, we have to make sure we're moving fast to get offers out." LaChaux uses Icarian to chase top IT talent.

Evolve's Servicesphere will ship on March 1 for $1,000 per employee or contractor managed. Icarian Workforce is available immediately, with pricing starting at $100,000. Employment Exchange will be available at the end of the month; pricing will vary.