PeopleSoft HR Upgrade Includes Performance Management

PeopleSoft Inc.'s upgrade to its human-resources management system includes a new application for managing employee performance. EPerformance, released Monday, is designed to help companies reinforce business objectives from the boardroom to the staff level by improving feedback and goal-setting processes regarding employee performance.

The application is part of PeopleSoft's broader strategy to evolve from a supplier of applications for managing HR processes to a provider of apps that help companies optimize their workforces, says Jason Averbook, the company's director of global human-capital management product marketing. Meta Group analyst Ron Hanscome says the adoption rate is still low for these types of apps, but that many large companies are looking closely at workforce-optimization software. "This whole idea of trying to strengthen the link between business objectives and performance is very important," Hanscome says. "But there's an awful lot of consulting and change management required from changing an organization from one that's distributing reviews on Word documents to one that is doing reviews quarterly or sooner, and really looks at performance reviews as an ongoing opportunity to give feedback and really help develop people."

PeopleSoft isn't disclosing pricing details, but Hanscome estimates the ePerformance module will cost existing PeopleSoft HRMS customers about $10 to $15 per seat license annually, not including implementation and maintenance fees.

Other upgrades in PeopleSoft HRMS 8.8 include a help-desk application for managing employees' HR inquiries, a time-reporting system for mobile employees, and a payroll application for global employees. Separately, PeopleSoft rolled out sales incentive-management software for managing the compensation of commission-paid employees, as well as software for managing training and learning programs across an organization.