Randy Tyson from Buck talks about the importance of perspective analytics in today’s data-driven HRTech industry & how Buck is enhancing the capabilities of HR Companies
1. Tell us about your role at BUCK?
I serve as Buck’s Digital Offerings Voice of the Client Leader. In this role, I help gather, organize, and synthesize input from the marketplace about what features, functions, and capabilities should be included in our digital products portfolio. Simply put, I give our clients and internal stakeholders a direct voice in our product roadmap development and planning. Additionally, I work directly with organizations seeking to enhance their employee value proposition, reduce costs, and innovate with HR technologies.
2. Can you tell us about your journey into this market?
I’ve always focused on leveraging technology to help solve business problems. I began working in the HR technology field in the 1990s, focusing on leveraging emerging technology for the evolving benefits administration business. My earliest impressions of HR back then was the focus on people as an important asset, one that was critical to the success of the organization. We didn’t call the concept “people-centric” then, but a simple, efficient user experience was (and remains) core to the success of all technology implementations. Over the years, keeping a focus on the user experience, while always leveraging the latest technology innovations, became a passion for me.
3. How do you think predictive people analytics can drive the ROI out of people programs?
We are beginning to see predictive analytics in the people space address attraction, retention, engagement, development, workforce planning, and changes to organizational culture.
These early examples easily drive ROI and provide immediate benefit to organizations. I’ve come to believe the greatest short term benefit is getting our HR and benefits colleagues aware of and engaged in data collection and synthesis. We find most organizations have access to basic analytics tools but are often overwhelmed and unable to sift through the deluge of data suddenly in front of them. Predictive people analytics helps overburdened HR and benefits professionals get better insights from the data they already have and make the day-to-day actions guided by their own data.
4. What is the role of a single benefits hub for an engaged well being-oriented organization?
A well-being hub must support the user — in all their various roles as employee, spouse, dependent, or retiree — to easily and simply be informed, stay engaged, and productively complete necessary well-being activities. The hub must support users in the various dimensions of wellness: spiritual, emotional, physical, and social. It needs to extend beyond the health and wealth paradigm that seems to define too much wellness these days. And further, the hub must support the user in a range of activities from inquiring about plan balance, to finding needed emotional support in real time, to completing a contribution change transaction. And it needs to do this at any time regardless of the device used to access the hub. Ultimately, it is a just-in-time tool, supporting the whole person, leveraging all of the resources the employer offers to employees and their families.
5. How can Delta+™ platform help with improving employee productivity?
Delta+ provides an integrated engagement, benefits administration, and analytics solution that provides increased flexibility and consolidated views of benefits for employees – tailored to their unique and personal view. The intuitive, mobile-first user interface means faster interactions and an improved engagement with employer benefits. And the built-in employer administrative and analytics capabilities means the solution can continually support best practice improvements. Employees can conduct their benefits inquiries and transactions quickly, correctly, and completely.
6. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona selects BUCK to manage their retirement program. What does that mean for your customers in the hrtech arena?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona’s decision to have Buck manage their retirement program demonstrates a level of trust that is critical in HR technology partnerships. Clients have long trusted Buck to provide innovative technologies tailored to their unique needs. While many organizations have trusted Buck technology for decades, this announcement underscores our reputation as a responsible, innovative partner for the long term.
7. Why is it significant to utilize descriptive and perspective analytics when managing HR data sets?
Both descriptive and prescriptive analytics support improved decision making using HR data. Description analytics help us see what happened in the past. With this knowledge, we’ll hopefully make better decisions about the future. This is where the prescriptive analytics with its recommended actions come into play. Data-driven recommendations lead to improved outcomes. A good analytics solution will support both descriptive and prescriptive functions while setting the stage for predictive analytics.
8. What advice would you like to give to the upcoming HRTECH startups?
My advice is to stay centered on the user and the task(s) they are completing. Is your product easy and simple and does it allow the user to complete a task more easily than with a previous technology? Think big, but keep the experience simple. A common denominator of successful HR technologies is a simple, elegant solutions that makes the work easier.
9. What major developments are you planning in the near future?
I’m excited to share Buck’s efforts in digital solutions include an acceleration of deployment composable elements that can be mixed and matched to exactly meet our client’s requirements. This allows Buck to continue to offer truly unique solutions to clients as they maximize their investments in HR technologies. Discrete components can be bundled together so clients only pay for what they need and use. This approach will apply across our portfolio and encompass existing capabilities, but also incorporate new innovations like AI as it becomes commercially available.
10. Tell us about the work culture at BUCK?
Buck is like a small, family business where everyone is focused on client satisfaction. I love the wholesome integration of these two dimensions (family and client). Our efforts have meaning and we accomplish things together. Our clients often remark about Buck’s client focus and ask for team members by name to continue working with them across multiple initiatives. Our colleagues are extended family members for one another – often in deep and personal ways that ultimately gets reflected in our client work.
11. Which is the most successful and inspiring quote that you follow on a day to day basis?
Perhaps to the chagrin of my colleagues, I am a firm disciple of the Pareto Principal and am happy to work toward 80% of successful outcomes with 20% of our efforts. However, I also remind colleagues that we still want to leverage that remaining 80% effort for other positive outcomes!
For more such Updates Log on to www.hrtechcube.com
Randy Tyson Growth and Voice of the Client Leader, Buck
Randy is an HR transformation specialist focusing on the application of innovative technologies to engage and support positive behaviors by employees that help them achieve their wellbeing goals. He leads Buck’s Voice of the Client efforts to ensure digital solutions reflect the needs and requirements of the marketplace. He partners with organizations seeking to enhance their Employee Value Proposition and innovate with HR technologies, as well as those who seek to emphasize employees in their HR strategy. He is a Subject Matter Expert and public speaker for HR digital media solutions including portals, chatbots, mobile apps, and online rewards. He is a past recipient of the Dalten Pen Communication Award, Marcom Platinum Award, and IABC’s Gold Quill Award. In his current role as Voice of the Client (VOC) lead, Randy drives efforts to provide Buck’s Digital Offerings function with quality and contextualized market intelligence. Collecting input from both an internal group of Subject Matter experts and an external group of clients, VOC provides an input mechanism for Buck’s digital product roadmap in concert with the product development intake process. The VOC also provides a guiding, oversight body for Buck’s digital innovation efforts.