Choosing the right HCM system isn’t just an HR decision—it’s a major technology investment that affects your entire organization. When IT is involved early, companies avoid costly mistakes, strengthen data security, and ensure smoother implementation. Here’s why IT–HR collaboration is essential for modern HCM success.
Why IT Should Be Involved From Day One in Your HCM Selection & Implementation
Modern HR teams manage some of the most sensitive and strategically important data in the organization. Yet one of the most common reasons Human Capital Management (HCM) projects fail is simple: IT gets brought in too late. Research from Gartner suggests that up to 70% of HR technology implementations fall short of their objectives, largely because technical requirements, data governance standards, and integration needs weren’t fully considered from the beginning.
As companies continue their digital transformation journeys, HR is increasingly expected to deliver accurate analytics, seamless employee experiences, and secure, compliant systems. The only way to achieve this is through genuine partnership with IT—not as an afterthought, but as essential collaborators from the very first conversation.
Why Early IT Involvement Sets HCM Projects Up for Success
Choosing an HCM system isn’t just an HR initiative; it’s a significant technology decision that impacts nearly every aspect of the organization. When HR shortlists vendors without blending IT’s perspective into the process, problems emerge quickly. Security concerns go unnoticed. Integrations turn out to be far more complicated than expected. Data ends up stored in the wrong jurisdiction. And budgets balloon because no one accounted for the technical overhead needed to make the system work.
Bringing IT into the evaluation early ensures the system aligns with the company’s broader technology roadmap. They will assess whether the system should be cloud-based or installed on-premises, determine the level of support the internal team will need to provide, and verify whether the vendor’s infrastructure meets data residency laws, specifically, whether these laws require hosting in Canada, the U.S., or another designated region. IT will also evaluate the strength of the vendor’s security posture, encompassing authentication, encryption, and disaster recovery capabilities.
In many organizations, IT is the only team with the experience to anticipate these challenges. Waiting to involve them until after HR has already narrowed down the options often means revisiting decisions, renegotiating contracts, or even restarting the process altogether.
IT's Crucial Role in Protecting Sensitive HR Data
HCM systems store some of the most confidential data in the organization, including banking information, salaries, performance reviews, medical leave details, cross-border work data, and more. HR rightfully takes data privacy seriously, and sometimes hesitates to involve IT because they fear exposing confidential records unnecessarily.
But the truth is that IT’s involvement strengthens data protection, not weakens it. With proper confidentiality protocols in place, IT ensures that sensitive information is handled through secure user access controls, encryption standards, and controlled authentication methods. IT teams understand the technical vulnerabilities HR teams may not see, and they can proactively address them before they become risks.
This is especially important when comparing cloud-based systems to on-premise systems. A cloud solution may lighten the internal team’s workload, but it also requires rigorous review of the vendor’s hosting locations, compliance certifications, and backup protocols. On-premise systems offer greater control, but significantly more internal responsibility from the IT side. Either path requires thoughtful joint evaluation, not isolated decision-making.
Where IT Drives Implementation Success
Once a vendor is selected, the partnership between HR and IT becomes even more important. Implementation is where the technical work truly begins: migrating and cleaning data, setting up authentication, configuring integrations with payroll, finance, and scheduling solutions, and preparing reports and analytics tools for launch.
IT also plays an essential role in addressing performance testing, troubleshooting early issues, and ensuring the system complies with internal security standards. Many organizations underestimate the amount of work required to prepare data for a new HCM system—especially if the legacy system was poorly maintained. IT ensures that the transition not only works technically but also works reliably and securely.
Cloud models may reduce the long-term maintenance requirements, but they don’t eliminate the need for partnership. Every integration, permission structure, workflow, and dashboard still requires cross-functional insight.
How IT Supports Long-Term HCM Optimization
The collaboration doesn’t end at go-live. Once the system is stable, IT often shifts into a strategic support role. They help HR optimize workflows, build dashboards, streamline business processes, and leverage automation tools to enhance efficiency. They also assist in creating robust integration pathways between the HCM system and other key operational tools, such as scheduling or ERP systems.
This long-term partnership helps HR unlock real value—accurate reporting, real-time insights, automated tasks, and seamless employee experiences. Without IT, many of these capabilities would remain underused or misunderstood.
Looking to automate HR processes? Read our “Top 10 HR Workflows for Automation” guide.
FAQs: IT’s Role in HCM Selection and Implementation
Why should IT be involved from the start?
Because they validate security, integration readiness, compliance, and long-term technical compatibility.
Because they validate security, integration readiness, compliance, and long-term technical compatibility.
What happens if IT isn’t brought in early enough?
Organizations often face rework, integration failures, and serious compliance issues.
Organizations often face rework, integration failures, and serious compliance issues.
Does IT need access to confidential employee data?
Only when required for implementation or troubleshooting, and always in accordance with confidentiality protocols.
Only when required for implementation or troubleshooting, and always in accordance with confidentiality protocols.
Is cloud or on-prem better?
Each has advantages; the right choice depends on your IT strategy, security requirements, and internal resources.
Each has advantages; the right choice depends on your IT strategy, security requirements, and internal resources.
What does IT do after the system goes live?
They support integrations, troubleshoot issues, and help HR make the most of reporting and workflow tools.
They support integrations, troubleshoot issues, and help HR make the most of reporting and workflow tools.
Conclusion: Strong HCM Depends on Strong IT Partnership
Successful HCM implementation isn’t about choosing the flashiest system—it’s about choosing a system that fits your organization’s needs, protects your data, integrates smoothly with your environment, and supports long-term growth. None of that is possible without IT.
When HR and IT collaborate early and deeply, organizations benefit from stronger security, better system performance, more accurate data, and a workforce empowered by reliable, intuitive technology.
