Metrics for HR Portal

[Patricia Romeo]

Hi.  I am trying to benchmark our search activity on our Tier 0 portal.   Our instance is somewhat unique in that we only have implemented HRSD.   We have Sharepoint for employee communications and another application and case management system for IT.   Currently, only 4% of our employees are using our portal (per week) to search for HR policies, requests, and knowledge.   Most users are starting in Sharepoint (the employee portal) and arrive at knowledge articles because they are indexed.   Does anyone have a benchmark as to what is the median number of searches per employee should be conducted using the Tier 0 HR portal?  

[John Martin2 · Accepted solution]

Not sure this helps, but I sharing an idea with you to possibly explore:

DTech Apps' ServiceNow certified application DocIntegrator, while primarily focused on integrating ServiceNow with SharePoint for document and file management, can indirectly help improve your Tier 0 HR portal search activity and potentially increase its usage in this scenario. Here's how:

DocIntegrator's Indirect Impact on Search Activity:

1. Seamless Access to Comprehensive HR Information:

   • Problem: Users are starting in SharePoint because it's the "employee portal" and where they expect to find information. If key HR policies and knowledge reside only in ServiceNow, users might not naturally gravitate there for search.
   • DocIntegrator Solution: DocIntegrator can bridge this gap by allowing you to display or link relevant HR policies and knowledge articles (stored in ServiceNow) directly within your SharePoint employee portal. This can be achieved by embedding DocIntegrator widgets or creating direct links to ServiceNow content within SharePoint pages.
   • Impact on Search: By making HR information more visible and accessible within the primary employee portal (SharePoint), you can guide users to the relevant content, regardless of where it's technically stored. This might not directly increase searches within the ServiceNow portal initially, but it improves access to HR information overall.

2. Improving Knowledge Article Findability in SharePoint:

   • Current Situation: Users find knowledge articles because they are indexed in SharePoint.
   • DocIntegrator Enhancement: DocIntegrator can ensure that the most up-to-date versions of your HR knowledge articles (from ServiceNow) are readily accessible and linked within SharePoint. This reduces the risk of users finding outdated or inconsistent information. While DocIntegrator doesn't directly control SharePoint's indexing, it facilitates having the correct content available for indexing.

3. Consolidating Access Points (Potentially):

   • Long-Term Vision: While your IT case management is separate, if there's a future desire to consolidate employee support resources, DocIntegrator could play a role. By making HR knowledge easily accessible within SharePoint, it lays a foundation for potentially integrating other service areas later, making SharePoint a more comprehensive "Tier 0" resource.

Addressing the Benchmark Question:

Regarding the median number of searches per employee on a Tier 0 HR portal, there isn't a universally agreed-upon benchmark. It heavily depends on several factors specific to your organization:

• Size and Demographics: Larger organizations might have more search activity.
• Complexity of HR Policies and Processes: More complex HR procedures might drive more searches.
• Awareness and Promotion of the Portal: How well is the HR portal promoted to employees?
• Usability and Content Quality: Is the portal easy to use, and is the information accurate and helpful?
• Alternative Support Channels: What other ways do employees seek HR information (e.g., email, phone)?
• Organizational Culture: Does the culture encourage self-service?

Instead of a strict benchmark, focus on:

• Understanding Your Baseline: Your current 4% weekly usage provides your baseline.
• Identifying Reasons for Low Usage: Conduct surveys or gather feedback to understand why employees prefer SharePoint.
• Improving Content and Usability: Ensure your HR policies and knowledge articles are comprehensive, easy to understand, and searchable (both in ServiceNow and discoverable via SharePoint).
• Promoting the HR Portal: Increase awareness of the ServiceNow portal and its benefits.
• Measuring the Impact of Changes: Track your portal usage metrics over time as you implement changes (including potential DocIntegrator use).

In Summary:

DocIntegrator, in your specific scenario, can be a valuable tool to improve the accessibility of your ServiceNow-based HR knowledge and policies within your existing SharePoint employee portal. This can indirectly lead to employees finding the information they need more easily, potentially reducing reliance on direct searches within the ServiceNow portal itself. Focus on making the right information available where your employees already are (SharePoint), and DocIntegrator can help facilitate that. Benchmarking search activity requires understanding your unique organizational context and tracking progress over time as you make improvements.