Don’t Buy the Bells and Whistles: An IT Leader’s Advice for School HR
I started my career in the classroom, teaching middle school students about technology back when “learning the browser” was a new skill. Over the years, I worked as an instructional technology specialist, then moved into IT leadership across multiple counties and eventually retired as Chief of Technology for Clayton County Schools. Along the way, I learned that HR and IT don’t just need to work together - they can’t succeed without each other.
HR, Finance, and IT: The Three-Legged Stool
When I was Chief of Technology, I used to say HR can’t do its job without Finance, and Finance can’t do its job without IT. We’re like a three-legged stool. If one leg is shaky, the whole thing wobbles. That’s why open communication and clarity of roles are critical. I don’t know how to do HR’s job, and they don’t know how to do mine, but we have to row in the same direction.
Don’t Get Dazzled by the Demo
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen is HR buying technology based on a flashy sales presentation, without looping IT in. That’s when problems hit. Suddenly, we’re dealing with user accounts, storage, bandwidth, or worse - a system that doesn’t support single sign-on. If your IT team is at the table from the start, we can help avoid those pitfalls and make sure the system is secure, efficient, and user-friendly.
Single Sign-On and Open Standards: Non-Negotiables
Think about the frustration of having 30 different apps, each with its own password. Not only is it a nightmare for staff, but it’s a drain on the help desk. That’s why any system you buy should support single sign-on and use open standards (like open APIs) so your applications can “talk” to each other. A good portal should let staff use one password to securely access everything they need.
Process Before Product
Technology alone won’t fix broken processes. Before you buy a new system, spend time with end users - the people who will actually use it every day. Ask them: What frustrates you about your job? What would make your work easier? Use design thinking to build a frictionless process first, then choose the technology that supports it.
HR’s Unique Challenge: The Employee Lifecycle
HR owns the entire employee lifecycle, from the moment a new hire is selected until the day they leave the district. The challenge is making sure processes don’t cause frustration - for the employee or the HR staff. I’ve seen districts lose good hires simply because the system didn’t trigger a start date notification. Someone never clicked the button, and the candidate moved on. That’s where cross-training and tight processes matter.
Training and Turnover
Understaffing and turnover are big challenges in HR. One solution is to embed training into the flow of work. A good learning experience platform can walk staff through tasks and provide answers on demand, reducing frustration and helping new team members ramp up quickly. Frustration is what drives people out of K-12 roles. If you can make the job less stressful, you’ll keep more people.
Leadership and Change Management
When it comes to big technology shifts - like rolling out a new ERP system - leadership makes all the difference. If your superintendent and board are on board, it’s easier to get Finance, HR, and IT rowing together. And don’t underestimate the value of a dedicated project manager to keep everyone aligned, document progress, and make sure no one person holds all the institutional knowledge.
Final Thought
Technology should never create more friction than it solves. If HR, Finance, and IT commit to true collaboration, align their processes, and bring end users into the design, districts can build systems that support, not frustrate, the people who rely on them every day.
At Clear Concepts, we help school districts align people, process, and technology. Let’s chat if you’d like to talk through your next implementation! Click here to get started.
