What If HR and IT Actually Understood Each Other?

HR knows what people need. IT knows how to make systems work. But if the two don’t understand each other — or if one joins too late — things go wrong. Fast.

And no, it’s not about bad intentions. It’s just a different language, different pace, and sometimes a different perspective. But when HR and IT truly work together, that’s when the magic happens.

What Goes Wrong Without Early Collaboration

  • HR buys a tool without involving IT, and ends up stuck later
  • IT sets requirements that HR doesn’t understand (or hears about too late)
  • Half the project is spent fixing miscommunications
  • The end result is “not quite right” for anyone

What Helps?

  1. Involve IT from the start – Not just at implementation, but during strategy and vendor selection.
  2. Create shared ownership – Build the plans together, set shared goals, and make sure everyone feels responsible.
  3. Bridge the gap – Business analysts or project leads who understand both worlds can make a huge difference.
  4. Agree on success metrics – What does success look like for HR? For IT? Lay it out and find your shared win.

Culture Matters Too

You can set up all the structures, but without trust, it stays clunky. Make sure both teams see each other not as “the other side,” but as partners. And that starts at the top.

Final Thought

HR and IT don’t have to be best friends — but they do need to be a great team. Because HR Tech isn’t just an IT project. And it’s not just an HR project either. It’s a business transformation — and that takes both.

Can you use some help or advice with your HR-IT project? Drop me an e-mail via jolanda.hidding@ashq.nl. Always happy to share ideas.

ASHQ is an independent consultancy firm specializing in HR Transformation, HR Technology, Change Management and Data Services.

We help organizations become future-ready by smartly aligning people, processes, and technology.

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