This study examines the state of adoption of human capital management (HCM) solutions within Canadian professional services small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs, or those 10-999 employees). IDC Canada examines firms' HCM perceptions and provides valuable insight, prediction, and prescription for HCM vendors selling to Canadian professional services SMBs.

• In This Study
  • Definitions
    • Human Capital Management
    • Professional Services
• Situation Overview
  • Professional Services SMBs Focused on Customer Service, Cost Reduction, and HCM
  • Figure: Business Priorities for 2006
  • Figure: Top Business Priority for 2006
    • Investments in Labour Are Critical for Professional Services SMBs
    • Figure: Criticality of Investment Areas to 2006 Business Objectives: Overall Ranking
    • Figure: Criticality of Investment Areas to 2006 Business Objectives: Individual Area Rankings
    • Figure: Expected Spending on ICT in the Next 12 Months
    • Software Is the Most Critical ICT Investment Priority
    • Figure: Criticality of ICT Investment Areas for 2006 Business Objectives: Overall Ranking
    • Figure: Criticality of ICT Investment Areas for 2006 Business Objectives: Individual Area Rankings
    • Figure: Expected Change in IT Spending from Fiscal 2005 to Fiscal 2006 by Area
• Future Outlook
  • Professional Services SMBs Latent to Automate HR Management
  • Figure: Perception of Technologies' Ability to Increase Operational Efficiency by Application Type
  • Figure: Status of Technology Adoption by Application Type
  • Figure: Status of HCM Adoption by Sector
    • Benefits Administration Is Currently the Most Common Automated HCM Solution
    • Figure: Status of HCM Adoption by Solution Area
    • Outsourcing of HCM Expected to Grow by 2008
    • Figure: Outsourcing of HCM by Project Type and Sector: Today
    • Figure: Outsourcing of HCM by Project Type: Today and in 2008
• Essential Guidance
  • Vendors Need to Link the Value of HCM with the Importance of Labour
  • Figure: Vendor Action Plan for Converting Latent HCM Pain into Sales Opportunities
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  • Related Research
  • Synopsis