Behavioral Science Drives Innovation for SAP SuccessFactors
Looking to create innovative HR technology? Here’s why you need a behavioral scientist
By Caitlynn Sendra, SAP SuccessFactors Experience Product Scientist, Ph.D., and Scott Lietzke, SAP SuccessFactors VP of Product Design
Envision a future where HR technology not only addresses organizational needs but also speaks to the genuine aspirations of individuals, transforming work into a fulfilling experience. Enter the realm of Behavioral Science, the study of human behavior, which has long been overlooked in enterprise discussions involving people and talent strategies as well as HR technology strategy and development. This omission has led to solutions that fail to capture the essence of human needs and consequently struggle to gain user adoption. At SAP SuccessFactors, we embrace the transformative power of Behavioral Science, particularly Industrial & Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology), to shape HR technology that resonates with individuals and drives positive change.
Behavioral scientists as a pool for innovative ideas
Behavioral scientists, such as I/O psychologists, have been studying humans at work for over a century, and thus there is a wealth of knowledge hidden behind the dense writing and complex analyses of peer-reviewed scientific literature just waiting to be leveraged in practice. Included in this hidden wealth of information are best practices for facilitating adoption of technology as well as best practices for HR that maximize both employee experiences and organizational impact. Each of these are ripe for incorporating into an HR technology innovation strategy that is both data and science driven. As one example, a thorough review of the scientific literature on best practices of dynamic teaming in combination with original research served as foundational information for the new SAP SuccessFactors Dynamic Teams feature. At SAP SuccessFactors, our I/O psychologists are constantly reviewing and staying up to date on the latest academic psychological literature to inform our product direction.
Behavioral scientists as in-house research experts
Moreover, behavioral scientists bring a unique advantage to the table: their comprehensive training in research, experimental methods, statistics, data analysis, and effective communication of research findings. Beyond drawing from existing research in academic journals, these experts possess the prowess to build data-driven HR technologies, from initial ideation to seamless implementation. Armed with their expertise, behavioral scientists can transform ambiguous questions such as “What investments will truly make a positive impact?” or “Which features should be prioritized?” into rigorous research plans, dispelling ambiguity and illuminating the path forward. At SAP SuccessFactors, we have I/O psychologists dedicated to studying the future of work and focusing on how we can leverage these insights in our product. The results of this research are shared widely with SAP SuccessFactors product experts, who collaborate to implement these learnings within the product. This collaboration empowers us with a wealth of qualitative and quantitative data allowing us to drive real impact through improved decision-making, prioritization, feature exploration, user adoption, and overall product satisfaction.
Behavioral scientists as idea skeptics and idea testers
Finally, having a behavioral scientist inform our product strategy means having someone who can sort through what is a “fad” and what will actually make a meaningful impact for our customers and their employees. Their rigorous scientific training enables them to discern between passing fads and truly impactful innovations that will enrich the lives of our users. We approach new ideas with a healthy dose of skepticism, demanding evidence of their validity before embracing them wholeheartedly. Moreover, behavioral scientists possess a remarkable ability to identify “fake science” — products that claim to be science-based but lack substantial evidence. This process involves exhaustive investigations of scientific literature and a meticulous review of evidence presented by claim-maker. This skillset is more important now than ever before in an era where many are experimenting rapidly with new and often untested technologies in the age of Artificial Intelligence. With our team of I/O psychologists, we’re able to filter out fads and focus on building meaningful solutions that resonate with the hearts and minds of our customers and their employees while generating real business impact.
Behavioral scientists, such as the I/O psychologists at SAP SuccessFactors, hold extremely versatile skillsets, from the ability to read and interpret scientific literature, build rigorous research plans, analyze and communicate research results, and assess new market opportunities. We know that by taking a rigorous, scientific, data-driven approach to exploring and building HR technology, we can build solutions that resonate with users, drive intrinsic motivation, create business impact, and change work for good.
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