The Role of Leadership in Making HR Technology Stick

Patrick Yearout, Director of Innovation, Recruitment & Training, Ivar’s

Patrick Yearout, Director of Innovation, Recruitment & Training, Ivar’s

The Invisible Influence of Leadership on HR Technology Adoption

I believe that leadership behavior is the single strongest predictor of whether HR technology will become part of daily workflow or quietly fade into the background. Employees don’t decide whether to trust a system based on launch emails or training sessions but on what they see happening afterward. If managers and executives consistently use the system, reference its data, and rely on it for decisions, employees understand that the technology matters. If those same leaders bypass it or ask for workarounds, however, the team is going to learn just as quickly that it’s optional.

These expectations form constantly and silently. Every exception that’s approved, every side spreadsheet that replaces the platform, and every decision made without looking at the data teaches people how seriously they’re expected to take the tool. Over time, those signals can easily overwhelm and drown out even the most well-designed implementation plan.

A few signals matter more than anything else. The first is consistency – does the system still get used when it’s inconvenient or only when it’s easy? The second is visibility – does it show up in real conversations like team meetings, one-on-ones and performance discussions or does it live off to the side? The third is follow-through – when the tool shines a light on critical insights or patterns, does anyone actually act on them?

"Partnership always works best when it starts early. When managers are involved in the selection process, they’re more likely to understand the “why” behind the tool and see how it fits into their day-today work."

The way the technology is talked about matters just as much because language matters. If it’s described as an “HR need” or as a compliance requirement, it can immediately feel like bureaucratic overhead. But if it’s positioned as a practical tool that helps managers make better decisions or plan more effectively, that tone starts to shift. The same system can feel like an advantage for the company, and that difference often comes down to the words people hear leaders use every day.

Embedding New HR Tools into Manager Workflows

Partnership always works best when it starts early. When managers are involved in the selection process, they’re more likely to understand the “why” behind the tool and see how it fits into their day-to-day work. That early involvement builds familiarity and buy-in long before adoption becomes an expectation.

Once the system is in place, leaders from Human Resources need to work with managers to integrate the tool into their routines. That might mean using it to prepare for staffing discussions, referencing it when assigning work or approving time off or relying on it during development planning.

Just as important, HR can help managers spot when old habits start creeping back in, especially when things get busy. Most adoption issues aren’t pushback so much as people falling back on what’s familiar, and pointing that out while offering simple alternatives can keep things on track without making it feel like enforcement. When HR shows up as a partner focused on helping managers do their jobs better, consistent use is much easier to maintain.

Leadership Missteps that Undermine HR Technology Adoption

One common misstep is when executives rely on personal judgment and dismiss what the technology is telling them. In a performance management platform, for example, leaders may still make promotion or compensation decisions based on memory or private notes rather than the goals, feedback or progress tracked in the tool. When that happens, employees quickly see that keeping information up to date doesn’t really influence outcomes.

Another is underestimating how much casual frustration carries weight (again, language does matter). If managers joke about how clunky a system feels or complain about having to enter or maintain information in it, even in passing, it can signal that the platform isn’t expected to influence real decisions. These actions can erode confidence not because anyone formally pushes back, but because people sense the system isn’t being taken seriously.

Trust as the Real Driver of HR Technology Use

Most employees make up their minds about new HR technology long before anyone calls it a success or a failure. They pay attention to whether being honest feels safe and whether the time they spend using the tool actually goes anywhere. If it feels risky or if nothing seems to change as a result, engagement quietly drops off.

What keeps adoption alive is follow-through over time. When the same system keeps showing up in decisions, conversations and planning, people stop second-guessing whether it’s worth the effort. At that point, use isn’t driven by reminders or rules. It sticks because the system has earned a place in how work gets done.

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