As one of NelsonHall’s research analysts, I follow what is happening in the various HRO markets. The simplest method is reading press releases, to which we add our commentary in our tracking service. As a reader, you see a portion of this analysis in our HRO Insight Blog and HRO Insight Newsletter.
On my own time, I like to play basic computer and online games. One of my favorite types is hidden object games where you follow clues to solve puzzles. Occasionally, tracking press releases is a bit like a virtual scavenger hunt for the larger objective.
Let’s take a look at an example with Ceridian’s recent announcement of its acquisition of Versult Group, Inc. Versult Group is a workforce management consulting firm acquired to enhance Ceridian’s implementation, training, and support services for its InView Workforce Management (WFM) solution. It is a straightforward article, easy to cover as is, and then I followed one clue to another and ended up with a richer story. HRO analyst fun!
Back in February 2011, Ceridian announced its partnership with Dayforce to launch InView. The two partners began working together a year earlier to integrate Dayforce’s WFM software suite into Ceridian’s payroll and HR administration services and ready both teams for launch. Ceridian also made an equity investment in Dayforce, which had already raised $20m, including $10m from Bridgescale Partners in July 2010.
Versult was one of seven Dayforce implementation partners and Versult had already performed implementations with Ceridian. As a bonus to Versult’s experience with WFM system implementation, it brings its own mobile access application, Versobile, to Ceridian.
Ceridian intends to further develop this platform for its clients seeking SaaS-based HR services by integrating beyond the current HR administration and payroll services to create an end-to-end offering including: H&W, tax, pay cards, COBRA, recruiting, EAP, tuition reimbursement, performance management, and training.
The payoff so far is that Ceridian’s investments are seeing rapid initial client acceptance. The platform has already grown to 90 Ceridian customers, rapidly escalating from 20 in February 2011.
This is a good, well-thought-out strategic move for Ceridian. It gets to cost effectively expand its SaaS service portfolio, leverage the strengths of its current offerings, increase scope with its client base, and add an experienced implementation team. It also has an equity stake in WFM, an increasingly important service line given employer concerns with cost control and the capability for rapid and effective workforce scaling.
Let’s leave this chapter of the story with a puzzle. How long will Ceridian be satisfied with a partnership with Dayforce, the WFM software source, when it felt the need to acquire Versult, the implementer?
Now for HRO vendors large and small, how are you solving your piece of the HRO SaaS puzzle?
Linda Merritt, Research Director, HRO, NelsonHall
HRO Insights 
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