IBM Corporation logo. (PRNewsFoto/IBM Corporation)

NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new cloud-based solutions and a Talent and Change consulting practice to enable organizations to use analytics and workforce science to identify top talent, deepen employee engagement and manage transformational change to provide differentiated client experiences.

The new offerings are delivered through IBM's Smarter Workforce initiative and draw upon the company's 25 years of workforce science expertise, a discipline that helps clients apply proven behavioral science, statistical analysis and psychological principles to improve employee engagement and organizational performance. In tandem with the new Talent and Change practice, which is backed by 1,600 change management experts, the offerings are also supported by more than 100 behavioral scientists dedicated to helping clients use social, analytics and digital experience technologies to identify top performers, evaluate workforce readiness, and guard against future talent attrition.

The announcement comes at a time when workforce engagement and transformation are top priorities for Chief HR Officers (CHROs) and C-suite leaders. According to the recent IBM global C-suite study, the pace and magnitude of change are disrupting every aspect of business1. In fact, two out of five CEOs expect their next competitive threat to come from organizations outside their industries, requiring them to completely rethink their workforce design and processes. A major challenge is the ability to attract and retain top talent while making sure the existing workforce is fully engaged to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Another critical aspect is the ability of organizations to manage the size, scope and pace of workforce transformation projects to meet these shifting market demands. A new study released today by the IBM Institute of Business Value found that 87 percent of nearly 1,400 business leaders did not feel enough focus is placed on managing change2. In fact, just 20 percent felt they have been successful in managing change throughout the organization, and only 40 percent felt they have the right skills in place to manage change in the future. The study also found that organizations need to build an infrastructure capable of leading change initiatives while embracing emerging technologies.

IBM's new dedicated Talent and Change consulting practice helps clients prepare for the transformational change required to build a smarter, more connected workforce. The practice gives clients access to organizational change management methods, tools and expertise gained from thousands of client engagements and IBM's own transformation initiatives. It addresses four key areas Organizational Change, Talent Analytics, Employee Experience and HR Cloud with an overall focus on helping clients use cloud to deploy, manage and access their HR solutions and assets to drive business results.

The new practice will help clients accelerate the adoption of IBM's Smarter Workforce offerings, and embrace new technologies such as IBM SPSS predictive analytics to create a competitive advantage. As part of today's launch, IBM is delivering three new cloud-based solutions to give clients deeper insight into the talent and transformational change required to build the next generation workforce:

"Most successful organizations already view people as their most important differentiator in the market, yet many still struggle to unlock the true potential of their workforce," said Debbie Landers, General Manager, Smarter Workforce and Kenexa, IBM. "The new offerings give clients a more holistic, data-driven approach that uses workforce science to predict the best fit for an individual or team across a number of personal and organizational traits. They are designed to complement the expertise of business leaders and HR professionals, while giving them the tools and insights needed to drive lasting change across the organization."

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) is using IBM's Smarter Workforce solutions to help returning veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment. To date, MSCCN has used the technology to find employment for more than 20,000 military spouses and 8,000 transitioning active military and veterans.

"Our work is critical to the long-term well-being and meaningful employment of thousands of veterans, active military and their spouses. As these fine men and women return from war, the majority do not have a job and the transition is not always an easy one," said Stacy Bayton, Chief Operating Officer, CASY-MSCCN. "With the volume of individuals we actively serve at one time, the IBM Smarter Workforce solution is unique in its ability to manage caseloads, track metrics and outcomes, and report findings to ensure service members and their families are getting what they need."

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IBM Delivers Analytics and Workforce Science to Help Clients Improve Organizational Performance