Eric Verbonac
Senior Director Customer Success & Operations
HR Strategies Consulting
HR leaders today are expected to do more than ever—drive performance, develop talent, and ensure people strategies work hand in hand with business goals. But too often, small system updates or process tweaks require IT involvement, slowing things down and leaving HR teams stuck waiting in line for support.
SAP SuccessFactors Performance & Goals Management (PMGM) helps to change that dynamic. By giving HR the tools to manage and adjust processes themselves, it removes the bottlenecks and puts control back where it belongs—with the people who know HR best.
Putting Your HR Team in the Driver’s Seat with Self-Service Configuration
One of the biggest frustrations we hear from HR teams is how long it can take to make even the simplest system changes. With SAP SuccessFactors PMGM, HR doesn’t have to wait on IT. Teams can update goal plans, performance forms, rating scales, and workflows on their own, without needing technical expertise. What once required IT intervention, such as updating templates or adjusting review cycles, can now be handled directly by HR.
This flexibility means HR can make process changes more quickly and gives them the control to keep processes aligned with business strategy as things change. For example, if business priorities shift mid-year, HR can quickly update goal categories or introduce new competencies without waiting weeks for IT to deploy changes.
Simplifying Performance and Development Processes
Performance reviews and goal-setting can easily turn into heavy, admin-driven processes. SAP SuccessFactors PMGM helps lighten that load with built-in tools like continuous feedback, automated reminders, and calibration features. These not only make the process smoother but also create fairness and consistency across teams.
Because HR owns the setup and updates, improvements can be made based on real-time feedback from managers and employees without having to wait on IT. This creates a more agile process that gives power back to HR and allows the team to drive performance outcomes.
Reducing IT Dependency Through Integration and Automation
SAP SuccessFactors PMGM connects easily with other SuccessFactors modules like Learning, Succession, and Compensation, as well as external systems. This means less time spent on custom IT integrations since the integrations are prebuilt and configurable.
Automations within the system allow teams to skip much of the repetitive work usually involved in their daily tasks. From goal alignment to performance rating workflows, HR can automate repetitive tasks that would otherwise require manual IT interventions. This allows IT to focus on higher-value initiatives, while HR gains autonomy to manage and evolve core talent processes.
What This Means for HR Leaders
By reducing dependency on IT, HR gains time and space to focus on what really matters:
- Supporting leaders in driving business performance
- Developing a culture of feedback and growth
- Ensuring talent pipelines support future needs
- Using data and insights to guide decision-making
By using SAP SuccessFactors PMGM effectively, HR positions itself as a driver of business value rather than a support function reliant on IT.
Conclusion
SAP SuccessFactors PMGM is more than a performance management tool. It’s a way to give HR real ownership over the processes that shape employee performance and growth. When HR can make changes quickly, align processes with business needs, and reduce reliance on IT, the entire organization benefits.
The result is a stronger partnership between people and business strategy, where HR leads the charge in building a high-performing, engaged workforce—without being slowed down by technical barriers.
If reducing IT dependency and streamlining performance management are on your agenda, SAP SuccessFactors PMGM can help you get there. Reach out to us to explore what implementation or optimization could look like for your organization.
