Once you have mapped out your current HR tech landscape, the next step is to decide where you want to go and how to get there. This is where future state recommendations come in. They turn a snapshot of "today" into a strategic roadmap for "tomorrow."
Look Beyond Fixing What's Broken
A good future state plan is not just about replacing tools that no longer work. It is about aligning your technology with your organisation's goals, your people strategy, and the experience you want to deliver.
The best future state strategies recognise that HR technology exists to serve a purpose, not the other way around. Your systems should enable your people team to be more strategic, your managers to make better decisions, and your employees to feel supported throughout their journey with your organisation.
Start by asking the right questions:
Strategic Alignment: Where do we want to be in 12 to 24 months, and what role should technology play in getting us there? Think beyond operational efficiency. Consider how technology can support workforce planning, skills development, diversity initiatives, or whatever strategic priorities matter most to your organisation.
Capability Gaps: What capabilities are we missing today that will become essential tomorrow? The future of work is shifting rapidly. Capabilities around skills tracking, internal mobility, flexible workforce management, and employee well-being are becoming table stakes, not nice-to-haves.
System Architecture: How can we make our systems more scalable, secure, and people-focused? Future-proofing isn't just about buying the latest platform. It's about building a technology ecosystem that can adapt as your needs evolve, integrate with new tools seamlessly, and protect increasingly valuable employee data.
Focus on What Truly Matters
This is also the stage to separate nice-to-haves from must-haves. Too many HR teams rush into buying new tools without a clear vision, only to end up with more complexity and higher costs.
We see this pattern repeatedly: organisations layer on point solutions to solve individual pain points, creating a fragmented tech stack that's expensive to maintain and frustrating to use. Each new tool requires integration work, additional training, separate vendor management, and yet another login for users to remember.
A strong set of future state recommendations cuts through the noise and focuses on what truly matters: technology that enables better decisions, better employee experiences, and stronger outcomes. It ensures that every decision you make is deliberate and strategic, not reactive.
The best roadmaps also build in flexibility. Your organisation will change, priorities will shift, and new technologies will emerge. A rigid five-year plan drafted today will be obsolete before you're halfway through implementation. Instead, focus on establishing core principles and creating a modular approach that can adapt as circumstances change.
Our No Bullsh*t Approach to Future Planning
Because we live by a no bullsh*t approach, our recommendations are never vendor pitches or generic best practices. They are tailored to your specific needs, grounded in your current reality, and designed to evolve as your organisation does.
We're not here to sell you on the latest industry buzzwords or push particular platforms because they pay the best commissions. We're here to help you make smart decisions that will actually deliver value for your organisation and your people.
Whether that means optimising existing tools, integrating new ones, or planning a phased transformation, you will know exactly what steps to take and why. We provide clear rationale for each recommendation, realistic timelines, budget considerations, and potential risks to watch out for along the way.
The result is a clear, actionable plan that gives you confidence in every technology decision ahead. No jargon-filled documents gathering dust on a shelf. Just practical guidance you can actually use to move forward.
Build a Future-Ready HR Tech Roadmap
At Udder, we help HR teams create this future-focused roadmap, from designing the vision to identifying the right vendors, integrations, and security measures. We bring both technical expertise and real-world implementation experience to ensure your plan is ambitious enough to drive meaningful change, but practical enough to actually execute.
With the right plan in place, your HR tech stops being a headache and starts becoming a genuine enabler of strategy. It becomes the foundation that allows your HR team to shift from administrative firefighting to strategic partnership with the business.
Ready to define your future? Download our HRIS Buying Guide for a deeper dive into how to plan and execute a future-ready HR tech strategy.
