The new offering, IBM Workforce and Talent Solutions, will help companiesbecome smarter and more integrated in all aspects of managing the humancapital lifecycle to create measurable improvements in people and businessproductivity. Driving efficiency and effectiveness in people -- one of thelargest assets and costs in a business -- is increasingly important toachieving competitive advantage and to manage the effects of the downturnin the global economy. It is a combination of world-class human capitalconsulting services, IBM software assets: Cognos, Lotus, IBM Research andmarket leading human capital software: Saba and SuccessFactors.

According to a recent study by IBM and the Human Capital ManagementInstitute, companies that apply effective and integrated workforce andtalent management strategy and practices demonstrate significantly betterfinancial performance compared to their industry peers.

"IBM Global Business Services is taking what have long been disparate partsof the human capital lifecycle, and we are pulling the pieces together togive our clients an end-to-end capability to access key employee data andmanage workforces as a globally integrated talent pool," said Tim Ringo,vice president and global leader, Human Capital Management, IBM. "We addto this solution IBM's award-winning collaboration and social networkingsoftware to create the next generation of workforce and talent management,which is truly unique in the marketplace."

IBM's unique approach combines decades of experience from IBM's own HRtransformation with its proven client human capital consulting engagementsthat helped produce measurable improvements in clients' businessperformance.

IBM Workforce and Talent Solutions offering takes a strategic view of anenterprises' human capital technology and processes. Through our HumanCapital Healthcheck tool, IBM human capital experts assess where anorganization is on its journey to globally integrated workforce and talentmanagement and defines a strategy, technology and process roadmap for thefuture. The solution builds on what is already in place in the enterpriseand implements the integrated solutions required to create an end-to-endcapability to access key employee data and manage workforces as a globallyintegrated talent pool.

Key components of IBM Workforce and Talent Solutions includes, workforceanalytics, e-recruitment, performance management, learning, successionplanning, compensation and rewards, workforce deployment and scheduling,employee portal, collaboration and social networking, together withtargeted consulting services, such as change management, process re-design,technology integration, program management and business performancemeasurement.

IBM Cognos 8 Workforce Performance underpins the overall solution givinginteractive insight into workforce data through dashboard analyticreporting from multiple systems. IBM Lotus Connections' five components --profiles, communities, blogs, dogear and activities -- provides a personalprofile/role based approach to managing talent as well the social networknecessary for collaboration and connections between individuals and theknowledge employees need to be more productive.

At the heart of the solution is IBM's partnership with two leading talentmanagement software partners: Saba and SuccessFactors, who provide theapplications that enable many of the core talent management processes. Keyto IBM Workforce and Talent Solutions, these applications will integratewith IBM's social networking, portal, and business intelligencecapabilities.

"The latest advances in collaborative human capital software such as LotusConnections, WebSphere Portal, and Cognos 8 Workforce Performance can helpdeliver a talent management system that companies could only imagine a fewshort years ago," said Larry Bowden, vice president, portals and mashups,IBM Software Group. "The exciting part for our customers is the deeppartnership with IBM Global Business Services human capital team and theexperience they bring to transforming our clients business performance."

Companies increasingly realize that an integrated approach to workforce andtalent management has a tangible business return on their investment.However, many of today's companies lack the basic ability to get the rightpeople with the right skills in the right place at the right time.Additionally, one of the largest problems that companies face is the needto retain top talent and maximize the performance of increasingly diverseglobal workforces. IBM Workforce and Talent Solutions focuses on theexpected business outcomes and ensures a clear linkage between investmentand expected returns. Revenue, profitability, efficiency, cost savings andcustomer satisfaction are the most important outcomes that should beproduced by an integrated approach to workforce and talent management.

With this offering the credo that "people are a company's greatest asset"is being backed up by increasing focus and investment and consequently,business performance. The ability to manage costs, drive productivity andgain a competitive advantage through an adaptable and high-performanceworkforce is a now a strategic imperative. Ultimately, IBM's focus is tomake the clear linkage between effective workforce and talent managementand business performance, and help companies capitalize on their investmentin people.

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Contact:Jan WalbridgeIBM Media Relations203 430 9874walbridge@us.ibm.com