Lisa Raaijmakers
Choosing HR tools based on KPIs, not trends
Temp & flex
Platformization
Oct 6, 2025
Every week, dozens of new HR tools hit the market. From AI recruitment assistants to automated feedback apps. Tempting? Certainly. But according to Sepp Haans, labor market strategist at Freshheads, there's also a risk: tool fatigue. “Make sure you make the right choices based on your HR goals,” he emphasizes. “Technology should serve HR, not lead it.”
The Temptation of Innovation
The pace at which new digital solutions and AI applications are emerging makes it difficult to keep an overview. What is innovative today can be outdated tomorrow. Without a clear strategy, you risk ending up with a collection of disconnected tools that do not communicate with each other, do not enhance each other, and slow down work rather than accelerate it.
Therefore, it is crucial for HR professionals not to choose based on curiosity but according to their own strategy. Which processes deserve improvement? Which KPI do you want to influence? And where is the real value for employees and the organization?
Sepp Haans assists mediators and large employers in building platforms that make recruitment and HR smarter. Check out here his toolkit with tips for tools for recruitment & HR. |
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From Disconnected Solutions to One Ecosystem
The solution lies in a Best of Breed approach: not one all-encompassing system, but a flexible ecosystem of specialized tools that collaborate. With integration platforms and API connections, you can build an environment step by step that perfectly fits your ambitions and working style.
Digital opportunities lie in:
Integration platforms that make tools collaborate rather than compete.
Digital workflows that translate the employee journey into user-friendly processes.
The ELTV compass, which measures the value of a tool against its contribution to the Employee Lifetime Value.
“The ELTV compass helps HR make the right choices,” explains Sepp. “Not: which tool looks cool and is popular, but: which one demonstrably adds value to employees and processes.” Read more about it here.
Concrete Impact
A concrete example: recruiters overwhelmed by applications can automate the initial screening with an AI chatbot. Or use an AI notetaker that summarizes conversations, allowing managers to save time for genuine interactions. These are applications that add value. Not because they are new, but because they remove friction and free up time for what truly matters. The core question is not whether to automate, but where. Where does human contact add value, and where can technology provide relief?
The Role of HR
HR professionals do not need to become tech experts, but they do need to be directors of value. By critically examining the contribution of each tool to strategic KPIs such as ELTV, engagement, or retention, you maintain control over your digital ecosystem. “Make technology work for HR, not the other way around,” says Sepp. Choose not the most tools, but the right tools with the greatest value.