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New Collaborative Technologies to Change how People Work across the Enterprise Value Chain

^{Published on 2009-12-22 05:10:51 - Market Wire}
 

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--As a year of tremendous business volatility and reevaluation comes to a close, Saba (NASDAQ:SABA), the premier people management software and services provider, is looking ahead to 2010 and considering the workforce trends it sees emerging in both the corporate and government arenas.

"We see a new era approaching in which people management systems will enable the high performance organization of the future."

"Our engagements with global enterprises and government organizations provide a unique vantage point for us to see the potential magnitude by which collaboration technologies will change the face of learning, performance, compensation, succession and workforce planning," said Bobby Yazdani, CEO and president, Saba. "We see a new era approaching in which people management systems will enable the high performance organization of the future."

People Management Predictions for 2010:

1.Learning connections will matter more than learning transactions

When enterprise real-time collaboration becomes associated with learning and knowledge sharing, it can be self-reinforcing, enabling people to discover others who can help them in a grass-roots way, which in itself fosters information sharing. And businesses should share everything they can – smart and motivated people who can both contribute and gain access to lots of pertinent information will make better decisions. The bottom line: learning connections will matter more than learning transactions.

2. Connecting people to expertise will begin to matter more for organizations than traditional learning management programs

No matter what new technologies come along, formal learning will always have a role in enhancing business performance. While designing, scheduling and tracking courses will remain important, workers will be at the center of the next wave. Learning professionals have the opportunity to play a critical role: that of a community facilitator. The focus will be on ensuring people have the knowledge and tools to do their jobs well - and on creating a corporate culture that values collaboration and knowledge sharing.

3.Employees will demand and receive continuous performance feedback

What if performance could be judged by how much the evaluated individuals actually contribute to their connected communities? Or better still, what if emerging thought leaders could be identified by not only gathering data on how much they contribute, but more importantly, by evaluating how well their ideas and suggestions are received?

By using social networking, companies can implement technology that helps measure performance in real time, incorporating community validation mechanisms into performance management infrastructure. By measuring true attributes of success, companies will be able to transform them directly into meaningful rewards.

4. The traditional organization chart – as we know it – will be replaced by social influence maps

Traditional hard-lined hierarchical organization structures will give way to the connections between employees, customers and partners across the extended value chain. Top down goals will continue to set aligned business objectives, but how those objectives are met will happen through informal networks where ideas can surface from anywhere and flourish across functional and geographic boundaries.

5.Video will be the learning mode of choice

Having already killed the radio star, video is now poised to become the preferred mode of learning. This does not mean the high-bandwidth, high production value and high-cost traditional learning videos. Instead, we foresee the emergence of low fidelity, viral, self-published learning videos that dominate the personal web today.

6. Mobile learning has finally come of age

We have been talking about mobile learning for many years and, in our opinion, the platforms have finally emerged to make this a broad-based reality. Today's mobile devices are used to access a huge variety of applications and content types. Learning, connecting, and exchanging expertise will emerge across a wide range of mobile devices.

7. Informal processes will be valued and encouraged – these processes will be social and real-time

People now pick up what they need to know through web technologies, email or "hallway conversations" — what used to be called "water-cooler talk." If enterprise social networking is tied into the informal learning and interactions people have every day, it simply provides a better way to capitalize on what already takes place — and empowers employees to share their knowledge and connect with the right people who have the expertise they need.

8. The most successful companies will value collective competencies more than individual competencies

The ability to form and reform teams based on complementary areas of expertise in response to real-time opportunities and threats will become a critical differentiator for flexible, agile organizations. Extending this team-based approach to partners, suppliers and customers will drive more value than what is derived from individual competencies.

About Saba

Saba (NASDAQ: SABA) is the premier provider of people management software and services that enable the people-driven enterprise. Saba's solutions help global enterprises and public sector organizations to quickly respond and adapt to today's complex and rapidly changing environments.

Saba's people platform aligns and harnesses the expertise, skills, and ideas of an increasingly distributed and mobile work force. Working with Saba, organizations are able to align, engage, develop, mobilize, and foster collaboration across employees, customers, and partners in support of increased adaptability, rapid innovation, enhanced productivity, and speed to market.

Saba's solutions are used by more than 1,300 organizations and over 17 million end users worldwide. Our solutions are available both on-premise and OnDemand ([ www.saba.com/solutions) ], and are underpinned by global services capabilities and partnerships that provide strategic consulting, comprehensive implementation services, and ongoing worldwide support.

As the acknowledged standard in people management, Saba's premier customer base includes the major global industry leaders in financial services, life sciences and healthcare, high tech, automotive and manufacturing, retail, packaged goods, and public sector organizations.

Headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, Saba has offices on five continents. For more information, please visit [ www.saba.com ] or call +1-877-SABA-101 or +1-650-779-2791.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, without limitation, Saba's 2010 predictions. Saba's actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties Saba faces that could cause results to differ materially include risks associated with: Saba's dependence on growth of the markets for Saba's products, dependence on acceptance of Saba's products by customers and channel partners, fluctuation in customer spending, length of Saba's sales cycle, competition, rapid technological change, dependence on new product introductions and enhancements and potential software defects. Readers should also refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" on pages 11 through 21 of Saba's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2008 and similar disclosures in subsequent Saba periodic SEC reports. The forward-looking statements and risks stated in this press release are based on information available to Saba today. Saba assumes no obligation to update them.

SABA, the Saba logo, Saba Centra and the marks relating to Saba products and services referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Saba Software, Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.