Confidential Document
This document is prepared exclusively for Omnia Holdings.
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A structured framework for evaluating the true cost of building talent management capability — and the case for a managed service approach. Prepared to support Omnia's internal investment decision.
Talent management at scale requires six distinct capabilities. Each demands specialist skills, technology infrastructure, and ongoing management. The table below shows what it costs to access these capabilities independently at Omnia's scale — and what TMaaS delivers by comparison.
| People Process Design & Refinement |
IT Infrastructure & Application Mgmt |
Data Design & Management |
Data Analysis & Visualisation |
Project Mgmt & Implementation |
Change Management & Training |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Optimise talent management processes for scale | Secure, scalable IT infrastructure to support talent processes | People data structure, integration and management | Visual dashboards for actionable insights | Manage implementation costs and deadlines | Change management and training to ensure adoption |
| Why it matters | Aligns HR activities with business growth | Provides secure environment and user-friendly applications | Enables data-driven decisions | Supports informed people decisions with real-time insights | Facilitates timely, disruption-free implementation | Ensures adoption of new systems and processes |
| Without it | Inefficient processes that don't achieve their purpose | Inability to collect, store and protect critical people data | Poor quality people data | Lack of evidence-based people decisions | Project cost and time over-runs | Lack of adoption of new talent processes |
| Roles required | OD Consultant, Head of Talent Management, HR Process Analyst | IT Director, Infrastructure Architect, IT Security Consultant, Application Developer | Data Manager, HRIS Manager, Data Analyst | BI Analyst, HR Data Analyst | Project Manager, HR Implementation Specialist | Change Manager, HR Trainer, OD Specialist |
| Est. skills cost (ZAR/yr) | R1.0M – R1.8M | R1.6M – R2.8M | R1.2M – R2.2M | R1.0M – R1.8M | R1.4M – R2.2M | R1.0M – R1.8M |
| Infrastructure & software (ZAR/yr) | — | R1.8M – R3.2M | R500K – R1.0M | R250K – R650K | R100K – R200K | R100K – R250K |
| Estimated total cost of ownership — skills and technology per annum (Omnia scale) | R18,000,000 | |||||
| TMaaS — all six capabilities, fully managed (3,500 people, all-in Year 1) | R3,900,000 | |||||
| TMaaS as a percentage of estimated in-house cost of ownership | 21.7% | |||||
Translating the business case to Omnia's specific situation — 3,500 employees, no current HRIS, a multi-year D365 horizon, and increasing board-level scrutiny on talent governance.
Building these six capabilities in-house at Omnia's scale would require recruiting and retaining specialist roles across OD, IT, data, analytics, project management, and change management — while managing the complexity of 47 countries, 5 languages, and a board already asking questions about talent governance and succession readiness. At South African market rates, the realistic cost of ownership is R18M per year. TMaaS delivers all six capabilities for R3.9M — 21.7% of that cost, with zero internal build required.
When evaluating talent management solutions, the quality of the partner matters as much as the technology. These six criteria provide a structured lens for assessing any TMaaS provider — and for building the internal business case with confidence.
Does the proposed solution genuinely align with your business objectives and growth trajectory — or is it a generic HR technology platform being positioned as a strategy? A strong TMaaS partner should demonstrate a clear understanding of your specific context, not just your industry.
How long has the partner been delivering TMaaS specifically — not just HR consulting or HR technology? Look for a track record of sustained client relationships, not just successful implementations. The average client tenure is a meaningful indicator of ongoing value delivery.
Can the solution work within your existing technology environment — including payroll systems, identity management, and any future HRIS — without requiring a rip-and-replace approach? Integration flexibility is critical for organisations in transition between technology platforms.
People data is among the most sensitive data an organisation holds. Evaluate the partner's approach to data sovereignty, POPIA compliance, access controls, and audit trails. For multi-country organisations, understand how data residency and cross-border transfer requirements are managed.
Technology without adoption delivers no value. Evaluate the partner's change management methodology, training approach, and ongoing support model. In particular, assess how the solution supports manager capability — the single biggest driver of performance management effectiveness.
Is the commercial model transparent, predictable, and scalable? Understand what is included in the base fee, what triggers additional costs, and how pricing evolves as the organisation grows or adds modules. A strong partner should offer a clear multi-year view of the investment.