The growing development of HR technology has transformed the way in which we undertake traditional HR activities. HR systems allow us to no longer merely report on employee data, but to fully analyse and understand the impact of that data (you can read more about this in our recent blog).
But when do you know it’s finally time to move away from Excel spreadsheets and towards a more comprehensive technological system?
HR Tech isn’t just for the big corporates
Many companies (particularly smaller organisations and start-ups) may feel that technology is solely for large multi-national businesses, but with the variety of software vendors available, HRIS have never been more accessible.
And when implemented correctly, the right package can not only save time and money, but can also offer additional legal protection through providing a solid framework to ensure companies are adhering to basic policies and procedures.
Having the right system will also prove invaluable post-May once new GDPR rules are in place, with technology helping to ensure your data remains compliant with the new directive.
“If you are seeking to benefit from technological solution in the areas of recruitment, HR reporting, paper-based documentation and data protection, it’s time to invest in HRIS”
Investing in HR Technology for new starters
Do you ask your new employees to complete onboarding documentation on a piece of paper? Not only does this manual process create additional work; printing the files, scanning the responses and saving in the relevant folder; but it also creates a particular first-impression of your organisation.
Do you want your new recruit to know they are joining a forward-thinking, progressive company or one that is, for want of a better phrase, ‘stuck in the past’?
Technology can enable you to complete the process much quicker, and more effectively as you can store all confidential compliance documents (such as passport/driving licence/right to work documentation) electronically in one place.
This information is then easily accessible to both your HR department and the employee. Many HR systems will also enable your employee to directly update their details if they change, including change of address and bank details, saving you precious time and resources.
HRIS for Reporting
If you still use spreadsheets to store your data, the idea of providing your senior management team with a report may fill you with dread. But it shouldn’t. The right HR information system will take away the pain of reporting as it will be fully automated. Not only can you run reports instantaneously but, thanks to mobile technology, your reporting can be accessed by your whole team whether they are sat at their desk or participating in a particularly long board meeting!
You can also use reporting tools to analyse your data and provide your team, along with senior managers, with a complete view of your organisations human resources.
Perhaps you are looking to for trends in sickness levels so that you can minimise absences, or maybe you’ve invested heavily into company-wide training and need to determine whether it has increased productivity. Your chosen HRIS system will allow you to do this – comparing your data quicker and easier than ever before.
Replacing paper-based documentations with technology
As well as the obvious environmental issues, using a significant amount of paper to complete your HR processes can result in expensive print costs and leave your HR information vulnerable to loss or damage. It is also extremely labour-intensive, taking you away from focusing on strategic HR goals or communicating face-to-face with your employees.
Technology can automate the smaller, time-consuming tasks such as handing out payslips, completing staff feedback questionnaires or chasing employees who have yet to update their personal details.
What’s more, cloud-based technology removes the need for bulky personnel filing cabinets full of confidential data, and can also get you up and running quickly in the case of an industrial disaster such as an office fire.
HR Systems’ role in data protection responsibilities
GDPR is the biggest shake up of data protection legislation for years so it is vital that HR teams familiarise themselves with the new regulations and update their processes in order to remain compliant.
If you are currently storing your employee data in a spreadsheet, you may not be able to comply with the need to prove that your document, and therefore the personal information it holds, is secure. You will also need to be able to link your spreadsheets with your IT systems to ensure full deletion under the ‘right to be forgotten’ element of GDPR.
Each HR technology vendor is working hard to ensure their software is fully secure, with plans in place to have organisations swiftly back online in case of any breach of security, as compliant with other elements of GDPR.
You can find out more information about what vendors are saying about GDPR here.
Part of the new regulations will require you to report any data breaches within 72 hours – are you certain that your paper-based or spreadsheet-reliant reporting method will allow you to do this? If not, we recommend investing in a new HR reporting system.
Keen to learn more about HR technology?
If your business is still using spreadsheets to deal with these four areas (and many more) feel free to give one of our trained consultants a call – we’d be happy to talk through your options.
We can look at your key priorities and establish the right technological solution for you. Our advice is completely independent, and as all of our consultants are experienced HR professionals, you can be sure that we’ll understand exactly what you are looking for.
