With an economic crisis on the horizon, it’s imperative for businesses to utilize all the tools they can and make investments that will ensure staff perform to the best of their ability and present the best quality results.
Especially with high levels of remote workers, using an HR system is proving an invaluable tool. Fewer companies are following the traditional form of office management and keeping track of staff and procedures can be presented with barriers if the right tools are not available.
Using haphazard systems can quickly lead to a downfall within all areas of the business, despite being free or less costly, trying to create programs and file management systems in-house can end up being counterproductive.
We discuss how HR systems can benefit businesses throughout the current crisis and continue to provide assistance after.
No More Paper
There is little need for paperwork in the office during this digital age. Even documentation that requires a signature can be digitalized with the use of digital signatures. But making this transition needs to be safely, securely and to legal guidelines.
With up to 7 billion trees cut down each year, it really is time to help the environment and eradicate paper in the office.
HR systems allow a myriad of documents and information to be stored in one place, digitally. As these portals require secure, unique login information for each user, it is safe and secure.
Not only does this benefit the planet but also removes the risk of documentation being lost. Most HR systems are cloud-based, meaning that even if servers in the business go down, computers are lost, damaged or stolen, this information can still be accessed.
Paperwork can be notorious for being misplaced and should disaster strike a building, such as a fire or a flood, years of work can be lost in an instant.
Improve Administration Efficiency
Whether a small startup or a larger established company, it can be arduous keeping track of staff members. Keeping track of basic information, such as employee contact details and payroll information can quickly become chaotic if not properly managed.
Paper copies can be lost, inaccessible for remote HR teams and even lost or misplaced. Having this information stored electronically does not only provide quick access from any location but also means they can be quickly updated by each colleague to ensure this information is kept up-to-date.
Cost Reduction
The average business will hire one HR professional per 100 employees, by implementing HR software, this can be reduced to one HR expert to every 140 staff members, which can reduce yearly outgoings with less onboarding within the HR department.
For smaller businesses, the hiring of HR professionals may not be cost-effective, yet the need for HR knowledge if not reduced. By choosing an HR system provider who is not just an expert in software but also the field of human resources, this can lead to free HR advice where required.
Ease of Access
Sensitive data can not be stored openly within servers and shared with every individual within the organization.
There is also the added risk of emails being intercepted by hackers and information being exposed. Using a central HR system means access can be restricted to only those with the authority to view.
As these are online, cloud-based systems, the location of those needing access will not impede on this access and reduce wasted time awaiting documentation to be delivered via postal services.
Provides Actionable Insights
It is inevitable that some organizations may witness things not going as smoothly as hoped. Data collected from HR systems can provide an insight into why this may be and provide an insight into any changes that need to be implemented.
For example, there may be a high turnover rate in a particular department. HR systems could provide insights such as who manages those teams, are they often understaffed or have then been overlooked for training programs?
Heightening Communication
Within teams and departments, communication is often easy as contact details would have been exchanged previously and these staff will work within close proximity with each other.
However, on occasion, outreach to colleagues in wider departments is required and in particularly large businesses, these contact details can be hard to obtain.
Time wasted chasing through various colleagues for certain contact details can be eradicated with HR systems. Paper files with these details also aren’t always at hand.
HR systems can store these details in one easily accessible place, with the added bonus of being available on mobile and tablet devices, communication will be eased between all departments.
Mitigating Risks
A legal dispute is rare but can be devastating if a business is faced with one, both financially and for the business reputation. There can often be times that evidence is needed to prove an employee has been trained in the rights practices or has been made aware of processes.
This is why a digital paper trail is important. However, many can easily argue that emails have been missed as there is no way of tracking if and when these have been opened.
Most HR systems provide a platform to send messages and documentation to employees, while also implementing a tracking system that alerts the sender as to when these messages have been read.
It also provides an opportunity to chase those who have overlooked these messages, ensuring all employees are up to date with vital information.
Tracking Absences
Keeping an eye on employee absences is needed for many reasons. Firstly, it is important that any employee takes their allocated days or does not go over these without prior permission.
Secondly, especially with remote working, it can be tricky to keep track of teams that may be understaffed due to absences as managers do not have a visual representation of this.
Lastly, if there is any pattern in absences, this needs to be addressed, perhaps a particular team is having more sick days than others. Does their work environment need to be assessed?
HR systems can collate this all into one place, for easy oversight. It can also be used as a platform for staff to request days off and managers approve this, meaning no request goes overlooked.
These are just a few of the benefits of HR systems, they can also aid with onboarding, payroll and more. Packages are available for most budgets and can be tailored to exact requirements.
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