Competitive markets reward businesses that manage their people well, and HR technology supports, shapes and manages those strategies. HR leaders need to get the most from technology for training, recruitment and career development. Human resource information systems in particular are central to delivering and managing HR, and research suggests implementing an HRIS can improve a company’s long-term efficiency and profitability.
Web-based systems now supply employee self-service, online hiring, web-based training, application testing and benefits administration. HR portals give employees a single point of contact for many services. Leaders get the most from this technology by concentrating on the core HR functions it supports. Here are four strategies for leveraging HRIS technology:
1. Provide self-service HR support to employees
Companies that use HRIS to hand HR tasks and data upkeep to employees perform better than those that use the system only for compliance or reporting. Employees want the same accessibility and control at work as they have in their personal lives, and they have become data consumers. Giving employees access to their own data makes HR processes more transparent and helps team members understand HR’s role. Greater autonomy over personal information also supports fairness and job satisfaction.
2. Treat new technology as a chance to improve HR processes
When new or better technology is added to an HR system, it is an opportunity to re-evaluate the process it supports. HR workflow technology can speed up decision-making and shorten process cycles. Fewer handoffs typically raise efficiency and lower transaction costs, and processes delivered through HR vendor services are often more effective than the ones they replace. Technology alone is rarely the answer to an organisation’s challenges. The gains come from using the moment to improve HR procedures alongside the tool.
3. Get more value by using more data
HR can now use newly accessible data to answer new questions. Forward-thinking firms use it to ask things like, which data on job applications predicts long-term performance and retention? HR managers frequently cite the ability to analyse HR data and give prompt, accurate answers to C-suite questions as one of the most significant effects of modern HR technology. Our people data page covers how we help teams build this capability.
4. Communicate when monitoring employee performance
Computer-based performance monitoring is a useful tool, but employees must know what aspects of their performance are tracked and why. Research shows this kind of communication increases acceptance of monitoring and improves productivity.
HR systems have changed how firms provide and manage HR services, which is why many companies look for more value from the technology they already have rather than buying something new. Smart companies find that these systems help them scale and cut the time and cost of manual work. When properly implemented, they raise the productivity of the HR department, reduce workload and free the team to focus on the human side of managing people. To profit fully, HR leaders need to combine good HR technology with efficient HR management practices, and be ready for the difficulties that arise.
Copieux Group is an HRIS consultancy that helps companies improve their HR departments with technology. To see how we help, look at HR technology or talk through the pressure points.