What are going to be your biggest HR challenges in 2020? It’s inevitably going to be busy times for HR practitioners this year thanks to Brexit, IR35 and implementing legislation that’s resulting from the Good Work plan. But they won’t be the only reasons HR professionals will have their hands full, with all the other usual issues continuing to make demands on their skills and time as well.
Whatever your priorities are this year, it’s highly likely you’ll need to use HR information to underpin the decision-making processes. Yet some companies aren’t able to readily access accurate real time data and that could impact on the work they need to do and decisions they’ll end up making. Is that true of your business and if so, should it be something you address this year?
Do you still use spreadsheets to manage HR processes?
If so, you’re not alone. There are still many businesses relying on spreadsheets to manage their HR activity. And that might be sufficient while your business is very small. But if your company starts to grow, there’s a risk that management by spreadsheet can start to make life more complicated and actually become a hindrance, not a help.
Increasing numbers of spreadsheets might start being used, all of which need to hold data that’s been transferred from another sheet or report. The potential for errors creeping in and up is considerable as is the amount of time that can be required to maintain data, making sure all information corresponds correctly from sheet to sheet and backtracking to identify anomalies. All it takes is one error to be duplicated to then throw the spreadsheet system completely out of kilter. The quality of the information your company’s relying on could be compromised and productivity will almost certainly be affected too.
How often do you review your HR systems?
You might not be reliant on spreadsheets. Your company might already be using HR software but it’s still important to periodically review the processes in place to check if they remain fit for purpose. Are there any issues in your procedures and what scope is there to improve on what you already do? Even if you believe your processes and procedures are working well, they should be evaluated to make sure they are delivering everything they need to, and to identify if any opportunities for improvements have arisen. After all, with the number of changes continually taking place in employment law and in the HR world in general, HR processes must be regularly adapted and updated to keep on top of them.
How can HR software help you?
Taking the time to identify the major challenges your department faces means you’re then better placed to identify the solutions that will help you address them. When was the last time you looked at the available options to help you achieve your business goals? Because technology is providing a lot of solutions to longstanding HR challenges and there are many opportunities for HR software to help you.
At the transactional level using the right HR software will help save you time and manage information far more efficiently. The convenience and improved accuracy that can be achieved by using it can be considerable. It can offer ways to efficiently manage core activities like holiday and absence management. Some HR software can provide employees with a designated level of self-service functionality and there can be many benefits as a result. It can make life easier for HR, line managers and employees by creating a smoother workflow and authorisation process. It can give employees the ability to quickly access and update their own data and it can facilitate a reduced administration burden overall.
HR software offers real time and accurate reporting, all while ensuring a far greater level of data security than any spreadsheet can offer, and instead enabling companies to be fully compliant with all relevant legislation. Some HR software can be set up to integrate with payroll systems too, further reducing the time needed for input and reducing the risk of data entry errors.
Is it time to review your HR processes?
With information underpinning so many business-critical activities and decisions, no company can risk it being time-consuming to manage and potentially inaccurate and unreliable to use. If you’ve decided to start the New Year by taking a look at how you can improve your HR processes, please do get in touch with us. We provide HR software that can be used as a standalone system or integrated with payroll software. Find out more by completing our enquiry form and we’ll be in touch with you straight away.