The 7 ways HR software saves you time:
Every small to medium business leader is looking to save time. You’ve missed so many mid-week catch-ups with your friends that they’re beginning to forget what you look like. You’ve eaten your dinner alone for the third time this week because you’re working past the kids’ bedtime.
This is a reality faced by many business owners. And the chances are, you’re spending far too much time on admin - filling out and setting up automated timesheets, approving holiday requests, managing payroll… The list goes on.
If any of this resonates, you’ve come to the right place. Here at PeopleHR, we firmly believe that HR software can save you time. But we’re also aware that the ‘how’ doesn’t always translate, particularly when you’re met with technical jargon that’s often hard to comprehend.
In this article, we’ll answer the question: can HR software really save time? We’ll also share 7 ways you can get your life back - through the power of HR software.
HR data across one platform
Many businesses have built their tech stack over a period of years – as technology has developed. As a result, it’s not uncommon to have one system (or method) for logging time and attendance, another for approving holiday requests and ANOTHER for managing payroll, for example.
Often, this data is held within multiple spreadsheets – and if several people have access to these spreadsheets, it can be difficult to know which is the latest version.
You can see where we’re going with this…
Finding this information is an unnecessary drain on time – not to mention the fact that it can quickly become a GDPR issue whilst increasing your chances of error.
Having one, single platform that ‘communicates’ with its individual applications means you can input data without having to cross-reference and update multiple spreadsheets. As it’s cloud-based, any information will be updated in real-time, meaning no chances of duplication and therefore… Less time wasted (and fewer headaches).
You can find out more about HR data and analytics and HR software efficiency in our recent article here.
Simple HR process automation
Whenever you hear the word ‘software’, the word ‘automation’ is never far behind.
But what does automation actually mean in terms of HR software? In simple terms, HR software automation does the repetitive, manual tasks (for example, authorising time off and overtime, approving expenses and tracking time at work) for you. This allows you to focus on wider responsibilities, like employee engagement, appraisals, expanding your workforce, and so on.
If you’re a business leader involved in the HR processes within your organisation, you will know how time-consuming such manual tasks can be. That’s why many HR software providers offer some form of workflow management software functionality.
The beauty of workflow management software is that it can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Imagine this:
You run a custom dog grooming shop. Customers can choose hairstyles for their dogs based on the latest celebrity trends. At the moment, you’re managing orders, hairstyle photos and invoices manually – via email. You can see how managing this process can very quickly become tedious. Worse, it becomes impossible to scale your business.
Whilst you may not own a dog grooming shop, you will likely relate to the challenges highlighted in the analogy.
So, how can a custom workflow management solution help with situations that are similar to the above? In this case, it will provide a web portal that allows customers to place orders, upload hairstyle photos and automatically curate their order to the staff member working that day. The customer journey can then be followed up by the staff member, within the same portal.
Again, this may not be reflective of your business, but hopefully the message is clear: you can create automated workflows that help you run your business smoother.
e.g
A workflow that notifies you when a staff member’s birthday is coming up…
A workflow that reminds you when someone’s performance review is approaching…
The list is endless.
Employees can self-serve
Providing your employees with the ability to self-serve will take enormous pressure off your HR responsibilities. However, this doesn’t mean you’re passing responsibility onto your workforce. Rather, you’re empowering them to make their own decisions.
4 ways employees can self-serve with HR software:
- Update personal information (like a change in address)
- Request holiday
- Request equipment
- Track time & attendance
If you’d like to learn more about HR self service software and HR software efficiency, we have a whole page dedicated to it.
Analyse operations easily with automated reports
HR software isn’t just about saving time; it’s about achieving more with the time you’ve saved. It’s unlikely you’re currently reporting on your HR data – especially if time is not a resource afforded to you. HR data, however, can provide some useful insights to help better your efforts around recruitment, appraisals, productivity and so on.
So how can HR software help you obtain these metrics?
Many HR software providers offer a HR reporting function. In a matter of minutes, the software will develop and export an intuitive report, allowing you to see trends and patterns that you wouldn’t normally notice.
The outcome: you’re taking steps towards improving overall business performance, profitability and employee happiness.
Track time with precise timesheets
Tracking employee hours manually has always been a drain on time – especially if your workforce operates on a shift-basis. These days, many companies allow their employees to fill out their own timesheets – which does remove strain from whomever is carrying out HR. However, that doesn’t solve the issue of having to collate the timesheets to inform payroll.
Taking this one step further, HR timesheet software will allow your employees to clock in and out on any device (mobile and web). Those authorised can then review entries before approving it. If timesheet software integrates with other HR processes, you will automatically inform payroll to ensure your staff get paid correctly.
If your company works on a project-by-project basis, look for HR software efficiency that provides a project time tracking feature. That way, your employees can track how long it takes them to complete certain projects – ensuring your company bills for the correct amount for the work being carried out.
Make recruitment management simple
Recruitment can be costly and time-consuming. From creating an advert to posting it on ad sites and then sifting through CVs… it’s no wonder the best talent can fall through the cracks.
HR software helps simplify the process of recruitment – from creating the initial advert to applicant tracking and finally supporting the on-boarding process.
5 essential HR software recruitment features:
- Recruitment tracking system
- Video interviews
- Mobile-friendly application process
- Shortlisting functions
- Automated on-boarding tools (offer letter, start date, equipment list, for example)
With HR software efficiency, you can focus your recruitment efforts on what really matters: finding the best people for your team.
Save time with payroll solutions
Many small to medium-sized businesses choose to manually process payroll to save money. However, this can take anywhere from hours to days to complete – even longer if mistakes are made (which is not uncommon with manual entry systems).
In other words, your perceived monetary saving will be outweighed by the time it takes to complete the process itself.
By outsourcing payroll, it can be completed in a matter of minutes, freeing up your time to work on more important tasks. In many cases, you will have the option to manage all or part of your payroll processes, depending on the level of involvement you require.
What should I consider before outsourcing payroll?
- Identify what elements of the payroll process you need to outsource
- Review your company plans
- Shortlist and select your payroll provider (do your research!)
- Prepare and fine-tune the deployment plan
- Data migration and parallel pay runs
It is worth noting the above list for further discussion with your shortlisted payroll providers.
Next steps
Providing your HR and payroll software is well-integrated, you can save significant time on recurring and tedious tasks, so you can focus on what truly matters: the development and growth of your business. Remember – with integrated payroll and HR software, it’s not just a case of saving time; you’ll be saving money too, because (at the risk of sounding cliché) time is money.
So, can HR software save time? The simple answer is yes! To recap, HR software:
- Centralises all data
- Automates manual tasks
- Allows employees to self-serve
- Provides useful reports to analyse HR processes
- Tracks time and attendance
- Makes recruitment simple
- Saves time with payroll
Saving time is essential to improving productivity, not just of your HR department, but of your entire business. Access PeopleHR’s HR software is an all-encompassing solution that can help in many different aspects of HR, so no matter where you’d like to increase efficiencies, we can help. To get started, book your free trial.
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