Human resource information system (HRIS) is a revolutionary technology that more and more companies are adopting. While its benefits in recruitment and staff management are evident to some, others are still on the fence. While acknowledging the benefits, they’re still unsure whether the benefits justify the costs.
Those who tried implementing HRIS into their organization no longer have any doubt. HRIS saves work hours, reduces costs, and ensures that everything runs as smoothly as possible. Sure, there are different types of HRIS software and different fields in which one can apply it. The result is always a net positive value change in your favor.
To further illustrate the point, here are the top seven ways HRIS revolutionizes human resources.
1) Onboarding automation
Onboarding usually takes too much effort. By automating it with HRIS, you can save many working hours. Also, automation equalizes the quality of onboarding that your employees will receive.
There are several reasons why onboarding matters. It determines how quickly you can bring new employees to full speed. Even if they have experience in the field, it will take a while before they become productive. This moves the break-even point further, and it will take longer to get your money back.
Second, it determines employee satisfaction. Happy employees are productive; however, it goes even further than that. A satisfied employee is more likely to stay. In other words, onboarding also affects the employee retention rate. This starts in the onboarding stage. Even the most productive employees have imposter syndrome when entering a new workplace. The sooner you dispel this, the better.
Even when things run smoothly, there is probably a way to do things better. Sure, not every experience that sets off on the wrong foot will end that way, but why not outright improve? Almost 90% of employees are dissatisfied with their onboarding. This is also a simple way to set yourself apart.
2) HR software automates manual tasks
The HR department deals with a lot of administrative, manual tasks. Some of these tasks are arduous, but they are also quite important. By automating them with HR software, you can reduce the chance of human error. The majority of these errors happen when one dozes off. The likelihood that one will doze off increases while doing repetitive tasks. It’s an endless loop that an HRIS can just nip in the bud.
Automating these tedious tasks is also a way to increase staff retention. Modern workforces (especially millennials) thrive when they feel they’re making a difference. So, by switching them to more creative work and automating data entry and administrative tasks, you can make their work more dynamic.
The speed that comes from automation is impossible to match. The software can work a lot faster than a human employee. For instance, if you’re starting a hiring process, a job can be posted automatically, simultaneously, on all networks.
An AI-powered HRIS can screen and track thousands of applicants in a time that a human HR specialist would screen a single person. When you transfer this computing power into working hours, you’ll figure out how much money you save.
3) Minimizing accusations of bias and favoritism
Fraternizing in the workplace is a bad idea, yet, it’s inevitable. People in the HR department, managers, and even members of the highest management are just humans. They subconsciously treat people they like better than those they dislike. While it may seem impossible to root out this problem by any conventional means, it’s also where HRIS can help.
By putting software in charge of posting jobs, managing time off, approvals, etc., there will be no talk of favoritism. The software has its algorithm and observes facts without any bias or preconceptions.
Discrimination is another huge problem that HRIS can help with. This is especially the case in the hiring process. When HRIS screens candidates and applicants, it focuses only on previous experience, skills, and performance. It doesn’t take sex, race, religion, nationality, or age into account.
Sure, your interviewers and HR specialists may not be discriminatory, but sometimes, an allegation is enough to cause serious problems. Also, as this section’s first paragraph mentioned, we sometimes do things subconsciously. With the help of HRIS, you can just avoid this matter as a whole.
4) Regulating compliances
Forgetting a crucial piece of paperwork can be a mistake you regret dearly. With HRIS, this process is automatic, meaning there’s no risk of skipping it or something crucial missing.
One of the biggest problems with compliance is the fact that there’s no such thing as a universal law. Local laws, state laws, etc., can be pretty complex. The corporate laws of your state may be different than those in the countries of your vendors. You would need a corporate lawyer to keep track of all this. For software, this wouldn’t be much of a problem.
Disclaimer: We’re not suggesting you skip hiring a corporate lawyer (you need one); all we claim is that HRIS makes things easier.
Aside from just having all these compliances, you also need to be able to access them at any time. With HRIS, document management becomes easier. It’s like having an HR tool and a content management platform in one.
5) More efficient employee development
Not a lot of employees enter the workplace as experts. Even if they have a degree and impressive work experience, living up to their full potential will still take a while. It’s the job of HR to assist employee development.
Bringing managers and experts from other companies costs an arm and a leg. So, why not make them in your own company? Use your HR to recognize potential leaders and experts and then train them to, one day, assume this role. Sure, it’s a lot of work, but the payoff is incredible.
First, even with all the money you invest in their training, you still get off cheap. The cost of poaching a specialist from another firm is insanely expensive. Second, they’ll have a higher loyalty rate since they’ve been in the company for so long.
With the HRIS, you’ll even do a better job at recognizing this talent. As we’ve already mentioned, your biases might make wishful thinking affect your judgment. HRIS will observe this through cold, hard facts.
Sure, there are some things that software cannot see, especially when it comes to leadership qualities and interpersonal relationships. So, instead of making this decision HRIS-based, you can make it HRIS-assisted.
6) Better internal image
The opinion of your employees is critical. It affects their performance, retention rate, and even how they speak about your organization to outsiders. The word gets out, so it’s in your best interest to improve this internal image. Simply put, HRIS makes your company look and feel better to your staff members.
This can also help with your recruitment process in the future. After all, some of the best employees come from internal referrals. People move from one company within the same industry to another, which means they know ideal applicants for your company.
Now, just because you’re asking them to refer someone, this doesn’t mean that they’ll do it. What if they’re looking for a way out because of a bad working environment? You need to put yourself in their shoes. When they recommend you, they must be able to vouch for you. With HRIS, every HR process will run smoothly, creating an impression of your company as well-oiled machinery.
7) All-in-one
Lastly, HRIS offers so many different services. It is an:
- Employee database
- Applicant tracking
- Remote employee onboarding platform
- Scheduling and payroll software
- A platform for the generation of customizable reports
Each of these tools is worth it, but combined, they make a game-changing (even revolutionary platform).
Of course, not every HRIS is the same. There are several different types of HRIS. For instance, you have:
- Operational HRIS
- Tactical HRIS
- Comprehensive HRIS
- Strategic HRIS
Depending on which you choose, you’ll get access to different perks. Each of these HRIS types approaches a different aspect of HR. For instance, strategic HRIS is more workforce (as opposed to single-employee) oriented. On the other hand, Tactical HRIS is more oriented toward recruitment, onboarding, and resource management.
HRIS can forever change your company’s HR
In the end, HRIS can automate repetitive HR tasks, freeing your workforce for more important, creative work.
By taking over arduous tasks, HRIS increases job satisfaction and makes your staff see you in a much better light. This affects everything from productivity and retention rate to how your employees talk about you to outsiders.
As an automatic tool, HRIS eliminates the likelihood of human error and makes everything ironclad from a legal standpoint.
All in all, HRIS is everything that your HR department needs and more.
For help with Human Resources consulting when it comes to conflict management, contact Pollack Peacebuilding today!
