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Three HR Upgrades your Business Needs To Do To Get Ahead in 2017

Samantha

Now that we’re well into 2017, human resource (HR) departments will need to really dig in and work on finding solutions to the challenges they faced last year and will continue to face this year.

Improving productivity, attracting talent and staff retention – these are just a few issues that companies have identified as top priorities, according to a recent JustLogin survey of more than 120 businesses. The survey also reveals that majority of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and large enterprises are turning to technology to help them address their HR challenges.

So how can businesses use technology to step up their HR game? Here are three ways:

1.  Automate administrative processes

HR staff are responsible for many things, such as recruitment, retention, payroll, managing benefits, managing leave and sick days, just to name a few. Managing these tasks can be extremely time-consuming and can often result in unnecessary paperwork and decreased productivity.

For example, let’s take a closer look at processing salary. In any organization, salaried employees earn a fixed amount every month. This means that HR staff need to ensure that salaries are paid correctly and in a timely manner. Updating company and bank systems on a monthly basis not only take time, but also need attention to detail to ensure amounts are correctly entered. Incorrect credit or late credit of salary can result in frustration for employees.

Investing in software solutions, such as JustPayroll, that automate such processes not only free HR staff to concentrate on more productive and important tasks, but also ensures that the process is smooth, timely and error-free, every time.  These solutions also integrate with accounting software, such as QuickBooks Online, which makes the whole process smoother and faster.

2.  Simplify and standardize performance management  

Having a strong performance management process in place is crucial for organizations to not only appraise staff and accurately document their achievements, but to also motivate, and retain high-performers. Often, management performance processes rely on manually collecting yearly reviews, or other labor-intensive, paper-based procedures. Not only does this add administrative burden, but it makes the whole process complex and time-consuming with different managers using different formats. 

A standardized performance management system, allows employees to accurately document achievements and match against performance goals. This allows organizations to detect areas of excellence and weaknesses in employees, making it easier for management to set customized improvement plans.

Not sure where to start? Read our blog on how to use real-time HR feedback to improve employee engagement!

3.  Keep track of your remote workforce

In Singapore, flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are slowly becoming more recognized. In fact, the Singapore government set up a few grants such as the Work-Life Grant that companies can tap on to help them kick start their FWA programs.

Many organizations have testified that FWAs greatly encourage hard work and higher employee productivity (including us at Justlogin!), and that they boost staff retention rates too. FWAs are also a key selling point in attracting the new millennial workforce. These new breed of workers consider flexibility and work-life balance as a top factor when deciding which companies to apply to.

With FWAs and remote working fast becoming the new normal, easy, automated solutions become an invaluable tool in keeping track of employees and their work times. With JustClock, employees can clock in their work hours remotely, enabling organizations to keep up with their dynamic workforce.   

With just a few tools that simplify routine and labor-intensive HR and administrative processes, businesses will be ready to tackle any challenges that come their way in 2017.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Anyone who’s spent a significant amount of time in the HR field knows exactly how far things have come. While there are those who adhere to conventional methods, the days of paper files and subjective decisions are slowly giving way to computerised processes and objective, data-driven choices. Naturally, switching to a cloud-based HR, data-driven system is a daunting task, meaning many organisations will not be willing to do the switch. However, the benefits of implementing such innovations are clear.

What are Cloud-Based HR Services?

There’s a fundamental difference between on-premise and cloud-based HR programs. Specifically, it boils down to accessibility – a factor that has a marked impact on productivity, efficiency and retention.

Typically, organisations looking to streamline their HR functions through software end up using more than one program. These need to be purchased, pre-installed and maintained individually – often at a significant cost. This also means they can only be accessed in locations where said software is installed.

Cloud-based services, on the other hand, don’t require any software. These systems are accessible via the Internet from any location. To put it simply, it’s comparable to saving files in Google Documents as opposed to a hard drive.

Benefits of Cloud-Based HR Services

While using on-premise software is an excellent measure, we’ve already established the general advantage of cloud-based programs. Consequently, this affects several key sub-areas that are critical for organizational success.

Maximizing Efficiency

When it comes to the day-to-day HR functions, time and money are infinitely valuable.

As we stated earlier, on-premise HR software often requires multiple programs for different functions, with maintenance and cost affecting profit and efficiency. That being said, internal system issues inevitably result in service disruption, leading to backlogs. Further adding to the issue is the potential cost in terms of lost productivity and labor required to fix said problems.

The cloud-based option minimizes the risk of malfunction and the expense of repair. Since the tools are exclusively online, Internet disruption is the only potential “hiccup” – something far easier to repair. In terms of savings, using a cloud requires no additional purchases.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to efficiency, however, is that using the cloud makes it easy to integrate multiple functions, which is something that on-premise software doesn’t always allow. Users can share, change, manage and monitor information in real-time across multiple departments, all using a single system and login.

Maximizing Productivity

It doesn’t take an expert to understand the importance of productivity – another strong argument for cloud programs.

Again, we’ve covered how limiting software can be when it comes to accessibility; it’s only available in a host location. The cloud-based model, however, is the polar opposite. Being available through the Internet gives cloud programs a logistical advantage. They’re even accessible on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, allowing individuals to work outside of the office. The convenience is especially handy if an employee is ill or away for any other reason. It also opens the door to remote workers. Today, mobile apps can do the same things as any PC.

HR managers also find that using a cloud makes their lives easier. They can easily delegate and monitor different tasks. It allows for fast communication between employees and other departments, ultimately allowing projects to be completed more quickly.

Improving Recruitment and Retention

Hiring and retaining top talent is always a priority. Up until recently, however, choosing and keeping staff relied heavily on human evaluation during an interview, both during the recruiting process and periodical evaluations. Try as we might, even the best of us can have trouble remaining objective, often falling victim to the “halo effect,” to name one. Ultimately, organizations recruit the wrong people, who inevitably choose to leave or are forced to do so.

In this case, however, the cloud is simply a means to an end. It allows for the use of an innovative method known as Data Driven HR. Simply put, it computerizes key functions relating to recruitment, evaluation and retention. This removes human interference and the prejudices that come with it.

Deep learning algorithms, for instance, allow recruiters to sift through thousands of resumes without having to lift a finger. These programs notice patterns and keywords, for instance, that not only determine if a candidate meets the position’s qualifications, but also predict the likelihood that this individual will be successful and remain with the company.

While data-driven HR is a strong predictor of employee success, it works just as well in the opposite direction. Companies that see frequent turnover – or are simply interested in reducing it – want to address it wherever possible. Known as “predictive analytics,” this concept looks at employees who quit and checks for any common patterns or reasons.

Overall, cloud-based programs provide tremendous advantages over on-premise options. In short, they maximize key areas, like efficiency, productivity and retention, while minimizing potential problems and expenses. In the end, it should be interesting to see how HR evolves as more organizations adopt a cloud-based approach.

The Obvious Choice

As businesses, we want to be as efficient as possible at the lowest price. Cloud-based HR programs are an excellent way to achieve this goal. On-premise used to be the newest tool to gain an advantage in this competitive world, but tools change and improve over time. Cloud is the next phase in HR success – and no organization should miss its chance to use it. In short, make the switch and see the difference.

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