Physical files and overstuffed filing cabinets have no place in the digital era. Fortunately, HR automation can reduce or eliminate reliance on paperwork, empowering HR teams to effectively manage the lifecycle of employee records, from onboarding to retirement, all within secure digital folders.
I-9s, medical records, employee manuals–all your crucial documents–are stored, managed, and accessible at a click without fear of loss or damage. Stressful audits become a thing of the past with automated audit trails.
One of the key benefits of every best-in-class HR automation solution is its user-friendly interface. These systems should be easy to learn and operate, especially for those without a technical background.
Your HR automation solution should present information clearly and coherently, with easy-to-navigate menus, prompts, and visual cues that guide the user through different functionalities and processes. Usability makes the job of HR professionals more efficient and enjoyable and dramatically increases the software adoption rate.
The ideal HR automation software should let users access, share, and retain critical documents from anywhere in the world, 24/7, from any desktop or mobile device. This always-on accessibility allows your HR team to work effectively, regardless of location or time zone.
The software should provide user-defined security access with multiple security setups to ensure data privacy and protection, regardless of how your teams interact with your solution and each other.
This includes the ability to access the system from within Microsoft Office for greater ease of use. When it comes to retrieving documents, it should offer fast, Google-like search capabilities, saving time and improving productivity.
Digital interviewing, onboarding, payroll, and other workflows should be as simple or intricate as your company needs, catering to your organization’s specific requirements.
The solution should be able to grow with your organization. As your business expands and evolves, you might need to add more users, handle increased data, or implement additional functionality. A good HR automation solution can accommodate this growth without losing performance or, worst case scenario, forcing you to rip and replace down the line.
Data-driven decision-making is essential if you want to keep up with competitors. As such, your HR automation solution should offer robust reporting and analytics features and generate insights about employee performance, engagement, turnover, and more, helping you drive your business forward.
Cloud-based software is hosted on the vendor’s servers and accessed online, while on-premises software is installed directly on your servers. Both have their pros and cons, depending on your organization.
What matters most is that your vendor allows you to decide whether a cloud-based or on-premises solution is right for you and provides the honest recommendations needed to make the right decision.
An effective HR automation solution should support multiple document capture methods, from scanning and email to direct digital input. It should effectively manage structured and unstructured data, extracting pertinent information from diverse document types such as PDFs, Word files, Excel spreadsheets, and images.
Look for a solution with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This functionality enables your HR team to interpret and digitize printed or handwritten text, eliminating manual data entry and enhancing data accuracy.
Lastly, the HR automation tool you choose should help ensure compliance with various legislative acts like HIPAA and ADA and regulations like the Affordable Care Act. Automated compliance protects your organization from potential legal issues and builds trust with your employees, knowing their information is handled according to the law.
