As an HR professional, you may often feel like you’re one person doing the work of many. Well, you’re certainly not alone. The Human Resources department of any company, large or small, is charged with a number of critical roles, many of them small but still vital to smooth operations. These responsibilities can include things like formulating the policies of the company, ensuring that the business processes are streamlined, making sure the right paperwork is available and in order in the event of an audit, hiring and firing personnel, and evaluating and motivating the company’s employees.
In order to effectively combine the human side of HR with a reliable and efficient organization system, more and more organizations are implementing a Human Resource Information System (HRIS), computer software that is used to streamline and organize all the HR functions of an organization. An HRIS is able to store all employment records, allowing employers access to metrics on performance management, benefits, compensation and staffing activities.
What are some of the top reasons your company might need an HRIS?
- Time Management
With an HRIS, you’ve got a repository for all your records, documentation and files, and because an HRIS is such an efficient gatekeeper, management becomes much easier as your documents are organized and stored in such a way that they can be easily retrieved. Of course, there is an initial framework to set up and configure, but spending this time up front is worth the effort. Once the HRIS is customized to your specific HR needs, you’ll quickly find that you have much more time for your work as a human resources professional.
- Great Reports
One of the biggest advantages of an HRIS is the amazing presentations and reports it can create for you. Because it stores all of a company’s pertinent data in one place, a user is able to create an impressive variety of detailed reports that encompass information such as: a current index of job openings, electronic copies of all employees’ paperwork, salary and incentive compensation data, annual performance appraisal results and disciplinary actions. For instance, when a manager is ready to hire more staff, he or she can quickly search the HRIS for past job candidates who have a specific set of skills.
- Recruitment
A large number of HRIS systems now have a sophisticated interface that can be used internally by current employees as well as externally by potential job candidates. This type of system makes it possible for resumes to be submitted and other application information to be collected so that it can be easily and quickly accessed by the hiring team. Another benefit of this kind of system is that once resumes have been submitted, a manager can conduct detailed searches to filter information by the candidates’ location, educational level, and skill set.
- Organization
An HRIS is particularly valuable when it comes to organization of employee benefits. Businesses are able to streamline the entire employee benefit system, meaning employees and new hires can enroll electronically into benefit plans and log into the system to update and monitor their current coverage. This “self-service” method saves time and money across the board.
It should be clear by now that if you haven’t considered implementing a Human Resources Information system, it’s time to do so. It’s the smart way to save time, keep your records organized, stay on top of employee performance, and bring in the most qualified new hires to your team. While it does take some effort to set up and configure in the beginning, you’ll be rewarded in efficient, time-saving effects for years to come.
This guest post was provided by Erin Palmer. Erin is a writer and editor who covers MPA degree topics. She also writes about human resources degree online.
