Bolstering Your Business’s HRIS System
With respect to Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), a simple rule of thumb should be followed: pick your HRIS carefully based on the capabilities you need in your company. Your decision should take into account some of the exciting new features that have been added to human resource software, including cloud computing and self-service modules for employees, job seekers and supervisors; yet it should be most saliently based upon an assessment of the needs of the department, the functions that need to be automated, its compatibility with your other software, and the price of the software. Be frugal if possible, but do not be afraid to spend the extra dollar for a superior product – it is well worth it.
First and foremost, the HRIS should be easy to use and customizable by employees and staff in your business. This means that you may need to test out a few different options with your HR employees because a program that is advertised as simple may actually be a little more difficult to execute. Simple in theory; not so simple in practice. Get feedback from your employees and see what they like best. Come to a majority consensus and go with that product. You will probably want to select an option that requires minimal training, so that you will be able to reduce any unnecessary time exchanging the new and old systems.
Updating software is often something the less tech-savvy of us neglect to do. Keeping a business up and running can be a daunting task, so investigating new ways to expedite mouse clicks is not always of utmost priority. That being said, we must not forget the timeless cliché that invariably rings true: ‘time is money!’ HR software is now, more than ever, helping organizations become more efficient in managing their employees and ensuring the company’s ability to develop leaders within the organization. It enables employees to do self-service work such as updating their personal information, printing forms, getting training, checking on remaining vacation and sick days, and monitoring their retirement accounts. This saves the HR department lots of paperwork, phone calls and emails from employees and gives them the opportunity to focus on other areas that need improvement. Updating software leads to greater efficiency and more time.
As a side note, be sure to effectively fortify your HRIS. This should go without saying, but it is imperative that you implement strong encryption tools and password protection for each user who logs on to the system. Be sure to show all changes made to payroll accounts and who authorized the change. Extreme security may not seem necessary, but should any personal information fall into the wrong hands, it could lead to identity theft or stealing from bank accounts. Honestly, it is better to be safe than sued.
About the Author
Carolyn Sokol writes about issues that may affect small businesses such as human resources, HRMS, and HRM Software. She is a founder of PEOcompare.com and contributor to compareHRIS.com which both help match businesses to the right HR or Payroll Service provider for their particular needs.