Leveraging the latest technology in human resource management can be game changing for your organization, offering immediate benefits like convenient access to HR documents, integrated employee information and powerful workforce analytics.
But there are several lesser-known benefits many employers just don’t think about when first considering upgrading their HR technology.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of seven surprising ways that implementing new HR technology can influence your business for the better.
Take a look, and let us know in the comments which of the following benefits would matter most to your organization.
1. Simplify seasonal hiring
Does your business bring in workers seasonally, sometimes rehiring the same employees year after year during busy seasons?
The right HR platform can make seasonal recruiting and hiring much easier. Employee data is stored and saved in your system, simplifying the process of reaching back out and reactivating employment – no repetitive data entry required.
Once on board, your technology can also streamline scheduling, time tracking and payroll for your seasonal hires and their managers.
2. Increase benefits program enrollment
Not only can an HR information system (HRIS) simplify the way you manage your benefits program with quick and secure online enrollment, but your HRIS may also help you achieve greater benefits utilization.
An easier enrollment process naturally encourages this increase for many employers. And automatic enrollment reminders sent to new hires can make this happen with little additional effort on your part.
If your system provides you with utilization analytics on the back end, technology can also help you make better decisions about your benefits program design in the future.
3. Support benefits selection with artificial intelligence (AI)
Many HR platforms enable you to provide a personalized, AI-powered bot to support your employees through the benefits selection process.
Using this AI, your employees can get answers to many common benefits questions on demand. And having a responsive, one-on-one resource to walk your employees through their selection process may help them feel more comfortable making choices and enrolling for benefits online.
4. Automate training sequences
Another thing that HR technology can do really well is support your employees’ training and development. Your human capital management (HCM) system can automatically put the right training modules in front of new users – and you won’t even need to think about it.
Training sequences can be set up by:
- An employee’s ZIP code (to account for any location-specific training needed)
- Role (to satisfy job-specific training requirements)
- Job site
- Supervisor status
- Length of employment (to account for new-employee training)
Again, your HCM system can completely automate the task of getting the right training in front of the right employees at the right time – upon hire and throughout the tenure of every employee.
5. Improve employee perceptions
Today’s employees are career consumers, and they’re shopping for a satisfying employee experience with your company. Your HR technology can greatly influence how your team perceives you as an employer:
- Do your employees see you as clunky or cutting-edge?
- Is your communication with employees transparent or opaque?
- Is information easy to access when needed (e.g., W-2s, paystubs)?
- Is it cumbersome or quick for your employees when they need to update their home address or add a new child to their health benefits?
Furthermore, by helping your managers stay on top of onboarding, training and performance management, your HRIS can also improve the dynamics between your supervisors and their direct reports. Research has shown that an employee’s interaction with their manager is one of the most important factors for success. To create an excellent employee experience, you must have an effective manager experience, and the right HCM software can play an important role in that.
6. Manage your costs
Using technology in human resource management can be part of an effective HR strategy to help you maximize productivity and manage risks – which may ultimately translate into greater cost efficiency.
If you have a lean HR department, it can be advantageous to choose an HR technology platform with built-in support services to help keep your costs in check. Some cloud-based systems allow you to buy only what you need, which in theory may help you find a solution with a more favorable entry price for your company’s budget and stage of growth. However, you’ll want to make certain that any HR platform you select comes with the level of support you need to get the most from it. Otherwise, extra fees for add-on services you might need along the way can add up quickly and negate any potential savings.
And because business needs can change over time, it’s a good idea to go with HR software and services that easily scale up or down with your company.
7. Get more time to connect with employees
A core benefit of using technology to streamline repetitive processes is that it can help HR leaders focus more on strategic initiatives and planning. As a result, you may find yourself in a position to be more intentional with how your spend your time and engage with people throughout your organization. With the right HR technology, you should be able to offload many of your day-to-day tactical and transactional activities, and build the trust and connection with your employees that will move your company forward.
That may translate into more check-ins with department heads, more welcome calls to new employees, or more events and trainings in which you can personally participate. But at the end of the day, HR is relationship-driven work and, surprisingly, technology can help you stay true to that.
Wondering what you should look for in an HR technology solution? What about how you can determine which platform would be the best fit for your organization? Our free e-book is a great place to start: HR technology: How to choose the best platform for your business.