First things first – you need one. It doesn’t have to be an industry leading one, or a hugely expensive one, but if you try and operate without a system you are always going to struggle to answer even basic questions about your workforce and will probably spend way too much time on routine administration too. So even if you are reading this book as a standalone professional or have a very small team and even smaller budget, we would urge you to look at a system anyway. If you are handling your employee data in files or spreadsheets, you will find it hard to spend time on value adding activity – and you will be inevitably be undertaking activities that you can and should empower your line managers to do.
The first point of a good HR Information System (HRIS) is to relieve you of the burden of that stuff most HR departments have a load of: routine lifecycle administration. It should automate everything that can be automated. The second point of a good HRIS is to provide you with lots of useful data on all your people stuff, to enable you to share useful insights and hold meaningful conversations.
Some systems are just for core HR stuff (names, addresses, job, location etc.). You may then have others (or different parts of the same one) that include an Applicant Tracking System or ATS, for all your recruitment activity, or a Learning Management System or LMS, for recording and managing all of your learning and development activity. Still others could include your payroll and benefits administration.
Here are some things that we have learned – in some cases painfully – about implementing a HR System.
1. It will take longer than you think.
2. Even if it looks really easy to use to you, some people will find it difficult.
3. People like their usual ways of doing things and may resent the changes you are making – unless you explain your rationale and what is in it for them.
4. People will be concerned about their personal data. Even if it has been held in a system previously and this is just a new one, it will bring this issue to the forefront of their mind, so have the answer about security and access ready to hand.
Finally, before we get into some practicalities, when it comes to HR systems, start with the end in mind. What is your overarching goal? Is it about streamlining the admin burden? Is it about better data? Is about an easier way to recruit or help people learn. Understanding this will help you make the best software decision.
Practical things to look for when considering a new system:
• The range of analytics provided – you want to be able to get your hands on as much data about your people as you can, in the most straightforward way – as well as be able to put this ability in the hands of your managers.
• The ease of linking it to other systems, such as your intranet or other existing systems you don’t want to change.
• What is standard in the project delivery and implementation, and what will they charge you extra for in terms of development costs.
• Make sure it is self-service! Most systems are, but this gives you the opportunity to hand over the responsibility for some of the routine stuff to your own employees.
• Find out what help you can get around training.
• Check who owns your employee data, and how easily you can recover it, in the event that you want to move suppliers.
• Check if it is mobile enabled or has an App.
• Size – some systems work better for small organisations, some for larger. Check the size and complexity of the clients and organisations already using any potential supplier.
• Begin with a list of ‘must have’ functionality and capability and a nice to have. Do not progress with a system that doesn’t have your entire ‘must have’ list – this will help you retain your focus and make sure you don’t get caught up with something that looks great but doesn’t deliver everything you need it to.
Recommendations for HR Systems:
• Think very carefully about what data you want to import into a new system. Often, people transfer everything that they hold, either on a paper file or an existing HR system. The truth is, you probably rarely look at historical stuff. So balance the effort of the transfer versus the value of holding it in all one place. You can always dig out the old paper file when you need it.
• The data input or transfer is a critical step in the process: if your current data is rubbish (out of date, unreliable, error-filled), you may be better off in the longer term starting from scratch.
• Go with the standard option where you can. The more you develop a system to fit your processes and ways of working, the more hard work you are making for yourself in the long term. Take a new system as an opportunity to rethink the way you have always done things and consider doing it the systems way rather than retro fitting a system around you.
• Get your IT team involved. They will have much more experience in this area than you will.
• Make sure any contract has robust clauses on Data Protection and who is responsible for it (including any fines!) in the event of a breach.
• Don’t forget that some people will struggle with technology, even it looks simple to you and your team. Help them along the way and be patient.
• Do something with that plentiful data your system provides you – share it, let it support your decision making…. Otherwise, it is just a glorified spreadsheet.
• When it comes to the business case for whichever system you choose – make it clear to the wider organisation what you will be doing with all the time it gives you back – how it will enable your team to add even more awesome HR value.
Role of Human Resource In Organization. Human Resource Management.Practical guide to Human Resource. Human Resource Definition.Human Resource certification.Human Resource employment
Role of Human Resource In Organization. Human Resource Management.Practical guide to Human Resource. Human Resource Definition.Human Resource certification.Human Resource employment
Role of Human Resource In Organization. Human Resource Management.Practical guide to Human Resource. Human Resource Definition.Human Resource certification.Human Resource employment
Role of Human Resource In Organization. Human Resource Management.Practical guide to Human Resource. Human Resource Definition.Human Resource certification.Human Resource employment
Role of Human Resource In Organization. Human Resource Management.Practical guide to Human Resource. Human Resource Definition.Human Resource certification.Human Resource employment
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