Why not use the Web to increase productivity and employee empowerment?
HR Technology--Internet
HR Strategy—Technology
How many vacation days do I have left? What is the company policy on paternity leave? What is the company dress code? In today’s fast-paced work environment, HR administrators respond to a seemingly endless list of employee needs. The job has become more challenging and complex with the addition of fulfilling management demands for increasingly qualitative and quantitative employee information.
What tools can an HR administrator use in order to keep up with employee and management demands?
While some companies view the Internet as a means to boost creativity and competitiveness, others believe that the Internet slows productivity and distracts employees from their work, therefore they restrict access on the basis of it being a time drain.
Contrary to the belief of some HR administrators, the Internet can provide powerful solutions. The challenge is to use the Internet as an effective tool in the workplace to maximize the company’s operations and key business drivers. Web-enabled tools available today dramatically improve the flow of information, empower employees, increase overall productivity, and return control over the HR process back to HR administrators.
Web-enabled HR tools integrated with a company’s HR system can significantly improve the flow of information in the company. The increased interactivity empowers not only managers but employees as well.
By leveraging the reach of the Internet, small- and medium-size businesses can support staff who are in the office, are mobile or are working in remote locations. The Web-browser-base software is an easy and inexpensive means to provide employees with the ability to immediately access information without burdening HR staff.
These tools help shift the less strategic work into the hands of the employee while freeing up the HR administrator’s time to work on more strategic jobs. The results are increased productivity.
Self-service application
A great example of a Web-enabled HR tool is a self-service application through a standard Web browser that enables employees to access and update their personnel information, and to get answers to HR-related questions. E-mail can also increase productivity by delivering automated notifications to HR managers and employees about key personnel events and required actions.
The following are eight features that HR administrators should be looking for in a Web-enabled HR solution:
1. Control
HR departments should have total control over what the employee can see or update through customized, easy-to-use software. HR professionals can focus on strategic activities while employees make their own basic updates such as phone number and address changes at any time, from any location.
2. Security
Look for security features to ensure data, such as attendance accruals, benefits, salary and training history, is securely transmitted through the public network. In turn, the system ensures that employees see only the information for which they are authorized.
3. Customization
Look for software with advanced customization features and detailed control over user privileges. An HR professional should be able to control exactly what type of information each employee can access ranging from simple demographics to detailed pay cheque information. Set up and access should be based on management needs and not predetermined by the software.
Customized e-mail is another powerful tool. Look for pre-formatted, customizable e-mail messages for use instead of manual checklists. These can be used, for example, as HR notifications to operations, MIS, payroll and training managers for new hire actions.
4. Open standards
Ensure HR solutions can integrate with existing HR applications. In other words, it should leverage the open standards of the Internet. Links can be created to relevant Web sites (i.e.: an insurance carrier), and include access to policy manuals, benefit enrolment forms and related online documents. This creates a one-stop portal for all HR-related information.
5. Technology and integration
Look for a solution that has user-friendly technology and can be used with a basic Web browser.
6. Time management
Look for solution with a virtual help component. This will reduce phone calls to HR administrators.
7. “Change verification”
Look for a proactive e-mail notification feature so that all stakeholders in an organization can be notified of time- or date-sensitive actions required. For example, an automated alert regarding a certification due to expire can be sent to HR and the employee’s manager 90 days before the re-certification date. A “change verification” notice to an employee can be used as a security feature for payroll changes, while supervisors can receive monthly birthday lists, vacation balances, and lists of new hires or terminations.
8. Recruitment
For recruiting applications, look for software that sends an immediate personalized response to job applicants who inquire or respond via e-mail.
By introducing tools that use the Web to proactively improve productivity, the HR departments act as model adopters and users of the Internet. The advantages the Internet offers are clear: reduced red tape through automated work processes, advanced notification of change, and an increased focus on strategic rather than administrative tasks.
Tony Berardine is the general manager of Best Software Limited. He can be reached at [email protected] or by telephone at 1-800-490-3711.
HR Strategy—Technology
How many vacation days do I have left? What is the company policy on paternity leave? What is the company dress code? In today’s fast-paced work environment, HR administrators respond to a seemingly endless list of employee needs. The job has become more challenging and complex with the addition of fulfilling management demands for increasingly qualitative and quantitative employee information.
What tools can an HR administrator use in order to keep up with employee and management demands?
While some companies view the Internet as a means to boost creativity and competitiveness, others believe that the Internet slows productivity and distracts employees from their work, therefore they restrict access on the basis of it being a time drain.
Contrary to the belief of some HR administrators, the Internet can provide powerful solutions. The challenge is to use the Internet as an effective tool in the workplace to maximize the company’s operations and key business drivers. Web-enabled tools available today dramatically improve the flow of information, empower employees, increase overall productivity, and return control over the HR process back to HR administrators.
Web-enabled HR tools integrated with a company’s HR system can significantly improve the flow of information in the company. The increased interactivity empowers not only managers but employees as well.
By leveraging the reach of the Internet, small- and medium-size businesses can support staff who are in the office, are mobile or are working in remote locations. The Web-browser-base software is an easy and inexpensive means to provide employees with the ability to immediately access information without burdening HR staff.
These tools help shift the less strategic work into the hands of the employee while freeing up the HR administrator’s time to work on more strategic jobs. The results are increased productivity.
Self-service application
A great example of a Web-enabled HR tool is a self-service application through a standard Web browser that enables employees to access and update their personnel information, and to get answers to HR-related questions. E-mail can also increase productivity by delivering automated notifications to HR managers and employees about key personnel events and required actions.
The following are eight features that HR administrators should be looking for in a Web-enabled HR solution:
1. Control
HR departments should have total control over what the employee can see or update through customized, easy-to-use software. HR professionals can focus on strategic activities while employees make their own basic updates such as phone number and address changes at any time, from any location.
2. Security
Look for security features to ensure data, such as attendance accruals, benefits, salary and training history, is securely transmitted through the public network. In turn, the system ensures that employees see only the information for which they are authorized.
3. Customization
Look for software with advanced customization features and detailed control over user privileges. An HR professional should be able to control exactly what type of information each employee can access ranging from simple demographics to detailed pay cheque information. Set up and access should be based on management needs and not predetermined by the software.
Customized e-mail is another powerful tool. Look for pre-formatted, customizable e-mail messages for use instead of manual checklists. These can be used, for example, as HR notifications to operations, MIS, payroll and training managers for new hire actions.
4. Open standards
Ensure HR solutions can integrate with existing HR applications. In other words, it should leverage the open standards of the Internet. Links can be created to relevant Web sites (i.e.: an insurance carrier), and include access to policy manuals, benefit enrolment forms and related online documents. This creates a one-stop portal for all HR-related information.
5. Technology and integration
Look for a solution that has user-friendly technology and can be used with a basic Web browser.
6. Time management
Look for solution with a virtual help component. This will reduce phone calls to HR administrators.
7. “Change verification”
Look for a proactive e-mail notification feature so that all stakeholders in an organization can be notified of time- or date-sensitive actions required. For example, an automated alert regarding a certification due to expire can be sent to HR and the employee’s manager 90 days before the re-certification date. A “change verification” notice to an employee can be used as a security feature for payroll changes, while supervisors can receive monthly birthday lists, vacation balances, and lists of new hires or terminations.
8. Recruitment
For recruiting applications, look for software that sends an immediate personalized response to job applicants who inquire or respond via e-mail.
By introducing tools that use the Web to proactively improve productivity, the HR departments act as model adopters and users of the Internet. The advantages the Internet offers are clear: reduced red tape through automated work processes, advanced notification of change, and an increased focus on strategic rather than administrative tasks.
Tony Berardine is the general manager of Best Software Limited. He can be reached at [email protected] or by telephone at 1-800-490-3711.
