We live in an age where, gradually, our lives are becoming more and more affected by automation. Self-service checkouts are a regular sight, we can order a takeaway without having to talk to anyone or move from the couch, and cars can now drive by themselves. This automation is seeping into the world of work and it often means that employees are released from more mundane, repetitive work, to focus on tasks of higher importance and value.
The most obvious place to begin to automate, it would seem, is the HR department. But can this be done, or is it just a myth?
What About HR Automation?
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that HR automation can make the lives of the HR department far easier: it can assist with payroll, timekeeping, and various other tasks that eat into employees’ time. However, the benefits will differ from company to company and employee to employee. With that said, it is in the best interests of your company to see what automation solution will be most appropriate.
First, though, you will need to consult with the HR employees and see whether they like or are opposed to the idea, as it will be their lives it is directly affecting. Then, see whether they believe automation will benefit their work.
Onboarding
One of the areas where automation can be very beneficial is the process of onboarding employees.
“An area where a lot of companies fall is comprehensive and consistent training when taking on new employees,” says Doris Paulsen, HR specialist at Essay Services and Paper Fellows. “An easy way to combat this is to use an automated tool to provide a comprehensive checklist for new employees to make their way through, such as legal compliance, job duties, company benefits, etc.”
This is a great way for both HR and the employees to be able to check their progress, and how far through the process they are.
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Payroll
Speaking to most HR departments, one of the things they dislike doing most is the payroll. Moving this to an automated system can have many benefits, not least because employees’ wages and salaries are the areas where you do not want any human error.
“Very few businesses now write cheques for their employees anymore, but the process is often still done manually by direct deposit,” says Gussie Beecher, an IT data analyst at HND Writing Service and OXEssays. “Using payroll software minimizes any human errors – meaning no unhappy employees on payday – and many programs allow you to look at benefit information, holidays accrued, and other employee information all as part of the employee account.”
Using automation to track employees’ time is becoming much more popular, too. Using handwritten, manual time cards to track time worked is becoming much less popular. Instead, it works better for everyone if this is left up to a machine, especially as employees can clock in and out from their desks, leaving less room for mistakes.
Is HR Automation Costly?
This automation process does not have to be expensive, and there is a range of different price plans and packages that you can choose from – it is worth researching. There are monthly and yearly plans, as well as prices by quote. As a result, companies might not feel sure about investing in such technology due to pricing.
Of course, all of these offer different things, and they don’t have to be expensive. Some of them can cost as little as £50 a year. Depending on your company, however, shopping for a good deal may have you do any of the following:
HR automation products may be out of your price range, OR
You and your company may wish to try automation before committing a chunk of money to it.
If the second scenario is the case, there are free options. If your business meets specific stipulations, such as fewer than 50 employees, you may want to use customized HR automation software for smaller companies.
Are There Free Options For HR Automation?
The short answer: Yes. Businesses that are budget-sensitive can opt for HR automation software that is at no charge.
Remember that free HR automation software does not have as many benefits and features as paid plans. Regardless, a free version of said software is a great way to test the waters of automation.
Wrapping Up
Automation can be very beneficial in a lot of elements of HR. While there are still many other aspects that should never be left to automation (such as sensitive matters or personal issues), it can be beneficial in freeing up employees’ time to focus on work of higher value. Rather than be chained to a desk processing payments and doing timesheets, consider investing in HR automation!
