How technology can make you a better HR business partner

Over the past few years, the role of HR has evolved dramatically. What previously was a focus on compliance, legality, and administering company policies has developed into a more people-focused, more strategy-heavy business partner. However, with the change has come an increased workload for HR to tackle.

For most HR teams, the growth in responsibility has meant a world of new day-to-day pressures. In fact, between juggling new priorities and repetitive tasks daily, many HR professionals are facing an increased risk of burnout – an unsavoury outcome for individuals and their organisations alike. Clearly, something has to give.

How does technology support a more effective HR strategy?

Alongside HR’s evolution, the technological landscape has been developing at an increasingly rapid pace, and the world of HR technology is no exception. The most modern of HR systems now offer a comprehensive suite of tools, all of which can serve to make HR’s role more streamlined.

Because of that, it’s never been a more appropriate time to start using HR technology to your advantage. A sophisticated HR system can enhance your organisation’s overarching HR strategy, allowing it to better align with broader business goals, as well as improve productivity and efficiency in your HR team and beyond.

So, how exactly can HR technology – and specifically, a sophisticated HR system – make you a better HR business partner? Read on to find out…

It makes room for more strategic tasks

The key benefit of using a modern HR system is that it can help remove the administrative burden from your HR team, allowing time to focus on more strategic, value-added responsibilities that support your organisation’s goals.

As an example, in-built form builder and document management tools can make it simpler and less time-consuming to create important form and checklist templates, which can then be saved for easy access in the future. It can also remove some of the more repetitive tasks from HR’s purview, which is certainly no bad thing!

What’s more, with all people-related data managed from one central system, it’s simple to ensure private information is kept accurate, up to date, and easy to find. HR have to spend less time concerned with data security and GDPR compliance with properly accredited software, and can instead turn attention to more strategic responsibilities.

It allows for smarter, more data-driven business decisions

Ever had an unexpected request for the latest headcount or staff retention numbers? How about a request from a departmental head on how absences compare across teams? These types of requests can be incredibly difficult to answer quickly if you’re still using spreadsheets or disconnected systems, but it doesn’t have to be this way…

With an integrated HR system, those types of requests no longer need to be time consuming – or panic-inducing – headaches. Instead, in-depth data can be pulled (and converted into easily digestible reports) in just a few clicks. As a result, HR practitioners can respond more quickly to requests for key information or valuable insights and, in the process, gain a better understanding of key people processes; be it diversity and inclusion data, pay gap information, or crucial comparisons between teams.

Ultimately, in-depth insights tools mean the opportunity to develop a more informed HR strategy with clearly defined, data-backed goals, and in half the time!

It makes people management more efficient

Between handling holiday requests, managing absences and monitoring performance, managing a team is a time-consuming responsibility. And, while technology is unlikely to ever replace human conversations, it can certainly make people management much quicker and easier.

A modern HR system with self-service functionality, such as Cezanne HR, puts control back in the hands of employees when it comes to tasks like updating personal information, managing holiday entitlement, and even checking timesheets. Managers can approve or deny absence requests with a full view of team members’ availability, and even ensure performance reviews and established goals are available to everybody who needs them, without jumping through hoops.

Even key people processes, such as onboarding, can be simplified with pre-made task checklists and automated reminders; meaning HR and line managers have fewer manual tasks for each new starter, and in turn, less risk of things going unfinished.

For example, when we sat down with VisionDirect to hear about their onboarding experiences with Cezanne HR, they told us:

“It’s very helpful for our employee onboarding. We can set up new starter self-service portals where our new employees can access the staff handbooks, company policy documents and information on the business – it just makes the onboarding process a lot more efficient for everyone.”

Find the full VisionDirect case study here.

It supports effective employee engagement

Amid HR’s growing remit is, of course, employee engagement and fostering a positive company culture. As hybrid and remote working practices grow ever more popular, it becomes all the more important that HR digitises with the aim to connect.

HR portals, thankfully, can help foster a collaborative culture in more ways than one. With online workspaces, employees can share important professional or personal announcements, and with peer-to-peer recognition tools (such as Cezanne HR’s Kudos functionality) can celebrate co-workers’ achievements in real time with the rest of the business.

A comprehensive HR system can also offer new ways to take on board employee feedback. Questionnaire tools such as pulse surveys can be an effective means to understand what employees want to see in their workplace when it comes to specific topics; be it diversity and inclusion initiatives, training and development opportunities, or even social and cultural celebrations. With the right questions, pulse surveys can be used to gather incredibly valuable information on employee sentiment long-term.

So, modern HR software can create a number of efficiencies across a business – but, what should your first steps be in finding a system that suits you and your organisation?

• Calculate the ROI of an HR system

You’ve decided HR software will take your people operations to the next level, but when it comes to getting senior business leaders on board, you’ll need a strong business case – and a calculated ROI – to kick things off.

Not sure where to start? Here’s how you can calculate the ROI of HR software.

• Ask the important questions

With a wealth of sophisticated HR systems out there, it can be difficult to narrow it down to a final supplier. Thankfully, our HR software selection guide can help ensure your choice meets your – and your business leaders’ – expectations.