So, you’ve signed up to your new HR software, checked it’s all set up fine and you’re ready to roll with your new automated self-service HR system… Brilliant!
Investing in a self-service HR system is one of the most effective ways of making an HR department more efficient, productive and legally compliant. Plus, it also makes the lives of all your employees that little bit easier: they can help themselves to the information they need and manage their own data. You’ll no-longer be bombarded with endless menial tasks such as updating personal information, checking holiday allowances or logging sickness absences… to name but a few.
However, whilst you may be brimming with excitement at having your new self-service platform in place, simply having it isn’t always enough. After all, your self-service HR system is only going to become an asset to your business if people, you know, actually use it!
Afraid of change?
Although more and more businesses are becoming savvy to the value of good self-service HR software, Getting employees to see the benefits can be tough: especially if a business has deep-rooted processes or something of an ‘we’ve always done it this way!’ approach to things.
Your employees may be resistant to change and also find it difficult to adapt to using a new self-service system for the following reasons:
- Fear of the new
Online HR systems could seem intimidating to the less digitally minded employees in your workforce and, with new systems come new processes and procedures, which some employees may frustrate or daunted by.
- Lack of preparation
Expecting employees to simply adapt to a new system without advanced warning may also contribute to low usage. After all, if they don’t know it’s coming and don’t understand what’s in it for them, they may well refuse to use it.
- A distrust of automated systems
Your employees might prefer to contact a real person as they feel an automated system is either unreliable or doesn’t offer a user-friendly experience.
Given that implementing a new self-service HR software system can be a big investment, it’s critical to ensure your people understand the changes and are on board with the move.
These are our 6 top tips to help your employees switch quickly and seamlessly to your new self-service HR system:
Plan the launch
Switching to a self-service HR system could come as a culture shock to an organisation with deep-rooted manual or paper-based HR processes. So, think carefully about how you will communicate the changes to your people. Publish the timescale for introduction well in advance so that people are prepared and there are no surprises.
Give your employees a reason to use it
Now let’s be honest, your employees probably don’t get too excited at the thought of new HR processes. But, there will certainly be some HR activities they’ll definitely care about, such as booking time off or checking out the latest company news.
Explain the key reasons why you’re moving to an automated system and highlight how it will help both the business and them personally. When you can show how the new system can make their employment experience that little bit more satisfying and engaging, you’ll likely end up with that all-important employee buy-in.
Run a pilot scheme
It’s worth considering running a small pilot scheme of your new self-service system first – maybe in just one team or department. It’s a good way to check that everything is set up to work in the way you want it to – but also to demonstrate to people just how much more efficient and streamlined your processes will be.
Those who’ve taken part in a pilot scheme will be able to reassure others who may have concerns and can act as advocates for your new self-service approach. Speaking of which…
Identify the influencers within your business
One of the most effective ways to get people using your self-service HR software is to harness the power of influencers.
Ask yourself: who are the key people within your organisation who will encourage others to embrace the new system quickly? Look to identify the main influencers in your business who can help spread the good word about your new self-service system: but remember, they may not always be the people who are in positions of authority.
Make sure these key people understand the benefits of the new approach early on so they’re in a position to talk to others and answer questions about how it will work. Include them in both your planning and pilot schemes: this way, they’ll be fully up to speed with the system and feel confident in helping others get the best out of it, too.
Provide training on your self-service HR system
HR software solutions like Cezanne HR are intuitive and very easy to use, but people are often nervous about anything that’s new and not all your employees may be comfortable with technology.
Consider running short training sessions for small groups to help everyone get familiar with the system – and make sure back-up information is readily available if they need to refresh their memory (a simple email with step-by-step instructions should suffice). In addition, you could look to share how-to guides or instructional videos on your shared workspaces or HR portals so all your employees have a vital resource they can refer to.
Don’t rush things
Lastly, people like to do things they’re familiar and comfortable with doing. This means breaking with routines or long-held processes can take time to achieve, so why not nudge them gently towards the change with something that’s important to them, like requesting annual leave for example?
Once they see how easy it is to get an update on their holiday entitlement and get speedy authorisation for requests: meaning you and your HR team will be free to concentrate on more rewarding projects.
Paul Bauer
Paul Bauer is the Head of Content at Cezanne HR. Based in the Utopia of Milton Keynes (his words, not ours!) he’s worked within the employee benefits, engagement and HR sectors for over four years. He's also earned multiple industry awards for his work - including a coveted Roses Creative Award.
