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<\/p>\nAccess to modern technology is one of the key factors employees consider when deciding whether or not to accept a job, according to a report in this week\u2019s HR Magazine. A Laptops Direct survey of over 2,000 adults found that one in three candidates would turn down a job if the company\u2019s IT was not up to scratch. Having the latest technology was ranked more important than other office \u2018perks\u2019, such as flexible working, a pleasant office environment and staff discounts.<\/p>\n
The research is in tune with the findings of other work done recently by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), who looked at changes in the world of work and how HR practitioners needed to respond. They found that millennial workers had high expectations about the speed and accessibility of technology and applications they would have access to at work, and were often frustrated by lack of provision or flexibility to use their own mobile devices.<\/p>\n
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A key recommendation of the joint IES\/HR Magazine project was that HR practitioners need to start tailoring their HR \u2018self-service\u2019 offering in order to optimise the employee experience of the brand and the business. In other words, it\u2019s not just about the practical benefits of automating systems and providing access to up-to-date tech \u2013 it\u2019s also about the perception that employees have of the business and how forward thinking it is in general.<\/p>\n
The challenge for HR is that investment in HR software can sometimes get pushed to the back of the queue in favour of customer-facing or finance systems, even though thanks to the advent of Software-as-a-Service, it is now available at a cost that\u2019s accessible to even smaller companies. Here are five reasons why practitioners need to fight their corner and show the business how adopting the latest HR technology can have a real impact on the productivity and engagement of the whole workforce.<\/p>\n
The nature of our working lives today is fluid. Employees are often working outside of conventional hours, from different locations, using mobile devices. They are not necessarily sat in the same office every day, in front of a computer, with regular face-to-face contact with their manager. An HR software system that is hosted in the Cloud makes it easy for employees to manage their personal data quickly and securely, from wherever they may be. They can up-date their bank details without worrying about missing the next payment run, check their holiday entitlement and get a quick answer to a request for leave or log sickness absence. At a time when we typically manage everything from our mortgage to our car insurance on-line, HR software provides a level of ease and accessibility that employees quite simply expect to have in their working lives.<\/p>\n
We are in an era of constant change. Business priorities shift, new roles and responsibilities emerge and reporting lines alter. A good HR system will come with a centrally housed \u2018people\u2019 directory that can be quickly and easily up-dated. It makes it easier for employees to identify the right person who can answer a question or help them move a project forward. Many systems come with internal social portals which also allow employees to build the strong internal networks they will need if they are to share ideas, collaborate effectively and work with colleagues to find new and innovative ways of doing things.<\/p>\n