How an automated human resource management system can transform your business for the better

As the process of HR operations and people management gets more complicated (and potentially more costly), the desire and need for more streamlined systems increases. 

It’s therefore no surprise that organisations of all sizes and across many sectors are looking to invest in HR management software and systems that handle many of the tasks and jobs that would once have been performed by a person or personnel support team.

So, what does a good human resource management system look like and just how much can we expect an automated software system to do?

The basics of an HRMS system

The foundation of a human resource management system (HRMS) is how it can assist HR and the wider business to understand its employees, while at the same time keeping everything and everyone compliant and within the evolving laws and regulations landscape that shapes the workplace.

The key users of an HRMS are and always will be those who work and lead within the HR sector. After all, their role is to ensure employee operations, relations, policies, and payroll are all being adhered to. But in this present climate, businesses are looking to utilise systems where there is a higher level of self-service and user interface. This often covers absence and holiday reporting portals as well as empowering staff to report on and capture their performance throughout the year. 

What can technology offer for HR practices in the future?

The dual key words are automation and streamlining. As the key function of HR continues to shift more towards that of a supporting guide to management and how a business actually conducts itself, it’s increasingly a priority to delegate many of the day-to-day tasks to reliable, flexible software.

There is a plethora of integrated HR software platforms available, but the decision on which to opt for relies on how user-friendly it is, which ‘jobs’ it can and should handle, as well as affordability. When it comes to which job roles within a business are necessary, HR specialists know more than most on this subject, although in this case, it’s likely to hit closer to home as the technology could well replace a number of humans.

Looking at this through a broader lens, the data and analysis from a good HRMS provides immediate insight into absence patterns, training gaps, performance issues, as well as the capability to provide reports on work trends – both internally and externally.

What’s the role of AI in this?

Harnessing the positive power of AI to improve and enhance HRMS platforms is a natural progression. In reference to an article from IBM on this topic: “AI can help usher in a new era of human resource management, where data analytics, machine learning and automation can work together to save people time and support higher-quality outcomes. As AI technology moves beyond automation to augmentation, companies may be looking at how AI tools can make the work of human resources (HR) better for employees and job seekers. It’s not just about saving time; it’s also about providing information, insights and recommendations in near real-time. And that’s just the start of AI in human resources.” 

In short, the latest and evolving HRMS platforms lean into the most essential machine-learning habits to automate personnel tasks from talent acquisition, right through the employee life-cycle to redundancy, retirement, or other reasons to leave.

However, there are a few amber lights to adhere to with AI and its role as an HR “team member”. There is a real need for specific compliance in order to protect employee data. The infinite power of an automated HRMS – especially one that is using AI – may well end up replacing human counterparts, and of course, cybersecurity will need to be watertight.

What’s in it for employees?

Rather then filling in forms or waiting to discuss non-critical issues with a manager or HR representative, the majority of employees are keen to get these jobs completed faster through an automated platform. This goes further than obtaining sign-off for a holiday; this empowerment via technology can open the digital doors to online learning, internal job opportunities, and the ability to trace how close or far off they are to annual objectives and goals. 

And breathe…

There are many worthy platforms and players providing an automated 360 approach to HR management. Here at Howden, as part of our extensive suite of HR solutions, we partner with Breathe HR. Providing the full suite of personnel software, Breathe offers up intuitive, integrated tools that better link up your workforce while allowing them to self-manage holidays, sickness, and many other day-to-day tasks. 

Breathe HR solutions and software help your business in the following key areas: 

• Insights and compliance 
• Workforce management 
• Performance management 
• Employee engagement 

To find out more about how this could work for you, why not listen to our recent webinar where we hosted Breath HR and they shared insight into how a good HRMS can make a business run more smoothly.

To whet your appetite for the webinar, we discussed how Breathe HR can streamline your current HR administration processes, while topics included some of Breathe HR’s main functions, such as the management of holidays and how line managers can log any occurring sickness for their employees. There was a glimpse at some further modules offered by Breathe HR, including rota, time and attendance, expenses, plus recruitment and learning. 

Watch back here

An HR partnership for your personnel needs

At Howden we have administrative access to our clients’ Breathe accounts and we discuss how we can assist with the initial set-up, as well as the unlimited support our clients receive. 

You can find out more about the wide range of HR solutions and risk management strategies from Howden by contacting one of our dedicated specialists today on [email protected] or 0345 076 2288