The 8 amazing benefits of an HRIS that does it all in summary:
- A great HRIS solution will help HR juggle their administrative and strategic duties effortlessly.
- Seamless real-time data transfers, time saving automation and robust reporting functionality are key to helping doing that.
- In addition, an all-in-one HRIS will also help support better data security, and offer a more personalised user experience to those inside and outside the HR function.
We all know the average HR department is a super busy function.
Not only do its core operations and policies have to keep organisations compliant from a people perspective, but it also has to deliver on everything to do with the employee experience – from wellbeing to development opportunities.
It’s no wonder that in recent years, businesses increasingly recognise HR teams as critical. But, what that also means from an operational perspective is the function is always juggling priorities.
There’s time-consuming (but essential) administration processing: everything from payroll to onboarding information. Then, there’s the need to keep data and documents orderly, easy-to-access as well as secure. And, there’s also the need to ensure that all tech stack pieces interlink; providing employees frustration-free accessibility while also both HR and payroll professionals a holistic view of what’s going on.
As such, when it comes to an end-to-end HRIS, many are looking for a platform that’ll save time, are easy to deploy, can integrate with other tech stack elements, are secure and come with vendor help should it be needed.
Critically though, many HR practitioners are also looking at something that’ll help minimise errors, demystifies processes and can keep up to speed with both legislative and people changes.
Understandably then, many are looking for an all-in-one HRIS to deliver all that… and here’s why:
1. Seamless, real-time data & transfers
A modular HRIS, that incorporates everything – from payroll software to people management and time tracking – means no double keying of data or transferring data from other systems. This not only saves HR professionals from time-intensive double inputs, but also prevents constant error checking, as data automatically shares between modules.
That all means data entered into one module (such as performance management for example) is automatically updated in other modules (like career planning). Additionally, providers like Cezanne that offer in-depth data analytics, can provide the data-driven insights to drive more intelligent workforce planning – ideal given HR’s more strategic remit.
2. Time-saving automation
An all-in-one HRIS can save time with automation at almost every stage. With Cezanne for instance, initial data uploads into the system are completed by Cezanne, along with automatically updating the software and taking care of maintenance, too.
When it comes to the day-to-day stuff, Cezanne automates all key processes across the HR administrative cycle. This could mean anything: from automation of key management alerts in training and development and onboarding, to automatic payroll processing including sick pay and updates from HMRC’s DPS.
When you automate this type of time-consuming administration, much more of HR’s precious time becomes available for strategic initiatives and employee engagement.
3. Robust reporting
It’s critical that HR can rely on the reports it derives from the tech it uses. The best HRISs that include native payroll will provide detailed reporting on things such as P11s and P60s – critical for staying on the right side of regulations.
Elsewhere, the most trusted all-in-one HRISs will have the option to add insight reports, pulling detailed, accurate workforce data from multiple modules. This helps deliver more strategic insights that support both organisational success and HR’s standing. Nice, right?
4. Enhanced user security
Critical to any system being able to provide security and separate utility dependent on seniority or practitioner needs is being able to restrict access.
Cezanne’s modular HRIS enables organisations to do this from set-up: with data and certain modules being restricted from the set-up stage. Critical in, for example, giving HR a helicopter view of sensitive performance and payroll data… but crucially, stopping employees from accessing each other’s data.
Again, a good vendor will allow a pilot to ensure the right levels of privacy. Important for GDPR compliance.
5. Advanced data security
Employers don’t want to be in the headlines for losing payroll data or getting hacked. It reduces brand trust and, more importantly, loses trust with employees.
Native payroll solutions that come as part of an HRIS will have ISO27001 certification — an exceptionally tough-to-acquire security standard which can take up to 12 months to achieve and requiring constant review. They’ll also meet GDPR compliance, have secure sign-ons to payroll modules, and are subject to regular security and penetration testing. Also, look out for vendors who use only trusted web services providers.
6. HMRC-accreditation
An HRIS with HMRC-accredited payroll software can make things a heck of a lot easier for payroll professionals. HMRC-accredited payroll software ensures real-time compliance and accurate deduction updates, verified by the UK Government – and that’s not all…
For example, with Cezanne’s native payroll software (which is both HMRC and RTI compliant), tax codes can be automatically downloaded from HMRC directly, with no other interventions required. Better still, Cezanne’s software receives regular updates with the latest UK payroll regulations and updated calculation methods. This means you’ll always have the most up to date HMRC tax codes and avoid common payroll mistakes
7. Configurable, branded dashboards
Critical to a world-class user experience is being able to adapt dashboards to your company branding – creating a seamless experience with other elements of your tech step – something a great HRIS will also enable via API and webhooks.
It’s not just about the superficial, though: the best all-in-one HRIS allow practitioners to choose the modules they need (and those they don’t). This shouldn’t mean agreeing to (and paying for) recruitment modules if you only need absence management and core modules — but knowing you can add these at a later date if needed.
8. An engaging user experience
Lastly, what’s the best way to get your employees on board with and then using new technology? Having access via their devices, whenever and wherever they are, would be a start! Whether that’s a need to access their own pay information or their performance information.
Elsewhere, being able to adapt visible modules to what employees need to see most and having support, updates and configuration available means that the system is always at the forefront of what employees want.
Dan Cave
Dan Cave is an award-winning HR journalist and editor. He’s been reporting in the HR space for over five years and works across the national business press.
