How automating your HR service increases employee engagement

As an employer, you are probably concerned with the matter of ensuring employee well-being for the success of the company. Despite the rapidity as which technology is evolving and the abundance of HR software available on the market, a significant proportion of HR services still rely heavily on manual processes. These processes can be labor-intensive, time consuming and susceptible to data errors. Since HR automation is increasingly becoming a standard practice, companies that are still reluctant to make the move to automation are being left behind. Consequently, not only are they not thriving in the way companies with an automated HR service are, they also end up suffering due to the lack of productivity, not to mention falling behind their competitors and becoming a little outdated. Moreover, aside from the negative effect that the non-automation of HR functions has on productivity and performance, it could also negatively affect the engagement of your employees, which in turn could lead to a higher turnover of staff.
Why automate?
The resistance to automation is age-old and linked to the fear that machines will eventually take over human roles and leave workers redundant. Yet, automation has been proven to create more jobs than it eliminates as the focus of HR has evolved over time from personnel management to strategic HR planning, and so at least the same number of HR staff is required, just in slightly different areas. Not to mention the fact that as technology takes over certain tasks, humans are needed to sweep up all the surrounding tasks that have not been automated. Furthermore, as productivity increases, so does the size of the company and more staff members are needed to cope with the demand.
A good data platform handles mundane HR tasks meaning HR services are able to assume a strategic role in their company based on people management, training and employee retention. Also, valuable intellectual resources are not wasted on repetitive, routine tasks.
The advantages of automating human resources are many: automatic cloud back-up to prevent data loss, the digitization of processes that were previously carried out manually, such as annual leave, timesheet tracking, performance appraisals, recruitment, onboarding and pay, which are a great deal faster and more accurate if carried out by HR tools. The time saved on such laborious tasks can be used for other tasks, and decision-making is improved since automation removes the need to think about -and make a decision on — processes, thus freeing up precious time to spend on data analysis and other such tasks.
Moreover, studies show that high employee engagement has tangible benefits for companies. When employees are committed to their company and its success, they tend to work harder, put more hours in and care about what they are doing rather than doing the minimum expected of them and counting the minutes until home time.
More interaction between employer and employee
There is the assumption among some that the automation of HR processes equals less human and personal interaction between HR services and employees. But the opposite is actually true. The time freed up for the HR service can be used constructively to plan new ways to improve and promote employee engagement in the company, such as organizing team building activities, afterwork drinks, incentives and regular recognition schemes, team outings and so on, to extract the maximum amount of productivity from employees.
In days gone by, speaking to the HR service meant picking up the telephone, physically going to the service to find someone available to speak to, or even making an appointment. With an automated platform, employees have the real feeling of being closer to their HR service since contact can be made at any time with a simple click of a button. Furthermore, every employee’s needs are different: some people keep to themselves as much as possible while others need a lot more support and help from their company and contact the HR constantly to make requests and update their professional and personal information. As a company grows, the HR needs an automated service to deal with daily messages from employees and to let them manage activities themselves.

Improved communication
A good integration platform includes an employee platform with a customizable user profile for each member of staff. Through the platform, HR and employees can communicate freely with each other, be it to make requests such as leave and expenses, conduct surveys, discuss upcoming events or swap ideas on team building activities. Communication between HR and employees increases dramatically as the HR service is now more visible and easier to reach via electronic means. The permanent ability to communicate when desired reduces employee frustration and the feeling that employees are not being heard. What’s more, employees are able to navigate the system and check their profile as they like and this can instill in them a feeling of empowerment and freedom.
Feel part of a community
We are at work all day every day, month after month, year in year out. We spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our own family and friends and there is nothing more dispiriting and damaging for employee engagement than dreading going into work every day. Therefore, it is vital that every member of staff feels good at work and part of a community so that going into work becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. What better way of increasing this feeling of belonging than to give your employees the tools to be part of an online community where they can communicate, not only with the HR service, but also with each other, thus getting to know colleagues they might not usually have much contact with.
Feeling part of something bigger can be exciting for employees and make them want to contribute towards the company’s success.
Encouraging employees to provide input, give their opinion on different matters, and be able to contact you with any questions or issues, will help you to fix any problems that you didn’t previously know about while watching employee engagement in your company soar. Automating your HR service with a good data platform is how you will seriously bring out the best in your employees and therefore, the best in your company.
