In recent years, the face of the human resource department has transformed from a human being into a web portal, which most employees have access to. HR uses technology and web applications to guide people in the company, while reducing costs and repetitive work of human resources, which allows the expansion or upgrade of existing services and processes. The CedarCrestone (2021) survey has also confirmed that the integration of technology into HRM processes is not only the current enthusiasm that everyone wants to join, but the future of human resources. They have found that companies which introduce technology into HRM processes record better business results than those that have not yet done so.
The 2020 Paychex survey also confirms the growing use of technology in human resources. More than 85% of HR professionals believe that technology has solidified their contribution to the company’s success, while more than 80% report that investing in technological advances has enabled staff expansion and improved productivity among employees.
e-HR and process simplification
e-HR is a term that describes the transformation of HR service delivery through web technologies. In addition to the traditional skills that HR professionals need, they now have to apply this knowledge with the help of technology. Although this leads to better results, the way you use e-HR for your own business is paramount to success.
e-HR CAN HELP HR PROFESSIONALS IN SEVERAL PROCESSES (Johnson and Gueutal, 2011):
- It simplifies staffing processes and reduces administrative burdens.
- Reduces compliance and personnel management costs.
- Increases competitiveness in the search for international talent.
- Improves services and access to data for both management and employees.
- It provides real-time data for trend detection and efficient workforce management.
- It allows HR professionals to play a greater strategic role in the company.
The HR department focuses on different types of employees in its work - potential staff, registered for work, employees and former employees. e-HR can help HR professionals manage all these categories, but in this article we will pay special attention to employees.
Better understanding of employee needs
One of the goals of the implementation of the e-HR system is to improve the knowledge, skills, abilities and other needs of employees. With more information about employees, publicly accessible web portals and the help of technology, HR professionals can dedicate more time to satisfying and meeting the needs of employees.
Leedy (2020) has found that connected employees are much more satisfied with access to technology tools. Units where employees are most involved in the company’s operations record 41% less absenteeism, 17% better productivity and 20% better sales. In addition to better quality of work, employees are more satisfied with the introduction of the e-HR system. Therefore, they are more loyal in the long run and stay with the same company for a longer period of time.
Payment and benefits
Employees want to be paid appropriately and fairly for their work. They are also increasingly interested in how their pay is compared with the local and global market. Most companies nowadays already have automated payment of monthly salaries, calculation of bonuses and benefits, monitoring the payment history of an individual employee and financial forecasts.
By connecting the payment system to the e-HR system, employees can make sure that they are paid fairly for their work. They can see market differences and how their work and the work of their co-workers are assessed, which enables them to check if differences in pay clearly reflect differences in work complexity and position within the company (Johnson and Gueutal, 2011).
Work monitoring and feedback
One of the most benefited areas from the incorporation of technology is measuring the work efficiency of an individual employee and giving feedback on the work done. This way, employees can get a more detailed analysis of their work and more frequent feedback, which increases motivation and focus.
Studies have also shown that employees trust computer assessment more than talking to a superior, which can lead to poorer interpersonal relationships. Regular interviews are thus still desirable, but should be more frequent and focused on improving the way we work, rather than reviewing the situation (Stone et al., 2015). The selected e-HR platform must also provide regular insight into work analysis, 360-degree feedback, mentoring programs and education (Kulkarni, 2021).
Education and advancement
Every year, companies invest more than $ 40 billion in online employee training and lectures. As technology in this field provides tremendous diversity and an opportunity to reduce costs, it is not surprising that more than 60% of businesses already use at least one type of e-learning (Johnson and Gueutal, 2011).
Online or distance education is desirable among employees, as it allows them flexibility, reduces travel time and costs, enabling them to spend that time with their family or at work. In addition, they can choose the time and place of education themselves. Nevertheless, most employees are more supportive of live meetings because this way they have more opportunities to network and strengthen interpersonal relationships, which also encourages better involvement of participants. HR professionals therefore need to think carefully about the possibilities of interconnection through online education (Stone et al., 2015). They can use the possibility of learning via mobile devices, gamification of education, one-on-one lectures, etc. (Kulkarni, 2021).
Mental health
In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have been paying increasing attention to the mental health and general well-being of their employees. The stress of working from home, the precarious position of the company and “burnout” were just many of the symptoms of a changed work environment and the constant change of work routine.
HR plays a huge role in the well-being of its employees and can help them in various ways with the help of technology (Paychex, 2020):
- Online conversations with experts
- Mental health education
- Employee programs
- Monthly challenges
- Daily email with tips and suggestions for improving well-being
- Conversation via social media or email
- Access to applications, programs or tools to improve mental health
Raising motivation among employees
Employee motivation largely depends on good internal communication, which must be clear and has to run smoothly among all employees, regardless of their position in the company. HR can improve communication with open and publicly accessible communication channels, podcasts with employees or other stakeholders and internal websites or platforms.
Better motivation also improves employee productivity. Nowadays, every employee has to do several different types of work and is responsible for different projects, which is why technology can make many tasks easier for them. Moreover, it is important for HR to recognize that old archaic corporate governance systems no longer work and it is necessary to spend more time managing teams and tasks.
However, understanding the competencies and roles of employees is an extremely time-consuming job that requires a tremendous amount of knowledge and time. For greater individual employee contribution to the team and optimized team structure, choose the quantifly diagnostic tool instead. Based on the analysis of individuals, teams and their dynamics, the tool helps you to make better personnel decisions and increases the added value of your team.
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