For mid-large sized organisations and their HR departments, having access to advanced technology is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have.
When time is stretched and workloads show no signs of slowing down, the last thing over-stretched teams need is to be shackled with an excessive amount of manually intensive work that they struggle to wade through on a daily basis.
Multiple spreadsheets to log, manage and monitor the progress of each of their employee relations (ER) cases, are something of an archaic process in today’s fast-paced world – and certainly not what a modern-day HR leader needs, nor wants, if they are to help drive their organisations forward.
Teams keen to move away from inefficiency will also most likely be concerned about the huge security risks that paperwork poses when it is not stored correctly. For employees who are not always in the same office too – especially hybrid workers and/or businesses with multiple sites across the globe – to manage everything manually in one place, without technology, would be simply impossible.
HR leaders today are craving smarter ways to work. That is why many are tapping into intuitive ER case management technology to support in how they protect their time, budgets and staff welfare. Not only has Covid-19 accelerated the adoption of cloud-based software in particular – ensuring that people could be online swiftly despite the disruption – but these savvy systems are being used to alleviate workloads and provide full visibility across entire organisations.
And when all that is required is a good Wi-Fi connection to remain productive and efficient – no matter the time or day too – it is no surprise that millions of companies across the globe are favouring digital-first solutions to store all their documentation securely, leaving paper-based alternatives a thing of the past.
Time to leave clunky on-premise software in the past
For too long now, HR leaders have been ‘making do’ with outdated processes and legacy systems that are typically on-premise and inflexible in nature. They have had to deal with basic support from a HR helpline service, feel the ongoing pressures of dipping into the company’s budget to pay for on-the-clock legal advice and download templates and policies from an online portal of HR documents that is not perhaps as kept up to date or organised as they would like.
That has not only caused a great deal of inefficiencies for HR teams that are already stretched for time, personnel, and budget – and who do not need to be in the office every single day – but it has also led to a fragmented and expensive way of working.
In response, more modern-day HR leaders are turning to ER case management technology to answer their day-to-day struggles and ensure they never miss a beat when protecting their resources. With an intuitive solution in place, teams have access to of-the-moment data that helps them to identify vital internal trends they need to address immediately – whether capacity, additional training requirements, and everything in between.
Additionally, employees can learn a lot about the intricacies and delicate nature of ER cases that their companies may be tackling. With vital coaching from their dedicated legal advisors, HR staff members can enhance their ER capabilities so they can better log, track, monitor and progress matters in future with confidence and crucial knowledge.
With data, HR leaders are in a far stronger position to make sense of what the priorities are within their organisations. For example, does a colleague have the time, headspace and skillset to take on another case to help their team? Or is there a pattern emerging which requires some extra training resource so it can be handled effectively in future?
These are just a couple of questions that can be answered when the right technology is in place that shines a light on the right people doing the right jobs. That investment in a savvy solution alone can have a transformative impact on the business’s bottom line and, importantly, help employees feel happier, and more motivated and supported in their roles.
Armed with greater visibility across their entire organisation, HR leaders can take real-time information into the boardroom and highlight any areas of need. Not only does that provide a more robust infrastructure for future-proofing the company, but it means they can swiftly address any issues before they manifest into bigger problems that could be detrimental if they are not dealt with effectively.
Having a single version of the truth to make accurate business-critical decisions is incredibly powerful for industry professionals when driving meaningful change – all of which can be made significantly easier with the right ER technology in place.
