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Improve efficiency with HR automation
Automation is one of the biggest buzzwords in the business world right now, and for good reason. Automating repetitive tasks saves you time and money, freeing up resources for more important tasks.
Many aspects of business processes can be automated, including human resources (HR) and inventory management. Discover the benefits of HR automation and learn how to streamline your HR services with the right software.
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What is HR automation?
HR automation is the process of automating HR-related tasks, including everything from employee onboarding to payroll processing. HR automation utilizes software to create repeatable digital workflows that leverage algorithms and AI. Each workflow can be pre-programmed for a specific purpose, streamlining the HR process and reducing errors.
You can use HR automation for various tasks. Onboarding can be streamlined with automated employee checklists, while payroll can be automated using data collected by your HR software. You can even automate performance tracking based on metrics like sales numbers, attendance records, and customer satisfaction scores.
Benefits of HR automation
One of the main benefits of HR process automation is saving time and money, but there are numerous other reasons to consider automating repetitive HR tasks. Here are some of the most significant benefits of HR automation.
Increased efficiency
Efficiency is the name of the game in the business world. If you’re doing things inefficiently, you’re costing your business money. HR automation enables you to streamline repetitive HR tasks, making your HR department more efficient. This means things like payroll and vacation requests are processed in a timely manner. Not only does that save you time and money, but it also creates a better experience for employees.
Reduced manual tasks
There was a time when everything was done manually on paper, and simple processes like payroll and performance tracking were a lot more time-consuming. With HR automation, you can reduce the number of manual tasks required, saving valuable time.
Saving time isn’t the only benefit of reducing manual tasks. There’s always the potential for human error when you’re doing things like processing payroll or approving PTO requests. Reducing the need for human intervention can eliminate some of these common mistakes.
Better employee experience
Employee experience management is essential, and automating HR tasks is one of the most effective ways to enhance the overall employee experience. Employees can access self-service options when they need to request time off, submit a vacation request, or use sick pay, resulting in faster response times. The onboarding process is also streamlined, so new employees can quickly get up to speed and start working.
Improved compliance and recordkeeping
When you’re doing things manually, it can be hard to remember to document everything. Automation ensures that you consistently document everything and maintain important records. Automated workflows also reduce the risk of human error, so you can be confident that everything you record is accurate.
Compliance is a key aspect of HR service management (HRSM). You’re required to meet certain data security requirements, and you have to keep payroll and employee records. Since HR automation streamlines recordkeeping, it ensures you have a documented trail in the event of an audit.
Scalability
From HR to IT service management (ITSM), your business solutions should scale with your business. As your HR department expands and you continue to onboard new employees, your HR automation solutions should scale to match your growth. That means you can maintain the same efficiency without increasing your workforce or spending a fortune to upgrade to more robust solutions.
Scalability is crucial because it allows you to continue using the same solutions. Once you have set up your HR automation software, it’s easy to add and remove workflows and users.
Potential challenges of HR automation
While HR process automation can save you a lot of time, it’s not always as easy as it sounds. There are several potential obstacles to consider when implementing HR automation.
Implementation can be a challenge in some cases, especially when automating more complex processes or creating numerous digital workflows. Identifying, mapping out, and automating digital workflows may seem overwhelming at first, but it gets easier as you become familiar with HR automation software.
Try creating a simple process you can repeat to map out and automate HR tasks. This helps ensure consistency and streamlines the process of automating each individual task.
Employee resistance can also be an issue when implementing HR automation solutions. People tend to stick to what they’re comfortable with, so employees often resist changes to their daily routines.
Take some time to educate and train your employees about HR automation, its benefits, and best practices. HR managers are more likely to use automation software if they understand how it can be applied to their daily workflows.
How to automate HR processes
Automating HR processes can streamline workflows and boost efficiency, but implementing automation solutions requires time and effort. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps to automating HR processes.
Identify repetitive and manual tasks
Start by identifying manual repetitive tasks that your HR team is responsible for. Commonly automated tasks include payroll processing, onboarding and offboarding, and performance tracking. The goal here is to identify tasks that are time-consuming or prone to errors. If you can save time or reduce the risk of human error by automating processes, do so.
Choose the right HR automation tools
Choosing the right HR process automation tools is a crucial step. Think about your specific HR needs and look for software that addresses them. You should also look for HR automation software that’s easy to use and can integrate with your existing software and tools.
Jira Service Management is a straightforward HR automation solution that integrates with the tools you’re already using, such as Slack and Confluence. You can automate everything from payroll processing to employee performance tracking, so your HR teams can spend more time focusing on crucial tasks.
Map your workflows
Once you’ve found the right HR automation software, you can start mapping out each individual workflow. This map should include the individual steps and processes involved in the workflow, whether that’s adding up the total number of hours in a week or collecting and organizing key employee performance metrics. Make sure you include every step to effectively automate your HR workflows.
Train your HR team and employees
For HR automation to succeed, your HR team must be fully on board. Once you’ve mapped out and automated your individual HR workflows, you need to educate and train your HR team and employees to ensure they know how to use the automation software effectively. Create a training program that covers all aspects of HR automation, including how to use automated workflows and potential mistakes to avoid.
Your HR team may take some time to adapt to automation, but it’s worth investing some time now to save time later.
Monitor and improve
Your job isn’t finished once you’ve implemented your HR automation software. Automation isn’t perfect, so it’s your job to monitor the results of automated HR processes to make sure everything is working properly. In some cases, you may need to map out a process again if it’s not producing the results you want.
Examples of HR automation in action
If you’re considering automating HR processes, check out some of these examples of HR automation in action:
- Onboarding: HR automation can create an automated checklist to assist HR teams in onboarding new employees.
- Performance tracking: Automation tools can pull key employee performance metrics, such as sales, customer satisfaction, and attendance, to help you track employee performance.
- Payroll: Instead of manually adding up hours and processing payroll, you can do it automatically with HR automation software.
HR automation tools to try
As automation becomes increasingly prevalent, new HR automation tools continue to emerge.
Jira Service Management is an HR automation tool that helps automate tasks like payroll and performance tracking. It also integrates seamlessly with tools like Confluence. Jira Service Management makes it easy to automate repetitive tasks with digital workflows, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.
With a simple interface and robust support, Jira Service Management empowers your HR teams to accomplish more in less time.
Empower HR automation with Jira Service Management
HR managers and teams have a lot of time-consuming responsibilities, not to mention the risk of costly mistakes. When you use Jira Service Management to automate HR processes, you can save your HR team time while reducing the risk of payroll and time tracking errors.
Jira Service Management can integrate with existing tools to streamline communication and enhance the effectiveness of HR teams. When combined with the Jira Service Desk, you can streamline everything from HR and customer service to software support tickets.
Customizable workflows allow you to automate virtually anything, while self-service portals save time and empower employees. Get Jira Service Management Free to find out how you can transform your HR team through automation.
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Jira Service Management offers out-of-the-box templates for HR teams. Pre-built workflows for processes such as onboarding, off-boarding & HR inquiries.
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