We live in a world of constant technological advancements. Many jobs that previously required human hands have been replaced by robots. Daily activities are becoming automated.
The emergence of COVID-19 has accelerated this transformation. In Walmart, several cashiers will be replaced with self-checkout kiosks to cut the cost of manpower. It makes you wonder, do we still need a human workforce?
The Importance of Workforce Planning
The answer is yes, a human workforce is still very necessary. This is because some jobs require the care and thinking capacity of a human brain, something that hasn’t been completely replicated in technology.
If you have a workforce, it is important to manage them properly. This is called Strategic Workforce Planning. Increasing digitization means the availability of talent in a specific skill set is lower than before. Business organizations need to be able to have access to the right capabilities and skills at the appropriate time.
Successful Strategic Workforce Planning is made of three stages; reviewing, planning and measurement. For review, it is important to look at the needs and talents you already have access to. This pertains to inside the business and in external talent pools as well.
Next, you can develop a resource plan focused on the critical roles in your organization. If there are any skill gaps, find solutions to address them. Determine if you need to train or reassign current staff, maybe you might need a new recruit.
Finally, you need to measure the success of your planning. You need access to relevant data to help you review the success of your plan or make changes where it is necessary.
Why Do We Need HR Operations?
Now, we see the importance of the workforce and workforce planning. Who initiates this planning? The ever crucial Human Resources (HR) Department of course.
Sometimes, the HR department is considered the cold, unsympathetic extension of the executive management. They even view HR as supporting managers and not regular employees they can relate to.
To resolve this, proper Human Resources Management is important. It is the key to an employee-oriented productive workplace. This department is the backbone that supports all the aspects of the organization.
The HR Department has many tasks; they monitor work culture, manage talent, recruit a superior workforce, research and implement employee benefit programs, and develop workshops or team-building activities.
Even in a small business environment, Human Resources play a pivotal role in developing a positive work culture. One way to make sure that this department can work efficiently is to have the proper software.
Why Do We Need to Use HR Software?
In a nutshell, HR Software is a specific online platform that combines different processes and systems to ensure the accessibility of employee data. It typically includes payroll management, benefits, administration, and attendance record keeping.
In a small business environment, HR software can be viewed as a luxury. It is the opposite though, in modern business environments having this software is considered a necessity. It has become more cost-effective and it is feasible for small businesses to use.
How Can Software Help with HR Operations?
There are many benefits when you use HR Software. It gives you Cost Savings by reducing employee turnover and ensuring their needs are taken care of.
It also Saves Time for your HR staff. If they are constantly inputting menial data by hand or making phone calls, then they won’t have time for things that matter like enforcing company policies or handling legal issues. As stated by the experts from EnableHR, HR Software also gives you more accurate insight into data. You don’t have to rely on your human limitations of overlooking or forgetting important details.
Contrary to common belief, HR Software is also very Cost Effective. The best packages have monthly memberships that can work with even the smallest startup budget. The amount of money you lose to human error is still higher.
What You Should Look for in Quality HR Software
The market for HR Software is huge. Not all of them are the same and you need to narrow down your options to get the best quality output.
A Cloud Platform is very useful. You don’t need to install anything on your computer and your data is safe. It stores all your employee records and it has Sharing Features for easy access to data. This means you don’t even need to be in the office to access information.
You must also look for Scalability in good HR Software. This means you only pay for what you need. When more access is necessary, you just upgrade the system without having to pay for anything extra.
The last thing to look for is the Self-Service Features. It provides a centralized portal that employees and HR Staff can access. It is automatic and saves the staff time by removing the need to constantly check and reply to the same emails.
Even though technological advancements are never going to slow down, business organizations are dependent on the human workforce. HR Software can help combine the two by making HR Operations more efficient for the staff and the employees. It is a good investment for a business, no matter how small.