What is human resource management software?

In every industry, both big and small businesses will need to give careful consideration when it comes to their HR because it helps the company to operate, carry out important tasks, and boost employee morale. Often conducted by a dedicated team of employees or a HR manager, human resources is a set of policies that all businesses will need to consider, but with technology offering new ways to manage these processes, HR software could be the way forward for your business.

If you’re considering introducing HR management software into your company, you’ll want to know how it works, why it’s important and how it can benefit your business. We’ve outlined the key points in this article to help make any tough decisions that little bit easier.

What is HR management software?

HR management software is a method of running human resource processes digitally and can take the form of an application, programme or website. Human resources is a large collection of responsibilities that are usually carried out by the business owner, office manager or someone who is the designated manager of HR processes. For businesses that aren’t based in an office such as those in the construction or care industry, it can be more difficult to manage HR tasks effectively and it could result in significant mistakes being made. To avoid costly errors, many people within these types of industries may choose to outsource their human resources to an external service or hire someone specifically for the role. But although you’re confident these tasks are handled correctly, it can be costly.

A key benefit to a software system for managing human resources in your business is that the programmes are designed to carry out tasks while keeping private data secure and avoid any problems or mistakes that could have happened due to human error. HR management software will manage human resources electronically and automatically perform necessary changes and scheduled tasks. That way, you can rest assured that you’re providing consistency across your business as well as a solid structure and total transparency to your broad range of HR policies. You’ll also save time and remove any unnecessary confusion, leading your staff to focus on other business matters whilst keeping your human resources as organised as possible.

Why HR software is important

As an employer, it’s your duty to make sure that human resources is properly managed so that recruitment, dismissals, annual leave, training, outsourcing and any other factors that an HR or office manager would need to cater to are all taken care of.

Usually, businesses in all industries will have a member of staff who manages the human resource processes, but it can be more challenging to have one appointed person to take this on if your business isn’t necessarily situated in a traditional office – such as a construction site, for example. This will be the case for many sectors, which is why HR software is hugely beneficial to them because it’s a way of running certain tasks while remaining reliable, efficient and automatic without needing a typical office-style setup.

Not only will a HR software programme reduce the level of paperwork and free up the time of the person in charge of your HR, but it will also benefit employees because they’ll be able to book annual leave in their own time digitally.

Other benefits of using human resource management software include:

• Less time spent on HR concerns
• Removal of human error
• Added data security
• Quicker and easier access to documents and resources
• Cost effective with less money spent on HR and office administration staff
• Easier access to a selection of factors in one place
• More attention to compliance
• Improved efficiency, both for HR processes and members of staff
• Easier decision making
• More opportunities to review and develop employees
• Better employee satisfaction
• Useful business tools for analysis

How does HR software work?

Human resources can take a lot of balancing, prioritising and delegating for someone to manage all these different areas. That’s why companies may choose to trust a human resource management software instead so that everything is covered, managed and kept in one place.

Many HR programmes offer an easy-to-use portal with access to different areas of human resources. Within that portal, the business owner, office manager or member of staff in charge of HR can navigate through the programme to monitor each aspect, schedule ongoing processes and implement any necessary changes.

If you’re interested in using an HR software system to manage daily HR processes in your business. Atlas – our human resources management platform – is ideal. When you partner with Citation, you get free access to Atlas, so you can benefit from automated HR processes such as creating and distributing contracts of employment and employee handbooks, booking and approving annual leaving, core training modules, and much more.