Spending more time on HR tasks does not mean you are doing it perfectly. All it does is add more to your business’s operational cost and waste your HR team’s time. In today’s context, workforce management efficiency, especially regarding HR-related tasks, means doing it faster.

HR automation tools play a crucial role in this. The approach to automation in HR management is perceived with a mixed sense of acceptance by companies, especially those in the SMEs as they wonder if it makes their work easier and proves to be cost-efficient in the long run. In this blog, we are answering the top ten essential questions on HR automation. These answers should help you choose the right HR software in Ahmedabad or anywhere else in India for your business.

Top 10 Essential Questions on HR Automation and Answers

1. What is HR automation?

HR automation refers to the process of managing HR tasks, which are repetitive and can potentially cost you a huge amount of time, with digital solutions that rely on automation technologies.

HR professionals in every business are responsible for handling numerous tasks ranging from tracking and managing employee attendance to sending or replying to a multitude of official emails to scheduling shifts, processing payroll and more.

While all of these tasks have significant importance in the business operation and can’t be ignored or put on the back burner for later consideration, they don’t have to spend as much time as they do behind them just to ensure their timely execution. By incorporating appropriate HR automation tools, most of these tasks can be completed within no time. This will mean they can repurpose the time thus saved for more important tasks, for instance, ensuring more employee engagement, improving company culture etc.

2. What makes automating HR tasks an important requirement for ensuring HR efficiency today?

Automating HR tasks can work in favour of businesses in different ways. For one, it can reduce the time you will need to spend on key HR tasks like time and attendance tracking, leave and shift management etc. Two, it minimizes the errors and compliance failures.

When processing important payroll information, you need foolproof data regarding your employee’s worked hours, leaves, taxes etc. If you happen to add the wrong entries, it will lead to data mismatch leading to compliance issues, wrong payouts etc. requiring re-auditing which further takes away more of your time and cost.

3. What types of tasks can HR teams simplify with the help of HR automation tools?

It is estimated that about 50 to 75 per cent of the day-to-day HR tasks can be automated with the help of the tools that are currently available in the market. The growth and advancements in the HR automation segment have been tremendous in the last few years.

Here are some of the common HR tasks that are automated with the help of modern tools:

• Applicant tracking systems are used to automate resume sorting and filtering.
• Performance management software simplifies employee evaluation processes.
• Attendance and time tracking software systems automate monitoring attendance and managing schedules.
• Employee self-service portals enable employees to access their information directly or make requests on leave, shift change etc.
• Learning management systems and training platforms allow employees to access courses easily while letting employers track their progress.
• HR automation tools in onboarding reduce paperwork and speed up integration.
• Advanced payroll systems are utilised to automate salary calculations and timely disbursement of payouts.
• Leave management systems to automate requests and approval workflows.
• Advanced data analytics tools are employed in tracking employee performance and trends.
• Common HR-related inquiries are handled through AI-enabled chatbots.

4. Are HR automation tools secure to use?

Generally speaking, HR automation tools are secure to use. However, the level of security you can expect in those tools depends on the developer's emphasis on security. As customers, you need to take the necessary precautions to ensure you are purchasing the right tools for your business. The priority should be given to data security. Verify the level of encryption and access controls the software provides you with.

5. What are the essential features you should emphasize when purchasing HR automation software?

There are hundreds of software solutions out there offering some degree of automation in HR processes. Rather than choosing a solution exclusively on the merit of its price, one should focus on choosing one that can automate the maximum number of HR processes. Here are the essential features to look for when buying human resource management systems.

• Time and attendance management
• Employee onboarding and offboarding support
• Employee Self-Service Portal integration
• Availability of easy-to-access customer support
• Mobile App
• Shift scheduling automation
• Cloud support to access the solution from anywhere
• Multi-layer data security with advanced encryption
• Intuitive dashboards for comprehensive reports and analytics
• Affordability

6. Is it possible to customize HR software solutions to match our organization’s unique requirements?

Yes. An ideal HR management software would allow its clients to customize its features as per their unique demands. For instance, while using the leave management module – a common feature in HR software - you may want to align it with your organization’s leave policies. A customizable HR software would come with the flexibility to tailor its features to perfectly align with your organization's specific needs.

7. What is meant by HR automation certification?

HR automation certification is a professional certification which benefits professionals in HR-related roles. The certification verifies an individual’s ability and expertise in using HR automation tools.

For an organization to effectively get going with HR automation, they must have professionals who have HR automation training and certification. Trained professionals are familiar with the tools and the features that these tools offer.

Whether it is implementing them or managing and optimizing them they have the practical knowledge and expertise to help you make the best of it. When you choose a modern HR management software like Mewurk, you'll receive initial training from certified professionals to equip your staff with the necessary tools and knowledge to get started.

8. What kinds of companies can make the best use of HR automation tools?

There is no distinction when it comes to who can make the best use of HR automation tools. All kinds of companies regardless of their size or industry background—small, medium, or large—can benefit from these tools. HR automation is all about increasing the efficiency of your workforce management. As long as you are dealing with employees, these tools offer you a greater level of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ease.

9. Can automation in HR management simplify dealing with hybrid or remote workforce?

Yes. Modern workforce management software solutions are designed keeping in mind diverse workforce demands such as on-site employees, remote workforce or hybrid teams.

If you have a team that consists of employees in different work modes and schedules, bringing them all together to the organizational goal is necessary. Their shift timings, day-to-day tasks, leaves, overtime, payroll data etc. need to be combined for proper HR management. With the right employee management automation solution, the process can become much more efficient and easier for your time-constrained HR teams to handle.

10. Can I switch from my existing employee management model to an automated solution without data loss?

Yes, it is possible to switch from your existing employee management model to an automated solution without data loss. A well-planned migration process allows you to avoid data loss. To make the transition a smooth one, choose an automated solution which offers data import/export functionality and can integrate with third-party solutions.

The data exchange process would typically involve exporting your existing data, mapping it to the new system's format, importing the data, validating its accuracy, and testing the automated system.

Conclusion

With the answers covered in this blog on essential HR automation questions, you should be able to determine if it's the right time to switch to a modern solution for your workforce management.

Workforce management doesn't have to be complicated, thanks to the availability of excellent solutions that make the process easier and more cost-effective. Your employees are key to your business success. By ensuring their comfort and effectively aligning their skills through HR automation tools, you can achieve greater levels of success and scalability in your business. Mewurk can be your stepping stone in this regard. For more details on incorporating Mewurk into your employee management, contact us today.