DETERMINE IF YOUR HR AND PAYROLL SYSTEMS ARE SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF YOUR BUSINESS OR HINDERING IT.
Experts have weighed in on the top trends shaping the workplace. At the top of the list are improved human resource management systems (HRMS) for workforce data and the associated analytics. It’s all about the data and how to use it to make better employee and business decisions. With a new federal administration, the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its reporting requirements is hazy. The outcome of the overtime mandate is unclear. The importance of managing your data is not. Find out if your current HR and payroll systems are ready for an upgrade or just needs a little finessing for a successful 2017.
Is your company poised to grow significantly or maintain its current size?
It’s important for a company to have a HR and payroll system that meets the company’s specific needs both currently and in the future. Does your human resources department spends more time manually completing processes, working in multiple Excel files or databases, or figuring out workarounds to your current NuView or CORT systems? It may be time for a change (Get ready for a party in your honor!). If your current system is meeting your needs but you’re looking for efficiencies then you may be able to alter some processes and save you time and money (I see a bonus in your future!). The key is making the technology solution work for you. How do you know what you need? Ask the end user. Here is an example for feedback on Employee Self Service from staff. Send a quick survey to all the end users through a free online service like Survey Monkey or Google Form to get feedback on what’s working and what’s not working. Ask for ideas on creating efficiencies. For many they won’t speak up unless you ask.
Can you easily extract what you need, when you need it?
With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, companies with 50 or more full-time employees are required to track and report healthcare information they wouldn’t have reported on previously. We know the requirements will change with the new administration but we don’t know when or to what. We also know the requirements are continuously changing, so your systems need to be nimble enough to change with it. Can your current vendor make the changes for your required functionality? For example, the City of Elizabeth in New Jersey, a CORT users, with more than 1,000 employees enlisted Nine Peaks to create advanced custom reports to extract the information for ACA compliance. By customizing their system we saved city staff hours of data manipulation and many headaches!
Are “normal” processes easy? Or does a simple task take so many steps that you practically reach your Fitbit step goal just routing the paperwork?
Many HR and accounting professionals spend more than a third of their time on manual tasks and are often inundated by basic employee questions (I need a copy of my paystub, what’s my W2 withholdings, and so on.). Processes like new hires, life change events, and time off requests can bog down staff. Not to mention open enrollment! This can all take a toll on the staff if simple processes are not easy to perform and repeatable. If your current system isn’t helping you manage these tasks there is room for improvement. Employees today want access to their information instantly. Having a HRMS system with self-service functionality can strengthen your business.
Do you want to make a change? But you’re not sure where to start?
First evaluate if the change is warranted. Switching new technologies takes time, money, and buy in! Make sure it’s right for your company and your logic for a change is sound. After you’ve surveyed your end users, start with a thorough evaluation of the change. A simple SWOT analysis of your current system will get you thinking about its strengths and weaknesses plus what outside opportunities or threats will be coming in the New Year. Here is a template for evaluating your current HRMS system. An extensive fit/gap analysis follows this exercise to evaluate the degree of change needed…an entirely new system or changes to the existing systems to make them more efficient. If a change is warranted, the next step is to create a thorough list of requirements for your company. This is essential to match your needs with the future technology solution. It is also used to compare apples to apples when you begin exploring new software vendors. Be sure to get all stakeholders involved and consider hiring a consultant to walk you through the process. This will save you time and they ask the right questions to get the best results.
“I welcome change as long as nothing is altered or different.”
Change is not always easy but change is inevitable. Ease the burden and contact Nine Peaks. Get a jump start on this process with a free 30-minute phone consultation. We’ll compare our SWOT with yours (or help you complete it!) and guide you over the first peak (or hurdle), for system change…no obligations!
Eric Skidmore, Owner and Tech Sherpa | MCITP, MCTS, MCSE+I, MCDBA, MCSA, CCAEric brings a strong background in management and Information Technology developed over the past 36 years in the industry. Over the last 17 years, he has been on site with a good share of CORT and NuView customers first hand, as part of service engagements and teaching technical class material. Eric has deep experience with Microsoft technologies and is regularly called on for his expertise in Security, Databases, Networking, and IT Strategy. Eric has multiple certifications from Microsoft and is also Citrix certified. Outside of work Eric loves to fish (ask him to tell you a story!), hunt, collect coins, and spend time with his family. Connect with Eric through his LinkedIn profile and learn more in a recent Q&A.