Enriching employee experience through HR technology

We’ve all seen them – businesses that claim to have highly engaged employees because they have a slide in the office, or free pizza Fridays. And yet they have a mammoth staff turnover and are constantly recruiting new starters.

On the outside, it doesn’t add up. But its obvious to HR leaders; employee experience is so much more than free perks for staff. It goes beyond a fruit delivery or having a ping-pong table in the break room. The true meaning of employee experience is exactly that – the experience your employees have while they are at work. It’s the feeling they get when they come home from a long day at the office, or when they’re ironing their uniform for the week ahead. In some cases, it’s the experience they share with new colleagues and prospective starters.

Getting employee experience right is the key to a loyal and productive workforce. Experience is split between:

• The physical – the environment they perform work in
• The cultural – focusing on an organization’s values and social activities
• The technological – how the technology they use day-to-day impacts their experience (arguably the most important element of experience).

The technology trap

It’s easy to see how the technology employees use on a day-to-day basis has a big impact on their experience. Consumer technology has come a long way from the days of Apple Macs and Nokia 3310s, but unfortunately some businesses are still stuck in the Dark Ages when it comes to the technology they adopt in the workplace. You wouldn’t want to use an outdated and clunky system at home, so why would your employees put up with old tech while they’re at work?

On the flip side, some businesses have overlooked the importance of technology completely. Take HR and payroll for example; many businesses are asking employees to carry out time-consuming manual and administrative tasks, and re-entering information into multiple spreadsheets. All of this could be avoided by using the right payroll and HR technology.

Powering payroll and HR

An integrated HR and payroll solution that is fully automated can reduce manual tasks, increase reliability and significantly improve employee experience. Payroll and HR professionals can quickly and easily perform day-to-day tasks, such as adjusting pay calculations or processing annual leave, without hesitation. In addition, you can guarantee that HR and payroll teams are always working with accurate real-time information and staying compliant with legislation.

Plus, an integrated approach to HR and payroll, when combined with other relevant employee data (e.g. benefits, performance, attendance), has the potential to provide HR leaders with all the figures that impact employee engagement to make more meaningful decisions.

Finding the right tech

If you can provide employees with tech that makes their lives easier then you’ll be on your way to providing a great employee experience. Finding the right payroll and HR tech for you can be complex, but there are a number of features to look out for.

Good tech looks different for every business based on their needs, but the following features are a good place to start.

Employee self service

Empower employees by giving them the tools to self-serve. Admin tasks like booking holiday, viewing calendar requests, accessing their payslips and confidential documents could easily be transitioned on a self-serve tool. Not only does this empower employees, it frees up valuable time for payroll and HR teams.

Automation

No one wants to be drowning in a sea of admin. Unfortunately, it’s a common problem for many businesses. Choosing tech that can automate manual processes, such as adjusting pay calculations or total up annual leave allowance, will be a life-saver for your employees. Plus, it reduces the risk of human error and increases your compliance for peace of mind.

Cloud-based

The flexi-work revolution is coming – are you prepared? To keep up with flexible and remote working habits, you must consider switching to a cloud-based program or tool. Cloud-based tools are securely hosted in the cloud, allowing your workforce to access it 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

Payroll and HR integration

A system that is integrated with payroll and HR is the gatekeeper to employee experience. It will reduce admin tasks, eliminate manual entry and the need to re-key. In addition, you can be sure that your HR and payroll teams are always working with accurate, real-time information.

The power of data

The most engaged organizations use existing data to plan effectively. By using an integrated HR and Payroll system you get improved reporting capabilities across the whole employee lifecycle. This helps you to make smarter strategic decisions, leading to a happier and more engaged workforce in the long run.

Fancy learning more about the power of tech? Join SD Worx for a webinar on HR & Payroll tech for the flexi-work revolution. Register here.