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Talent is the bedrock of every company.
Every organization is defined by the employees keeping things running smoothly.
Thats why most companies have dedicated human resource (HR) departments to help manage employees.
HR departments use software to streamline their work and manage employees better.
Software helps with documentation, payroll, performance reviews, corporate surveys, and other critical organizational tasks.
The HR software tools a company adopts can make or break it.
Hence, its not a decision to take lightly.
We want to explain the seven most important things to consider when looking for an HR software solution.
There are many factors, but these are the critical ones to consider.
They include:
TechRadar created this content as part of a paid partnership with Employment Hero.
The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of TechRadar.
Scalability
Companies dont stay the same size forever.
Your organization can have just 20 employees today and 200+ in a few years time.
Hence, you must choose a software tool thats scalable.
The tool should be able to handle the increasing workload without sacrificing performance.
For example, an organization chooses a specific employee records management system when it has only 40 employees.
Business booms in the short term, and the company hires rapidly to keep up with increasing customer demand.
The records management system must be able to handle the increasing documentation requirements.
There should be enough storage space to keep and organize more documents.
The software shouldnt slow down because of increasing usage.
HR tools are either cloud-based or on-premise.
Cloud-based tools are more convenient overall, but some companies choose on-premise for better privacy and customizability.
A scalable HR software tool means youll have peace of mind as your company expands.
Intuitive design
Your HR software should have an intuitive design that makes it easy to navigate.
The interface should preferably be modern and responsive, with features arranged neatly across the dashboard.
A layman should understand how to navigate the platform within an hour of usage.
Most people who use HR software will be non-technical.
Poorly designed software can lead to costly mistakes, e.g., inputting the wrong payroll data.
HR systems are usually cloud-based, which makes them easy to access.
You dont want your HR staff to be receiving multiple complaints from employees about how to use the platform.
Performance is also part of intuitive design.
You need a system that responds swiftly to user commands and smoothens their workflow.
Documentation
Documentation is an unnegotiable part of HR systems.
The system should function as a central repository to store critical information and retrieve it anytime.
Documentation is the primary reason HR software tools were invested in the first place.
Instead, HR systems store documents online, and staff can retrieve them anytime.
If they need details about a specific employee, they can just search and retrieve it.
Its convenient for everyone to access documents from a central platform.
Your HR system should let you store documents in as many file systems as possible.
Theres no use storing a large volume of files and finding it difficult to sift through them.
Fortunately, many HR systems meet this criteria.
Security
Security is critical in every digital platform and more so for HR systems that store sensitive information.
Your HR system must have advanced security features to prevent unauthorized data access and information theft.
This feature prevents hackers from accessing staff accounts even if they somehow get the password.
Your HR system should encrypt data in transit and at rest.
This protocol encrypts data with keys of up to 4,096 bits, making it impenetrable by brute force.
The system should have strict configurations determining who can access sensitive employee data.
The HR system should let you restrict data access based on a users role and permissions.
Collaboration
Collaboration is vital in every modern organization, and your HR system shouldnt be left behind.
It should have collaborative features that allow multiple staff to work together and achieve common goals.
Users should be able to share information seamlessly amongst each other on an HR system.
HR staff can create surveys for employees to fill out, helping them evaluate employee morale.
Some tools may not come with built-in collaborative features.
However, its a plus when theres third-party integration with a collaboration app.
Mobile functionality
Smartphones and tablets represent the fastest-growing segment of the digital world.
Training and support
It can be difficult to set an HR system initially.
Hence, you need a platform that offers significant training and support to customers.
Your organization should have access to training materials and/or personnel to help with the initial system setup.
Endeavor to read previous customer reviews for any platform youre considering to know if they offer good support.
Conclusion
HR software can make or break an organization.
Choosing the wrong one can disrupt a businesss operations and make them lose significant revenue.
Any platform you choose should score high in these factors, or you might experience issues along the way.
