When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.
Human resources (HR) is a critical aspect of every organization.
Most HR functions are performed with software tools, and choosing the right tools for the job is crucial.
HR managers must consider specific factors to help them choose the best tools to perform their jobs.
This article will describe the primary considerations and steps for choosing the perfect HR software package for your business.
Before we start, lets examine what HR software is and its types.
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.
What is HR software?
HR software is the collection of digital tools that human resources professionals employ to manage and automate tasks.
They help optimize an employees journey from hiring till they leave the company.
HRMS tools simplify many HR tasks, reducing manual work and increasing your companys efficiency.
You need a clear picture of your needs to make the best choice.
Critical questions to ask include:
2.
Prioritize stability
Usability is crucial for every software tool.
You need a tool with an intuitive interface thats easy to understand and navigate.
Most people on an HR team are non-technical and will likely struggle with overtly complicated interfaces.
Hence, look for HR software with a minimal, uncluttered interface with features neatly arranged across the dashboard.
HR personnel already have a lot of challenging tasks, and an unintuitive tool will make their life worse.
Never ignore usability when choosing an HR tool.
Look At Integration Capabilities
No HR tool will provide all the features you want.
Thats why third-party integration exists.
A tool may not have a specific feature but can link up with a platform having that feature.
For example, your payroll platform may lack expense management features.
Different tools have different levels of third-party integration.
The most popular HR tools have extensive third-party integration libraries because developers are familiar with them.
If youre after integration capabilities, consider popular HR tools likeWorkday,BambooHR,Rippling, etc.
Customer Support
Customer support is another critical consideration when choosing HR software.
Sometimes things can go wrong, and you might need external help to solve the issues.
Hence, look for an HR software vendor that provides reliable customer support.
You should be able to speak with a professional support agent by email, live chat, or telephone.
The staff should be responsive and knowledgeable enough to solve your issues quickly.
Mobile system
Nowadays, any HR tool without a mobile system is doing itself a disservice.
Cost
Of course, you cant ignore costs when choosing a software tool.
Every organization budgets specific amounts for IT-related tools; your HR tool must fit the allocated budget.
Different HR tools have different pricing strategies.
Vendors are willing to provide significant discounts to snag a big user base.
Check the refund policies of every HR tool.
An ideal tool should provide a window to get a full refund if unsatisfied with the tool.
Scalability
Companies dont stay the same size forever.
Your organization could have 50 employees today and over a thousand in the next five years.
Hence, consider long-term scalability when choosing an HR software package.
The platform should be able to handle increasing usage without sacrificing performance.
Ensure you read customer reviews to avoid choosing such tools.
Despite this difficulty, some organizations prefer on-premise tools because of security and customization.
Security
HR systems store sensitive information that can severely damage your company if it falls into the wrong hands.
Hence, security is critical when choosing an HR software package.
Any HR tool you choose should have advanced security features preventing unauthorized data access.
Such features include:
2FA demands two modes of identification before granting access to a users account.
2FA prevents malicious actors from accessing legitimate accounts even if they somehow get the correct password.
They might have the right credentials but cant get into legit accounts without the correct one-time PIN.
Different HR platforms employ different protocols to secure user data.
Other platforms use protocols with key lengths of up to 4096 bits.
Any worthwhile HR platform will clearly state its security features to prospective users.
Access Control involves an organizations administrator controlling which users can access specific data.
Access Control also involves logging which user accesses sensitive data.
This feature helps prevent legitimate users from being exploited by malicious actors.
Create A Shortlist
Above, weve outlined the main factors to consider when choosing an HR software package.
They are the major things to consider when selecting a suitable HR tool for your business.
you’re able to shortlist between 1 to 10 platforms as your final choices.
Research methods include:
10.
Get as many employees as possible to test the platform and provide feedback.
Extensive trials will help you avoid picking an unsuitable long-term solution.
Implementation
If a product looks suitable after extensive trials, you might move to the implementation stage.
This part involves your organizations IT team helping set up the entire system for employees.
You also can request help from the software vendor.
At this stage, ensure you communicate with employees about the benefits of the new system theyll be using.
Take advantage of the vendor’s onboarding or training services to familiarize new users with the software.
Point employees to all the helpful resources they can get as they adopt the new HR system.
