It’s entirely possible that your company has been employing the help of the same HR software system for more than a few years now. While familiar, reliable software is always great, updating your HRIS system can allow your company many freedoms and processes that you didn’t even know you were missing.
Even though your current system might seem stable and comfortable, it could certainly be time to break bad and usher in some new HR technology with improved capabilities. Below are the top five warning signs that it’s time to update your system:
1) You’re still having issues navigating through the software.
Although it may sound outlandish, a great deal of companies can use the same HRIS for a decade or more without fully understanding the finer points, or even a few of the basic fundamentals of their application. If you’ve been using the same software for a decent amount of time and it’s still leaving you confused, it is more than likely time to look into a new system. There shouldn’t be an advanced degree requirement for maneuvering about the HR software highway. Employing a no-fuss, user-friendly interface can make all the difference in your enjoyment and ease of performing various tasks.
2) You’re the difference between your local paper mill flourishing and going bankrupt.
In this day and age, there is no good reason to have your company printing everything out. In fact, there is no reason for your company to be printing out much at all. Every organization is looking to cut costs somehow, and going paperless is one of the easiest and most cost-cutting steps that can be taken. Recent HRIS software packages are now nearly paperless, and making an investment in new HRIS software now can save you untold amounts of money in the future.
3) You find yourself performing as many secretarial duties as you do HR management duties.
When you have deal with the responsibilities that are actually required of your job description, do you really think it’s productive to have to juggle employee’ phone calls and emails? There’s no excuse for not having an automated “leave request” system built into the HR software, making it easier for management to focus on more important tasks than call-handling.
4) Your software bears an uncanny resemblance to a ‘90s video game.
To get to the heart of the matter, if your human resources software has gone years without an update, it’s time for that to change. It’s simply impossible for technology from the ’90s to keep up with the ever-changing features and capabilities of recent software, and if you’re still utilizing an outdated program, there’s no doubt that you’re missing out on significantly more advanced developments in HR software that have been released.
5) Getting technical support is more involved than running a marathon.
A vital consideration that should be made when optimizing your HRIS is whether or not the company you plan on selecting offers readily available, competent support. Regardless of how well you manage things, there is going to come a time when data gets corrupted or a file needs to be recovered, and you don’t want to be left helpless when these circumstances occur. Every HRIS software company should have a technical support group ready to help you at a moment’s notice.
If you recognize any of the aforementioned problems in your own system, then it could very well be time to begin hunting for a new software package. Keep in mind that working with your Human Resource Information System shouldn’t leave you with a feeling of dread. The entire purpose of an HR software system is to help make your job more efficient, streamlined and easier overall. Give yourself some slack by selecting the HRIS that suits your needs.
