Category: HRD

Lately, companies are beginning to realize that being fair is not only expected of them but is also part of regulations. Equal opportunity hiring is increasingly common across countries. Whether it is about hiring army veterans or the disabled, equal opportunity hiring is going to get more important in the coming years. While this may seem like a daunting task, to diversify the workplace and also ensure that there is quality all around, one needs to add that there are far too many socio-political aspects attached to this idea. Overcome biases and prejudices Hiring has always been biased by interviewers’ prejudices and existing notions, often leading to a distorted sense of efficiency. In fact, by not eagerly adopting equal opportunity hiring, companies are losing out on quality and efficiency. Sociological research shows that diverse environments help employees to foster positive relationships with each other, leading to more productivity and a better work culture. Studies have also shown that diversity brings in a sense of equality and harmony that is difficult to create artificially. In all respects, equal opportunity hiring is good not only for the company but also for the staff. To give you an example, company ABC, which was part of the establishment, did not have a very diverse staff. The staff were often found to be discussing things that were not really compatible with existing norms of the society. When the CEO of the company decided to hire people from different backgrounds, the company’s culture began to change. People no longer made remarks that were unseemly and instead, they began to learn about one another. Reflect real world’s diversity at work In a globalized world where different cultures interact with each other all the time, it is important to ensure that our own workplaces reflect this diversity. Special considerations need to be given to disadvantaged groups so that they have an equal opportunity while being hired. Disabled people may not be able to endure rigorous interviewing and recruitment processes. You can set aside a different day to interview them. One must remember that while being interviewed along with everyone else may turn out to be stressful to certain people, they may work very efficiently when they are at work. It is all really about making each others lives easier and being fair to those who may not be in a position to compete with everyone else equally. By bringing opportunities to them, a company will not end up hiring those who are less skilled. Instead, it will diversify and will be able to look for gold where it is usually not searched for. These days, people hold a more positive opinion about companies that stress on equal opportunities and rights. It is important as a branding exercise too, while also ensuring that you are being fair. After all, being fair and nice helps you to not only be a better company for your employees but also be a better brand for your customers.

Lately, there has been a trend to automate every single business process possible. Companies have begun to invest in enterprise resource planning (ERP), human resource management systems (HRMS) and customer relationship management (CRM). Companies have also begun to automate industrial functions and certain mechanized skills. While all these are great, there is a time when one needs to stop. One cannot and should not replace human managers with software programs Automating everything possible and more will lead to a state wherein companies will not be able to have that human touch which makes working or dealing with a business entity a pleasure. Staff are known to prefer to a human manager for certain problems than having to use employee self-service. They may also find it more motivating when an HR manager appraises them personally, instead of letting employees’ access performance appraisals on their HRMS screen. The reducing humanization of working spaces has led to the mechanization of company work culture. This is known to cause a reduction in performance and a lack of enthusiasm among staff. Certainly, there is a time when one can safely say that HR department has automated too many of its functions. Here lies the paradox. While HRMS makes things efficient, it also makes it unnecessary to have too many HR professionals. It is probably a better idea to strike a balance between the two. Originally, the concept of human resources arose in order to actually manage the staff, motivate them and also to address their grievances so that they can perform better. Human resources have its roots in industrial psychology, which stresses on the importance of reducing man-machine conflicts. While HRMS is a great tool to automate basic and complex human resource functions, it cannot and should not replace human managers completely. This leaves the employees having to deal with product managers or immediate supervisors who are not trained to address employee grievances. Bringing back the human touch It is important to have an HR department with trained human resource personnel while also using automation tools such as HRMS. This allows HR managers to work on more abstract tasks that cannot be performed by computers. It is important to have regular one to one conversations with employees. This is a task that can never be eliminated, just because an HRMS cannot perform it. There are a number of reasons why machines cannot completely replace human beings. One of the main reasons is, employees like to have their human managers around. While HRMS significantly reduces the need for human intervention, when dealing with employees, human managers have their role to play. This leaves us with the conclusion that while HRMS is absolutely necessary for companies to get leaner and increase productivity, trained HR personnel are required too, so that employees do not feel alienated in a world that is ruled by machines. A good balance between the two will help companies to create the ideal atmosphere where employees remain motivated, human errors are reduced, and there is a symbiotic relationship between man and the machine.

An often asked question at conferences is if HR managers should be trained in IT. Most IT companies, e-commerce initiatives, and tech start-ups often ask this question because they usually hire coders or IT specialists. IT makes sense then, that HR personnel involved have some degree of knowledge about IT. Interestingly, a number of companies surveyed have reported that they have programs that help HR personnel to understand the nuances of IT, especially when it comes to certain specialized topics. Thus, it may be a good idea to train HR managers in IT, especially if you can afford it. However, there are a number of other options too. Why not hire an external interviewer? Many companies that were surveyed have been reported that they hired an outsider IT specialist to be one of the interviewers. This helped companies to avoid training costs. Moreover, it is not possible to train HR managers in all aspects of IT. It makes sense to hire IT consultants on a temporary basis, sometimes even for just a few hours, when the interviews take place. This will help companies to understand an applicant’s skills and if he or she is really suited for the job. Most importantly, it is essential to hire interviewers who are well versed with nuances of the IT domain for which an applicant is being hired. IT is a vast domain and all specialists do not know everything about this field. It is crucial to hire those who are experts in their fields so that they can interview the applicants thoroughly. This rises the question of training the hired interviewer about your company’s processes. This is not a difficult thing to do. An external interviewer can be briefed about the requirements and why a certain candidate needs to be hired. This helps the interviewer to ask specific questions and assess the applicants’ skills based on performance tests and group discussions. Indeed, training in-house HR managers in IT is an ideal situation but it is certainly not realistic. It is not possible to train all HR managers in all aspects of information technology. A realistic opinion is to hire external interviewers who will assist in-house HR managers during recruitment. What does it matter if HR managers need to learn IT for other reasons? There are a number of reasons why companies want to train HR managers in IT and recruitment of IT specialists for specific tasks is not the only one. Sometimes, it is easier to manage IT professionals if their HR managers also knew what they were doing. However, this is an ideal case scenario and is not possible in real world situations. It is practically impossible to train all HR professionals in every IT field that your company works in. A balance needs to strike and that probably is to help HR managers understand the basics of information technology so that they are at least able to understand when an employee specialized in one of the IT sub domains has certain problems and has no one to ask for help.

Most companies have some form of a Human Resource Management System (HRMS) installed across their systems. This may be a small and basic HRMS tool or a full-fledged cloud-based HRMS that helps the company with everything, right from hiring to managing employees, to paying their salaries and trying to retain them, when they want to leave. Yet, HRMS is one of those enigmatic tools that confounds even the savviest CEO out there. There are an equal number of companies who do not use any form of HRMS and instead, depend on their human resource staff to do everything that a software program can do. In the end, they pay more salaries, waste man hours that could have been used more constructively and create a working culture that is far from being efficient. The only solution to this problem seems to be to install a good HRMS. It automates most basic HR functions and reduces the burden on human resource professionals. Thereby, it helps them to focus on more important tasks than entering personal details of employees into a computer. In this article, let us take a look at 10 ways HRMS can help your organization grow leaner. 1. Streamline payments There is nothing worse than having to listen to complaints from employees when they are not paid in time. HRMS can automate payments and keep a track of all payments made to each employee and also help with taxes. In fact, all kinds of payments and reimbursements can be meticulously calculated on HRMS and one can rest assured that checks and balances are maintained automatically. 2. Track employees’ time and attendance It can become a serious problem when employees do not login or enter the office at the designated time. An HRMS will ensure that the entry and exit time are recorded so that employees are tracked for both their time in the office and also for their attendance. This will also help employees to keep track of their own time in office so that there will not be any confusions. 3. Automate performance appraisals Performance appraisals are an important way to boost the motivation of employees. It helps employees to know where they are professionally and where they must improve. Future promotions and incentives depend on such performance appraisals. These can be automated so that employees always know how they are performing, maintaining their motivation levels adequately. Indeed, there is nothing better than automating performance appraisals in order to streamline an organization. 4. Build training modules for employees A well-trained employee is many times more efficient than someone who is not. Thus, companies have a reason to train their employees and encourage learning. HRMS can help build training modules that are effective while also motivating employees to learn something new. This will help to increase productivity at work. Any kind of professional training can be undertaken which will ultimately help the company to grow in stature and size. 5. Employee self-service One of the main reasons for missed days and lost man hours, is employees are often waiting to meet their supervisors, even for small requests and clarifications. All these queries and requests can be automated with employee self-service. This enables employees to change their addresses, print salary slips, apply for leaves and vacations and just about anything that you might allow them to do. 6. Gain access to HR analytics HR analytics can be derived from the data that is accumulated in the various modules of an HRMS. This data helps companies to prepare policies and make changes to existing ones, in order to boost productivity. Using these analytics, one can predict what organizational changes need to be brought in order to increase efficiency and productivity while also improving employee satisfaction rates. 7. Address problems faced by employees quickly Whenever employees have problems, they tend not to work as efficiently. It is important to ensure that working conditions of employees are adequately met and if they have any problems, they are quickly rectified. An HRMS helps to address grievances quickly and promptly without adding extra layers within communication. For this reason, it is a good idea to use an HRMS. 8. Streamline recruitment Recruitment of employees can be an arduous process. It takes time and is also one of the most challenging tasks within the HR department. An HRMS can reduce the workload and also streamline the recruitment process. Applicants data and other factors can be analyzed and processed easily while recruited employees can be further inducted into the company easily. Certainly, HRMS is a great way to streamline the whole recruitment and interviewing process. 9. Maintain performance records Performance records of employees can be saved and recorded, in order to retrieve when required. This helps to know how an employee is faring over the years. Performance records are also required for appraisals and any incentives that may be given. Automating this process helps to avoid confusion and human errors while also boosting efficiency and productivity. Moreover, regulators may always need copies of these performance records. 10. Focus on more demanding tasks Most importantly, trained HR professionals can focus on more important tasks that cannot be performed by computers. They can engage in critical thinking and bring in policies that will enhance the productivity within a company. They can focus on engaging in more demanding tasks, and thereby help a company to grow leaner. An HRMS reduces most tasks to something that can be automated, leaving employees with more time and resources to handle complex tasks. Using HRMS helps you to grow leaner As it is becoming increasingly clear that we will need to automate most business processes, human resource tasks are not behind either. Automating HR tasks help to create an organization that has more time to focus on what is more important: to focus on core business activities and creating a healthy working culture. After all, the most important task of human resource professionals is not about maintaining records but actively building valuable human relationships