Business owners across Canada overcome countless challenges every day in the course of normal operations. Fortunately, establishing quality workspaces is now easier than ever before. With Human Resource Information System (HRIS) software, business owners can consolidate and automate a variety of critical internal workplace functions, streamlining day-to-day operations and creating a sustainable and productive workplace.

Group Enroll empowers business clients to make informed decisions about interoffice operations. In this blog, we cover the benefits of HRIS software for businesses like yours.

What Is An HRIS?

In a business setting, human resource managers complete various critical operations tasks that require strict confidentiality. These professionals plan, initiate, and conclude many of the administrative functions of operating a business, including: 

• Asset recruitment
• Single and multi-stage interviewing
• Onboarding paperwork
• Workplace strategic planning
• Training coordination 
• General compliance
• Workplace safety
• Interoffice policy development
• And more

HRIS software handles some of these functions instead or alongside dedicated human resources management staff. Software engineers design Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) to store information and manage various business operations in one place.

Typically, HRIS software consists of in-browser suites that your HR staff can access on their work computers. This allows software companies to provide services to more clientele and with more innovative or exclusive features.

As with any critical operations software, business owners must properly vet HRIS software options before committing to a package.

HRIS Features

One of the main functions of HRIS software involves data storage. HRIS software creates a centralized employee database, making employee statistics information accessible and searchable.

When measuring company growth and demographics, managing staff, and more, business owners can easily access information, including:

• Employee data
• Time cards
• Time off requests
• Benefit information
• Compliance information
• Applicant pools
• Hiring metrics
• Payroll 
• And more

HRIS software also often contains task delegation features, communication modules, self-service portals, and more.

Not all HRIS software is the same. Before choosing an HRIS for your business, ensure that the software suite you select offers the features and — most importantly — the user interface you need to feel in tune with your technology.

Benefits of HRIS Software for Your Workplace

Often, business owners hesitate to take on the additional upfront expenses connected to HRIS software implementation. Management officials cite concerns about budget limitations and efficiency.

However, HRIS software quickly pays for itself as a business investment. Utilizing HRIS systems software frees up personnel, reduces recordkeeping errors, and offers many other fantastic benefits that make the initial investment worthwhile.

Savings

First and foremost, HRIS software saves companies money. Making recordkeeping procedures more efficient and providing instantaneous edit access to procedural documentation, HRIS software reduces error-based labour costs.

This technology also allows companies to focus HR personnel resources in new areas like workplace connectivity, problem-solving, and building company culture. These adjustments reduce the need for new hires or additional team members.

Improved Task Efficiency

HR tasks move faster when completed using HRIS software. These systems make data input and editing, file requisition, and other repetitive tasks as easy and fast as possible.

Thanks to the self-service portals in most HRIS software, task efficiency improves company-wide, not just among HR teams and staff. Employees can use the HRIS system to look up benefits information, review company policies, and more. With extra staff hours to apply to other fields of operation, overall production increases.

Automated Recurring Tasks

As in many other fields, HR work involves many repetitive tasks. Fortunately, HRIS software automates many tasks, including: 

• Form acquisition and transference
• Payroll 
• Salary changes
• Timesheet generation
• Onboarding and recruitment tasks 
• Benefit applications
• And more

Task automation reduces errors, increases employee productivity, and helps with workplace compliance.

Error Reduction

HRIS software often synchronizes databanks with other systems in a business or organization. HRIS software helps reduce data-keeping errors across multiple fields by eliminating the need to repeatedly enter data manually.

In addition to data synchronization, the automation of many HR tasks through an HRIS helps reduce the occurrence of forgotten paperwork, deadlines, etc.

Compliance

Hiring and maintaining staff, payrolls, inventories, storing employee contact information, and other functions require strict compliance with workplace regulations and procedures set forth by law.

A Human Resource Information System has built-in systems of checks and balances designed to keep your business in compliance with legal requirements and regulations. HR managers may also automate assigning additional compliance-related tasks through self-service portals in HRIS software suites.

Better Employee Experience

Through streamlined recordkeeping, automation of repetitive or tedious HR-related tasks, and increased availability of HR staff in general, HRIS software improves the overall employee experience.

Onboarding tasks become straightforward and procedural, and employees can access needed recordkeeping databases and documents all in one place. This means simple tasks such as selecting insurance coverage, filling out or storing tax forms, and completing time off requests no longer require phone calls, emails, meetings, or other time-wasting communication methods.

Personnel Restructuring

When it comes time to promote, demote, create new departments, and expand your business, HRIS systems help you and your HR staff complete these processes with as little stress as possible. You don’t need to sort through paperwork; everything is in one electronic system.

Offering access to recruitment materials, interview questions, onboarding documents and more, HRIS software allows companies to restructure personnel hierarchies, document feedback, and manage changing payrolls in one location.

Getting Started With an HRIS

If you’re ready to streamline recruitment, onboarding, insurance enrollment for your team, and more, choosing an HRIS for your business offers a fantastic solution.

But which HRIS software will work best for your business? The answer varies for every company.

What to Look for

Many companies don’t know what to look for when reviewing HRIS options. When beginning the search for an HRIS for your company, start with what your company needs.

Would your work environment benefit from employee data management, access to critical HR documentation, and automated task delegation? If so, put those features on your list of what you want your HRIS software to do for you.

In addition to HR task-related features, consider what you need from your software’s user interface and connectivity. Do you need your HRIS to connect to and synchronize with other databases in your organization? Should the user interface offer multilingual options? Consider these factors when you begin considering software companies to work with.

When to Implement an HRIS

The time to implement an HRIS typically changes from business to business. For this reason, familiarizing yourself and your staff with HRIS software from the ground up strengthens your foundations for success.

The role of HRIS centers on streamlining HR tasks and increasing the productivity and efficiency of employee data storage, payroll, and more. Companies implement HRIS software in their businesses to free up employees, reduce recordkeeping errors, and provide unified access to critical task management and documentation systems.

For small businesses, the true benefits of HRIS software may not become apparent for some time. However, using this software from the early days of your business operation:

• Helps establish the system’s use
• Promotes excellent recordkeeping from the very start
• Allows your company to transition into managing high volumes of employees without the need for new software purchases or additional employee training

HR systems exist to help you and your employees make the most of day-to-day operations. Consider implementing an HRIS in your business no matter what growth stage you’re at. The benefits of HRIS software outweigh the cons.

Streamline Your Company’s Insurance Needs With Group Enroll

Another great way to streamline your company’s benefit needs involves working with Group Enroll. We help you and your company find insurance plans from providers that suit your needs, brand, and company direction. Learn more about what we do or compare your company’s options for group retirement plans, group insurance plans, and more. From small business health insurance to group benefits packages, we’ll help you sort through plans and providers all in one convenient location.

Get started by filling out our quote form today to receive a curated list of rates from Canadian insurance providers. You can reach our team at [email protected] or in person at 10 Great Gulf Drive, Unit 5, Vaughan, ON, L4K 5W1.