The Best HR Tools & Apps to Save Time we'll be covering:
HR professionals, and particularly those in smaller organisations, are constantly juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities, which means that their time and focus can be pulled in a number of different directions. As businesses continue to integrate more technology and automation into their daily operations, HR tools are becoming an essential addition to support payroll, recruitment, employee training and other processes.
The best HR tools help HR professionals to make the most of their time, streamlining their duties and enabling them to be completed quickly, efficiently and accurately. The time saving benefits of HR software are valuable for both large businesses, which have more employees and more complex requirements, and small businesses, which tend to have smaller teams facing more pressure to complete these essential tasks.
From HR tools that are accessible from mobile devices to applicant tracking, and from time tracking to performance management systems, there are many different tools available to support your business. In this article, we’re going to show you how implementing HR tools can increase efficiency and minimise errors throughout your HR processes without expensive up-front costs, steep learning curves or complicated integrations.
1. Applicant tracking systems (ATS)
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is an HR tool that helps to streamline the end-to-end recruitment process. From collating applicant information into a single system and automatically filtering CVs, to scheduling interviews and supporting employee onboarding, ATS tools offer a broad range of functionality that makes it easier to find the very best talent to join your team.
As well as helping to save time, the benefits of an ATS are broad, extending to the continued growth and performance of your business. By streamlining the recruitment process and implementing sophisticated automation, applicant tracking systems can get your job listing seen by even more people, expanding the applicant pool to give you access to higher-quality candidates that can help your business to reach greater success.
2. Performance management systems
A performance management system is an HR tool designed to support the employee review process. They help small businesses to save time while providing a consistent structure that makes it easier to set objectives and track progress. This allows managers and HR professionals to monitor how well members of the team are performing, giving them the opportunity to intervene in the case of poor performance, or to suitably reward employees who are performing well.
When carried out effectively, performance reviews also help to boost employee engagement and increase job satisfaction. Using appraisal software gives managers a clear picture of the performance of each employee, and allows employees to take ownership of their goals and objectives. It offers transparency and accountability that promotes personal development whilst also offering opportunities to align individual goals with wider business objectives.
3. Time tracking systems
There are several different types of HR systems that can save your business time and improve the accuracy of your employees’ tracked hours. Manual tracking methods can be time consuming and are prone to human error, which can lead to accidental under, or overpayments. By automating the tracking process with time and attendance software, you can increase accuracy and reduce the need for manual intervention, allowing your HR team to focus their efforts elsewhere.
One of the biggest benefits of time tracking systems is their ability to integrate with other HR tools such as payroll solutions, further streamlining the process of paying your employees accurately. They also make it easier to flag patterns of absenteeism that may require intervention, and generate automated reports to support performance reviews.
4. Payroll systems
Payroll software helps small businesses to manage all aspects of payroll processing, from safely storing employee information in a centralised location to supporting compliance requirements and pension contributions. Some of the many time-saving benefits of payroll systems include generating paychecks, automating reports and calculating deductions, as well as using built-in compliance features and integrations with other key HR tools to improve the accuracy of employee payments.
For some businesses, outsourcing payroll may be a more suitable option than handling the process in house, allowing them to benefit from expert support that allows their HR professionals to focus their attention elsewhere. However, payroll software is a versatile solution that can allow even small enterprises to take ownership of their employee paychecks.
5. Benefits administration systems
Employee benefits systems are often overlooked but are actually one of the most important HR tools for modern businesses. The current job landscape is extremely competitive, with employees looking for greater work-life balance, more reward and recognition of their achievements, and a positive workplace culture that promotes employee wellbeing.
It’s therefore essential that growing companies focus on these aspects to improve employee satisfaction and retention, which can boost overall business performance. From discount codes and technology schemes to gym passes and lift-share platforms, there are many ways to give back, all managed in a single self-service portal that gives employees quick access to their benefits at any time.
6. Self-service HR
Employee self service enables workers to take ownership of essential administrative processes relating to their employment and reduces the need for HR involvement. There’s a range of HR tools and services available to help both employers and employees to save time and boost efficiency so they can focus on other aspects of their roles.
Often in the form of an HR mobile app, an HR self service portal enables employees to manage a wide variety of processes, including:
- View and update their personal information
- View and download payslips
- Submit and manage leave requests
- Review and approve timesheets
- Access training and development programs
- View company policy documents
- Participate in employee engagement surveys
7. HR database software
HR database software is a crucial tool, and one that is included with even basic HR software as standard. One of its key benefits is centralising data that HR managers would otherwise have to organise manually, helping to conserve data quality and enable collaboration across departments. This means employers can avoid the version control issues of using individual spreadsheets, minimise manual errors, and ensure data security with configurable access control.
An HR database enables professionals to streamline many essential HR tasks, including:
- Data entry and management
- Report generation
- Compliance tracking
- Onboarding processes
How to use HR tools and apps to save time
As you can see, there are many different types of HR tools and mobile apps available. When these systems are integrated effectively, they can solve many issues that occur with disjointed, clunky systems by offering a single centralised platform for all functions. This list isn’t exhaustive, and there are many other solutions available that can help your HR department to make the most of its resources.
By implementing them into your everyday processes, small and growing organisations can take advantage of time-saving HR software features that unlock greater productivity. Online HR tools can help you to create a streamlined, efficient HR department by:
- Automating tasks
- Streamlining processes
- Centralising data
- Improving communication
- Supporting collaboration
If you’d like to try PeopleHR’s time-saving HR tools for yourself and see how they can help your business to achieve more, take a look at our free trial. Whatever processes you’re looking to streamline, we can offer you expert support and guidance to ensure the right solution for your business.
