7 HR Tasks That Could (And Should) Have Been Automated Yesterday

by Srikant Chellappa May 2,2023
Engagedly
PODCAST

The People Strategy Leaders Podcast

with Srikant Chellappa, CEO

Imagine having to cook every meal from scratch, day in and day out. It would take up a significant amount of your time and energy, leaving you little room to focus on other important tasks. But with a personal chef, you could enjoy delicious, healthy meals without having to spend hours in the kitchen. It could be expensive, but surely worthwhile, keeping your work-life balance intact. Here we’re discussing outsourcing and automation, and this applies to your work-life as well. 

As an HR professional, it is possible to eliminate the tasks that you dislike and focus on more productive tasks.

As an HR professional, there’s a lot on the table to complete by the ‘end of the day’, right? You may wish to eliminate this term, but you can neither complete your tasks or nor remove this word from your work life. Unfortunately, as an HR professional, you do a lot of work like generating reports, filling out attendance forms, maintaining databases, and many other not-so-fun tasks. By the end of it, you are not even sure if the report you generated has been touched.

This reinventing era demands HR professionals to deliver smart work. And for that, it is important to learn the art of prioritization, to understand what work serves little value and which tasks can be eliminated or automated to deliver value to the table.

In this blog, we will discover some HR tasks that could have been automated yesterday, so, the sooner the better. There are so many tasks that you may think you can do manually because you do them the best, but who knows, one day ChatGPT will be in our lives and have the power to reduce our potential to zero.

So, before we get into the important HR tasks that can be automated right now, what exactly is human resource automation? 

HR Tasks Automation

Also Read: 9 Progressive HR Approaches From HR Professionals

What is HR automation? 

The use of technology to streamline and optimise various HR functions such as recruiting, onboarding, training, payroll, and performance management is referred to as HR automation. It entails the use of software, tools, and platforms to automate routine and repetitive HR tasks, thereby reducing HR professionals’ workload and time spent.

This allows them to focus on more strategic and value-added activities that can contribute to the organization’s growth and success.

HR automation can help organisations save money, increase efficiency, and improve employee satisfaction.

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The Benefits of HR Automation

HR automation has completely revolutionized the operational landscape for businesses, bringing about simplification and enhanced efficacy in HR processes. The adoption of HR automation software offers a multitude of advantages that play a pivotal role in bolstering an organization’s triumph.

  1. HR automation enhances productivity by reducing processing time and facilitating seamless data sharing. Essential tasks like employee onboarding, performance management, talent management, and time and attendance tracking can be automated, resulting in swift processing and enabling HR personnel to dedicate their time to more intricate responsibilities.
  2. Furthermore, HR automation fosters greater employee engagement, which contributes to lower turnover rates. By automating HR processes, employees gain control over their personal information, benefits, and time off requests. This empowerment fosters higher job satisfaction and cultivates a workforce that is more actively involved.
  3. Moreover, organizations benefit financially from HR automation by reducing costs associated with paper-based processing. This encompasses expenses related to printing, storage, and retrieval of physical documents. Additionally, it mitigates compliance risks and policy violations, ensuring adherence to pertinent laws and regulations.
  4. Automation also streamlines the hiring process, empowering HR personnel to swiftly and cost-effectively identify and select the most suitable candidates. It minimizes data entry errors and the misplacement or loss of documents, further enhancing the efficiency of the hiring process.
  5. Finally, HR automation generates insightful reports that facilitate informed decision-making for the organization. These reports offer valuable data on various HR metrics such as employee performance, turnover rates, and training needs. Armed with this information, stakeholders can make data-driven decisions and develop a more effective HR strategy.

Benefits of HR Automation Infographic

Also Read: Benefits Of Having HR Management Software In Organization

7 HR Tasks That Can Be Automated in a Blink of an Eye!

Recruiting:

Recruiting plays a vital role in HR, yet it can be a time-consuming task to review resumes and conduct interviews. Automated recruiting tools, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS), can effectively streamline the process. ATS software scans resumes for relevant keywords and qualifications, matches them with job descriptions, and ranks candidates based on their suitability. This enables HR professionals to save time and swiftly identify the most qualified candidates.

Onboarding:

Onboarding entails introducing new hires to their roles and the company culture. However, it often involves lengthy procedures like paperwork, orientation sessions, and training. Automating certain tasks can expedite the process. For instance, software can generate and send welcome emails to new hires, digitally collect their information, and assign training modules. This empowers HR professionals to efficiently bring new employees up to speed.

Benefits administration:

Managing employee benefits can be intricate and time-consuming. Automated solutions alleviate this burden by helping HR professionals track enrollment, oversee benefits administration, and generate reports. This grants them more time to concentrate on other essential HR functions, such as talent management and employee engagement.

Performance management:

Performance management encompasses setting goals, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. It can be a laborious process, but automation can enhance efficiency. For instance, software can track employee goals and progress, issue reminders for upcoming deadlines, and provide feedback based on predetermined criteria. This enables HR professionals to identify areas where employees excel or require improvement and take appropriate actions.

Time and attendance tracking:

Manual time and attendance tracking is susceptible to errors and consumes significant time. Automated solutions simplify this process by accurately tracking employee hours, generating reports, and calculating pay. This ensures that HR professionals can precisely and promptly compensate employees.

Payroll processing:

Payroll processing entails calculating employee wages, taxes, and benefit deductions. It can be complex and time-consuming, but automation simplifies certain tasks. Software can track employee hours, calculate pay, and generate reports for tax and compliance purposes. This guarantees that HR professionals accurately and punctually compensate employees while mitigating the risk of errors or compliance breaches.

Offboarding:

Offboarding involves the smooth separation of employees from the company, including revoking system access and retrieving company property. Although sensitive, automating specific tasks helps ensure a seamless transition. Software can automatically deactivate employee accounts, schedule exit interviews, and generate compliance reports. This empowers HR professionals to treat departing employees fairly and in accordance with company policies and regulations.

Employee Offboarding - HR Tasks Automation

Also Read: Your Comprehensive Guide to 360 Degree Feedback in the Modern Workplace

Engagedly is your Trusted HR Automation Partner, Here’s Why?

Engagedly stands as an all-encompassing HR automation platform (talent management platform) meticulously crafted to streamline HR processes and enhance employee engagement. Here are several reasons why Engagedly is an esteemed HR automation partner:

Comprehensive HR Solutions:

Engagedly offers a comprehensive range of HR solutions, including talent management, goal setting, employee feedback, 360-degree reviews, pulse surveys, learning management, and more. This empowers organizations to oversee all facets of their HR operations seamlessly from a unified platform.

User-Friendly Interface:

Engagedly boasts a user-friendly interface that ensures effortless navigation and usability. The platform prioritizes user experience, offering intuitive features and tools that require minimal to no training.

Customizability:

Engagedly excels in adaptability, effortlessly tailoring itself to suit the distinctive needs of any organization. It presents an array of customization options, allowing for personalized templates, workflows, and branding.

Continuous Feedback:

Engagedly champions continuous feedback capabilities, allowing employees to receive real-time feedback instead of relying solely on annual performance reviews. This enables organizations to swiftly identify and address issues while fostering a culture where employees feel valued and engaged.

Analytics and Reporting:

Engagedly empowers organizations with comprehensive analytics and reporting functionalities, facilitating data-driven decision-making. The platform offers an extensive array of reports and dashboards that provide invaluable insights into employee performance, engagement, and development.

Integrations:

Engagedly seamlessly integrates with an extensive range of third-party tools and platforms, including HRIS, ATS, and payroll systems. This ensures effortless integration with an organization’s existing HR technology stack.

Outstanding Support:

Engagedly prides itself on offering exceptional customer support, providing dedicated account managers who assist organizations in maximizing the platform’s potential. Moreover, Engagedly offers comprehensive online resources, including video tutorials and a knowledge base, to aid users in navigating the platform smoothly.

Also Read: Performance Management Tools And Techniques Every HR Leader Needs



Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are some benefits of automating HR tasks?

Ans. HR tasks can be automated to save time, cut down on errors, and boost productivity. HR professionals may be able to concentrate on more strategic tasks like talent management and employee engagement as a result. 

Automating HR tasks can also lower the risk of legal action or penalties and help ensure compliance with regulations.

Q2. Which HR tasks are best suited for automation? 

Ans. The following HR processes are good candidates for automation: hiring, onboarding, benefits administration, performance management, time and attendance tracking, payroll processing, and offboarding. Software and other automation tools can be used to streamline these tasks, which are frequently monotonous and time-consuming.

Q3. Will automating HR tasks replace human workers? 

Ans. No, automating HR duties won’t replace employees. Instead, its purpose is to support HR professionals in simplifying their processes and dedicating more time to strategic tasks. Automation assists HR professionals by reducing the time and effort spent on repetitive tasks, allowing them to concentrate on responsibilities that demand human judgement and decision-making. By streamlining routine tasks, automation enables HR professionals to focus on more meaningful and impactful work.

Q4. What should organizations consider before automating HR tasks?

Ans. Organizations should consider their budget, the complexity of their HR processes, and the potential impact on employees before automating HR tasks. The automation process requires transparency and clear communication. Furthermore, organisations should ensure that the software or automation tools used are dependable, secure, and regulatory compliant. Consideration of these factors will assist organisations in making informed decisions about automating HR tasks while prioritising employee well-being.


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Author
Srikant Chellappa
CEO & Co-Founder of Engagedly

Srikant Chellappa is the Co-Founder and CEO at Engagedly and is a passionate entrepreneur and people leader. He is an author, producer/director of 6 feature films, a music album with his band Manchester Underground, and is the host of The People Strategy Leaders Podcast. He is currently working on his next book, Ikigai at the Workplace, which is slated for release in the fall of 2024.

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