What is HRIS software?
By introducing a reliable, centralised Human Resources management software package, you can simplify your employee management processes.
HRIS stands for Human Resources Information System, and HRIS software has now entered common parlance in the business world. It refers to a comprehensive set of software features that are designed to make employee management simpler and easier, whether that’s recruitment, payroll, staff administration or talent management, in addition to skills management, training, appraisals and expenses forms.
HRIS software: definition
HRIS software – otherwise known as a Human Resources Information System – is a comprehensive software solution designed to facilitate and centralise the management of an organisation’s human resources.
HRIS software is usually made up of various different modules. Depending on the needs, resources and particular characteristics of each individual organisation, HRIS software can be used to oversee and manage recruitment, training, payroll, Time & Attendance, staff administration, talent management, appraisals and more, for one or more entities within the same organisation.
What are HRIS modules?
HRIS software is becoming both increasingly powerful and increasingly scalable. This scalability enables each organisation to create their own “à la carte” HRIS software, according to their requirements and how far along they are in the process of HR digitalisation.
A comprehensive HRIS software solution generally includes the following core modules and features:
- Time and Attendance management (T&A)
- Leave and absence management
- Administrative staff management
- Certification monitoring
- Medical appointment and vaccination monitoring
- HR onboarding management (for new employees)
- Managing training history
- Talent, job title and skills management
- Management of remote working
- Electronic signature and secure digital archiving of HR documents (digitalisation)
- Monitoring of HR and issues related to labour and employment
- Measuring QWL (Quality of Work Life)
- HR Reporting (employee policy report, indicators, etc.)
- The HR portal, or employee portal.
When choosing an HRIS software package, it is therefore important to pay particular attention to the modules available and what they offer. It’s also important to ensure that these modules are truly integrated, meaning that they can exchange HR data without the need for re-inputting data from one module to another.
Why introduce an HR management software solution?
Human Resources management is becoming more and more complex. HR management is no longer simply a case of personnel records and approving leave requests. From enhancing the employer brand to retaining talent and managing skills and competencies over the long term, the HR function has acquired a strategic dimension within organisations that cannot be ignored.
The HR function therefore has to optimise the way it manages time-consuming administrative tasks, in order to free up time and resources for managing talent and meeting the strategic challenges facing the organisation.
What are the benefits of HRIS software?
Digitalising HR processes, by using an HRIS software solution, offers a number of benefits:
HRIS software that automates, centralises and standardises processes.
One of the main features of an HRIS software solution is to automate the most time-consuming and low-value tasks, such as re-entering annual leave entitlement data, calculating payroll variables, reminding managers to schedule medical appointments, and so on.
Automating tasks means data is centralised and easily updated. With HRIS software, you no longer have to juggle various Excel© files. All the information is centralised in a single database that feeds all your modules.
Introducing an HRIS software solution is also a great opportunity to standardise your HR processes. This avoids any potential frustration on the part of your employees, who may otherwise find themselves being managed in a different way depending on what department or entity they fall under.
HR software that ensures data security and compliance
By opting to digitalise your HR processes, you ensure optimal security for your HR data, as well as compliance when it comes to your HR practices.
Because some of the HR data in the system is entered manually, and there is room for human error, total reliability of your HR data cannot be guaranteed. However, by automating and centralising data, you avoid the need for re-inputting data multiple times, thereby largely eliminating the risk of error.
Thanks to the HRIS system’s various labour law alerts, you’ll receive day-to-day support on the legal aspects and periodic requirements related to personnel management within your organisation. With Kelio’s HRIS solution, certain data inputs can be blocked, to avoid scheduling working hours that are not compatible with current legislation, for example. As another example, Kelio software can provide automated alerts related to compulsory medicals for employees, as required.
HRIS software that enables you to manage your HR strategy, using analysis and indicators
HRIS software gives you access to a library of HR data. Thanks to reliable, accurate indicators, you’ll be able to produce HR dashboards in just a few clicks, enabling you to optimise and manage your HR policies.
HR management data is becoming increasingly vital to businesses and organisations, whether it’s to help manage remuneration policy or absenteeism, optimise internal resource planning, or manage job titles, talent and skills. With reliable indicators that are easy to update, you can get a clear picture of the situation and develop an HR strategy that will contribute to the success and sustainable growth of your organisation.
An HR management solution that makes for a smoother and easier employee experience
HRIS software helps to improve employee experience internally, through:
- Simplifying HR processes with or without validation (workflows)
- Decentralising HR decisions for local managers
- Improving employee accountability. Employees can check their balances completely independently, as well as update their employee information, or carry out administrative processes such as requesting training, leave, account transfers, etc.
- A user-friendly HR portal that’s easy for everyone to get started with and use.
With HRIS software, administrative HR management is made easier for all your employees, enabling them to focus their time and efforts on work that adds value. An effective HRIS software solution enhances well-being at work, and by extension the organisation’s “employer brand”, ultimately helping the organisation to retain talent.
An HR management tool that enhances your “employer brand”
Externally, certain HRIS modules are an asset when it comes to promoting your employer brand. This is the case with the software modules created for recruitment (ATS), which improve the candidate experience, with features such as a fun and engaging presentation of the organisation, video submission of applications, and the ability to set up automated responses, to ensure no candidate gets forgotten.
What are the potential gains when it comes to HRIS software?
By its nature, HRIS software is a collaborative tool, that offers a whole host of benefits, according to the status and rights profile of the user. Here are some real-world examples of the benefits of HRIS software from the user’s point of view:
For the employee:
- The ability to independently view their HR information (leave balances, time accounts, payslips, etc.) and update their data via access to an HR portal for employees
- They can carry out administrative HR processes such as requesting leave, transferring accounts, or changing their remote working day.
- Access to internal information via their dedicated HR portal (e.g. organisation chart)
For managers:
- Notification and validation of employee requests such as leave requests, timesheets, and remote working requests.
- View your team’s schedules in real time
- Receive alerts regarding anomalies or tasks to be carried out: for example, unplanned absences, reminders about medical appointments, or important deadlines (e.g. an expiring contract).
- Assistance with planning complex schedules.
For the HR Administrator:
- Access to centralised HR information that is secure and up-to-date. Ability to access this information remotely, thanks to Cloud-based HRIS solutions. Access to reports that enable you to steer and manage HR strategy
- Alerts and notifications about anomalies: clocking inputs outside the specified period, schedule over-runs, and so on.
- Decentralisation of certain tasks for managers
- Reliable export of payroll variables in just a few clicks
- Support with legal and contractual obligations, via automatic updates and alerts.
What types of organisation are HR management solutions suitable for?
HRIS solutions can be configured to suit all types of organisation, including private companies, public bodies and associations.
Due to their scalability, HRIS software solutions are suitable for organisations with workforces of all sizes, from SMEs to large multinational corporations.
The complex nature of certain collective agreements or operational arrangements (such as seasonal schedules, night shifts or very long working hours) is an example of where introducing HRIS software would be highly beneficial, whatever the size of the workforce.
How do you choose the right HRIS software solution for you?
Are you looking for a complete HRIS software package, or an “à la carte” solution? Should you opt for SaaS (Cloud) or purchase an HRIS software suite that you can install on your own servers? Would you deploy it all at once, or as and when you need it?
Choosing and implementing an HRIS solution is not something that should be done without planning and thinking through the options. An HRIS solution must meet both your requirements and expectations. To help you define these, we recommend following these 3 steps:
Step 1: Carry out a review of your current internal HR processes
Preparing a report that evaluates all of the HR management processes you have in place is a painstaking but crucial step.
For each major focus area – recruitment, administrative staff management, leave management, etc. – take stock of the processes currently in place within your organisation:
- Who, or what event, triggered the HR procedure?
- Who is in charge of supervising, carrying out or approving the task?
- What are the processing times?
- How will the information be retrieved?
- And so on...
Step 2: Draw up a set of HRIS specifications
Using the review you carried out as a starting point, set out your specific expectations. You could create one or several taskforces, who will be charged with drawing up the specifications for your future HRIS solution.
For this phase, you could consider taking the following approach:
- Create a consolidated list of all your processes, then break them down according to theme, frequency, importance, or any other criteria that seems relevant within your organisation.
- Set out specific details of how each process is carried out and identify all the strengths and weaknesses of each, as well as their legal and/or organisational constraints.
- Draw up a list of your expectations and desired improvements when it comes to introducing an HRIS software solution. It’s worth noting that all employees can be involved in this stage. As well as building engagement, this will enable you to become aware of improvements that only employees on the ground can know are needed.
- Rank your expectations in terms of whether the functionality is: essential, important, or optional. This prioritisation process is crucial to remaining focused on your organisation’s essential requirements, without becoming blinded by technologies that may “wow” you, but could be classed as nice additions rather than essential.
Step 3: Issue a call for tenders to HRIS providers
Once you have drawn up your specifications, you’ll be in a position to identify the core features that are going to be crucial to the smooth running of your HRIS solution.
This will enable you to make an initial selection from among the multiple players in this market. As a first step, we recommend that you reach out to between 3 and 5 service providers, from whom you can request quotes and/or demos.
You can evaluate the market players according to a range of criteria (in addition to the HRIS functionality and features that you’re looking for) – including how long they have been established in the market, customer reviews, financial health, number of clients with their software installed, etc.
This step will enable you to refine your initial selection, and even to choose your provider. If you have not been able to do so, focus on the details, and take a look at the Customer Service that is on offer:
- Is it easy to contact the teams?
- Are updates, and monitoring of issues related to legal obligations, HR and labour and employment, included?
- Do they provide support at the HRIS deployment and implementation stage?
- What happens if the software is not available?
- Where will the data be stored? And how securely will it be stored?
Because although the functionality and features of the HRIS are important, Customer Service is equally important.
How do you introduce an HRIS solution within your organisation?
Deploying an HRIS software solution takes time and requires preparation. It’s not a case of just installing an HR portal and waiting for the magic to happen.
Before going live, you’ll need to plan for HR data to be migrated and integrated, such as: personnel files, time and leave accounts, payroll data, etc.
Ideally, it’s best to set up two teams:
- One team of HR and IT administrators, who will be entirely dedicated to setting up and deploying the HRIS solution, with the help of the software publisher’s consultants.
- And a second team, made up of volunteer employees, who will test the software ahead of final deployment. This will allow you to gather their feedback on using the HRIS, and identify what’s working and what needs to be improved.
Alongside the configuration phase, the testing and acceptance testing phases are crucial to ensuring that the results obtained are in line with the expected results.
Established for over 35 years, Kelio’s teams implement tried and tested deployment procedures, leveraging the experience they have accumulated through serving thousands of customers.
How long does it take to implement an HRIS solution?
The installation time for an HRIS solution varies, depending on the complexity of the organisation, the historical data to be reintegrated, and the number of software modules to be deployed.
Projects for major companies can span multiple years, while a simple clocking terminal can be installed and set up in less than an hour. On average, however, a project typically takes 3 to 6 months.
How do you get people on board when it comes to introducing HR management software?
HRIS or Time & Attendance management software is the only software used by all the employees within an organisation.
When it comes to changing your HR software, even if the change is positive, some employees may be hesitant.
It’s therefore essential to support this change through a number of actions:
- Internal communication about the reasons for the change and the benefits that employees will gain from it: more autonomy (checking balances, requesting leave, etc.), greater transparency (e.g. in the way their attendance is registered), greater fairness (identical treatment, regardless of department), etc.
- Provide training for HR administrators and key users of the HR solution (planners, operational managers, etc.)
- Initiatives to support employees who will use the system: create a User Guide to help them get to grips with the HRIS; appoint employee representatives to act as ambassadors among their colleagues, etc.
Can an HRIS be rolled out to multiple sites or countries?
Kelio’s HRIS software is translated into 17 languages, and the appearance of the screens is identical for each language version. This means we can deploy the software in different countries, and at different sites, in order to harmonise HR practices across a group.
What is the ROI of HRIS software?
When it comes to calculating the ROI (return on investment) of an HRIS software solution, there’s no general rule that applies. It depends first and foremost on the organisation’s starting point in terms of HR digitalisation. Are the existing processes 100% paper-based? Are some HR processes already digitalised?
Secondly, it’s difficult to get to a financial equivalent for each benefit that an HRIS offers you. How do you evaluate the financial value of modernising the organisation’s image, or avoiding a payroll error, for example?
However, the most frequently noted factors remain the time and cost savings achieved in managing administrative HR tasks.
