Technology continues to impact workplace dynamics.
Work from home.
Work remotely from another state.
Work from another country.
With employees scattered geographically, how does HR keep track of everything?
That’s where cloud-based software can help.
Long gone are the days of accessing software and data only via your hard drive. With Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), you can use software from any internet connected device, from anywhere. Rather than installing, hosting and maintaining the software, you pay a monthly subscription fee. Pricing structures vary and can be based on different factors: number of users, features, tier, storage pricing, etc.
What is cloud-based HR software?
It is software designed to manage HR tasks such as recruitment, applicant tracking, onboarding, payroll management, benefits administration, employee data and more all via the internet. From hiring to engagement, it has changed HR forever. While some hard copy personnel records should still be kept, much paperwork can safely be replaced by a digital copy.
Let’s dig in! How can this benefit my company?
First impressions – New hires can securely onboard themselves before they start. That’s an “engaging” first impression! Instead of wasting time filling out paper forms and manually transferring that information into your system, you can spend time helping them understand their role, meeting the team and getting started.
Immediacy – Once signed up, you can immediately start using it. No extensive IT labor to install the software or huge files to download. It’s quite literally a turnkey solution!
Flexible – With access from any device, your HR team and employees can use their smart phones to check on or respond to any HR-related issues. Permissions can be customized according to the needs of senior leadership, HR, managers and employees.
Secure – SaaS software can’t exist without robust security measures in place. They are responsible for your sensitive data and auditing procedures like SOC 2 ensure they take it seriously.
Easy – Automatic updates eliminate the typical stress and cost associated with upgrades to on-premise HR systems. Many digital platforms are designed to integrate with legacy systems or cloud applications. An easy to navigate user interface supports a forward-thinking brand image and affects how employees think about the company.
Affordable – There is no infrastructure investment because that’s all handled remotely.
Unified – With a unified data hub, you can process payroll, pull reports and review analytics quickly and on the go. A single source also helps avoid duplicate entries that can lead to errors.
How do I choose the best cloud-based HR software?
That’s where things get hard. It’s time-consuming and difficult to navigate all the available solutions. So much so that we wrote a post about how to evaluate HR software and find the best fit. Feel free to check it out and ask us any questions about the process. We’re happy to help.
For us, we’d been closely monitoring software and security advances. We knew our clients would benefit if we found the right solution. We compiled our must-have requirements, evaluated countless vendors, drilled them on issues vital to our clients and made a selection. Certainly, we had an unfair advantage. We have been partnering with businesses for over 20 years and know what clients care about and need.
Don’t send me to the FAQ page. Can I talk to a human?
With software, there will always be questions or the occasional glitch. It’s the nature of technology. There are also countless HR decisions that are not black and white despite their appearance onscreen. Perhaps you need to make a judgement call and need advice. Seeking guidance, you don’t want to get stuck in an endless phone cue. In those moments, technology can be limiting. That’s how we have transformed our clients’ businesses and lives! They get the benefit of the best cloud-based HR software with direct access to our HR experts.
At MidwestHR, we offer our clients the power of technology with the human touch. We are an extension of your team. With a dedicated account manager who understands your unique business needs, you will know exactly who to call for help. Even when you don’t realize you need help; your manager will proactively call with reminders, updates, suggestions and advice. Whether it’s new legislation to consider or an employee training opportunity, we are your partner. Give us a call at 630-836-3000 to learn more about how we have supported our clients’ successes for over 20 years.
