7 Tips on Optimizing Recurring HR Procedures with Efficient Tools

The HR department is the lifeline of any organization. It helps to maintain its workforce with efficient tools to make the best use of its time and talent. But one problem that many organizations must address is recurring procedures and manual processes.

Still, creating automated HR processes can be a daunting task for any business. After all, not all businesses have software developers.

Nonetheless, there are ways to simplify the process and streamline recurring HR tasks with efficient technology tools. This article discusses how you can use tools or systems to improve recurring HR processes within your business, save time and money, and improve the bottom line.

1. Use Candidate Sourcing Tools

Your journey toward an optimized HR system starts with how you source your talents. However, finding the right candidate is a challenge nowadays. But still, hiring the right candidate is key to a company’s success, says 92% of business executives.

A sourcing tool is a software application that helps you find the best candidates for your job openings. It allows you to search for candidates based on their skills, experience, and other criteria.

There are many other sourcing tools available, including job boards and social media platforms. You can use these to advertise your jobs and attract candidates who may be interested in them.

When you’re looking to fill a position, it can be tempting to post your listing on job boards and wait for candidates to come knocking. But there are more effective ways of sourcing candidates than this traditional approach.

We recommend using job boards that allow you to drill down into specific skill sets or industries. In this way, you can target the right people with your job postings and avoid wasting time on unqualified applicants.

2. Use an Applicant Tracking System

The next step to creating an automated HR process is implementing an applicant tracking system (ATS). This system allows you to manage the entire recruitment process in one place by managing applications, resumes, interviews, and more. It allows you to access, review, and update documents whenever necessary.

An ATS will help you streamline the hiring process by automating repetitive tasks, such as sending automated emails when candidates apply for jobs. Aside from saving time, it also enhances HR capabilities since it can automatically scan and sort applicants.

Hiring employees is expensive nowadays, with the average cost of hiring an employee being $4,129. But with an ATS, you can also cut your hiring expense by boosting recruiter performance, hiring speed, and employee retention.

3. Use a Virtual Onboarding Solution

Once a candidate gets hired, the next technology tool to use is onboarding software. This tool allows you to set up new hires with the information, resources, and training they need to hit the ground running.

You can easily organize and streamline your new hire onboarding with the right technology. In addition to providing them with key documents like their W-2s and 401(k) information, it can also be used to set up new employee accounts on enterprise applications like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics 365.

When you’re looking to onboard a new hire, the goal is to ensure they have all the information they need to start on the job—including everything from benefits and policies to training materials and other documents. A virtual onboarding solution can help create a user-friendly platform where employees can find everything they need.

4. Use a Document Management System

Once your hiring process has gone through all of these steps, it’s time for step four: filling out paperwork! A document management system (DMS) will help you keep track of all your records, whether in paper or digital form. You can use a document management system to build an inventory of all the necessary employee documents, then send them out for signature via email or through a portal on your website.

DMS tools can help you manage all the forms and documents that need to be filled out during a new hire’s hiring and onboarding process. These include I-9s (Employment Eligibility Verification Forms) and W-4s (Withholding Allowance Certificates). These platforms are a great way to keep your new hires' paperwork in one place.

You can scan documents and upload them into a secure database, where they’re accessible by employees, managers, HR teams—anyone who needs access. It can also give employees access to these documents when needed—which is especially helpful if they’re a new hire who lives out of state or far from your office.

5. Use a Performance Evaluation System

Performance appraisals are a great way to keep track of how each employee is doing. They can help you identify issues that need to be addressed and celebrate successes. It’s no wonder companies use performance evaluation systems in their operations.

For instance, a performance evaluation system is a good way to track employee progress over time and help them improve their skills. You can use this tool to evaluate your employees’ work performance and review goals for improvement.

If you have new hires, they must receive regular evaluations, so you can give them feedback on how well they’re doing in their roles. You can use these tools to track everything, from basic attendance and work quality to more complicated metrics like sales numbers or customer satisfaction.

A good performance evaluation system will help you identify opportunities for improvement and take actionable steps toward improving your team's productivity. Moreover, make sure it’s accessible to all employees—not just managers and HR teams!

6. Streamline your payroll cycle and automate tax compliance

The payroll cycle is a time-consuming process that can be difficult to manage. A good way to make things easier on yourself is by streamlining your payroll and automating tax compliance. You can do this by using online payroll software like Gusto or ZenPayroll, which will automatically calculate taxes, set up deductions, and more, so you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

It’s important to keep your payroll cycle as streamlined as possible. Too many manual processes can slow down your ability to pay employees and complete tax filings on time.

Automating your payroll process will ensure that you’re always on top of things and don’t miss any deadlines—which could result in costly penalties or fines from the IRS.

7. Integrate HR tools with key business solutions

If you use a suite of business software, like SAP or NetSuite ERP, it can be helpful to connect your HR tools to those systems. For example, if you’re using a payroll provider like Gusto, it can integrate with SAP’s SuccessFactors platform so you can automate employee onboarding and performance reviews.

These systems may be able to import and export data, but they aren’t designed specifically with HR in mind. Integrating them with a tool like Zenefits will help ensure that your payroll data is accurate and up-to-date.

Deploying HR tools with integrated HR management capabilities is also good practice. For instance, if you need a learning management system for your employees, choose one with HR management features. Many LMS tools are available on the market but only choose from among the best LMS software in 2022. In this way, you’ll get the right solution for your specific needs.

Efficient management of recurring HR procedures is achievable

With the ever-changing market and employee environment, flexibly adopting HR tools is imperative to keeping costs down and productivity up. By integrating the above HR tools, companies can save time, reduce complexity, and maintain a competitive edge.

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, HR managers have to worry less about the business's day-to-day operations. Since HR technology’s role in boosting employee productivity is already indisputable, business owners and HR managers now have more time to dedicate to other critical tasks, like financial planning and research.