Human Resource Management Systems (HRMSs) have become a key technology for businesses. These systems are suitable for both small and big businesses, allowing companies to enjoy a range of benefits. While HRMS started out as something only a few specialists would use, HR professionals these days won’t want to go on without one.
HRMS platforms come in all shapes and sizes. The problem for most organizations is to find the right product for their specific needs. The selection process is important, as a badly chosen product could simply make your life a lot harder. The goods news is that there is a good product out there for all companies. You simply have to focus on these five key issues and you can choose the right HRMS implementation partner for your organization.
1. Understand the Basics
Your HRMS can do a lot of different things and it’s crucial to get to know the basics of these systems before you start shopping. Most of the software solutions out there will consist of a mixture of employee records, benefits information and payroll data. The systems also include compliance issues so knowing what you need and what a specific product can offer can be important. Due to these different functionalities, it’s a good idea to start by understanding what each function does. This allows you to ensure you actually need that functionality and don’t already have a system to look after it, for example.
Because HRMS often involves a layer of compliance, it can be important to focus on local systems. For example, HRMS software in UAE will ensure your payroll complies with the local payroll laws. This takes a lot of pressure away from your HR personnel and ensures your employees are paid correctly. If your business operates internationally, you naturally want to make sure to have a system that can understand the different local laws that govern things like payroll or data storage.
In addition, it’s a good idea to understand whether your chosen HRMS is a cloud-based or an on-premise system. For most of todays’ software needs, cloud-based systems are definitely the way to go. They tend to be cheaper and easier to implement. However, you want to understand the difference to ensure you get a system that works for your business.
2. Consider Your Needs
As eluded above, the important thing is to identify and understand your needs as a business. You might want to focus more on workforce management tools whilst another business might require more talent management functionality. Each business is different and you have to pick a product that matches your needs. For example, you might have a huge temporary workforce which makes things like payroll management very different. Things like onboarding challenges are very unique and your chosen HRMS has to match this.
There are plenty of options to choose from and it’s important to go around shopping for the right product. If possible, take advantage of free demonstrations or trials before committing to buy a product.
3. Consult the Finance and IT Teams
While your HRMS software is most likely used mainly by the HR team, you shouldn’t buy a product without consulting other teams. Due to the nature of the system, you’ll want to have a word with your Finance and IT teams. The IT team can give plenty of useful input in terms of using the product or including it in your existing software ecosystem. The Finance team, on the other hand, might have valuable input in regards to how well the system compliments your current software solutions and so on. Communicating the different options with these different departments can make the transition to a new product a lot smoother.
4. Focus on User Experience
One of the most important things about any software is the usability. You can’t focus purely on the functionalities of your software. You also need to make sure the product is easy to use. If your employees struggle with the software, then it won’t really be worth having all those fancy functionalities.
Understand who is going to be using the product and what kind of skillset is needed. Do you need to train your whole organization to use the new software? Is the learning curve from your existing software to the new HRMS a deep one? Once you know what the end-user experience is going to be like, you can get a better understanding of what type of implementation is needed. You definitely don’t want to opt for software that requires a lot of training – unless you have the means to go through with the process.
5. Examine the Company Behind the Product
Finally, it is important to note that you shouldn’t simply be shopping for a product. When you are looking to implement HRMS in your organization, you aren’t just looking for software but a partner. The process is not just about using the product. You also want to understand what type of support you are going to get before, during and after.
For example, you should be aware of any initial installation support you are getting from the company. You also want to pay attention to how well the company responds to your initial inquiries. This is often a great indicator of the support you’ll get later on. If it’s hard to get any answers from the software developer before you’ve made the purchase, you might not find it any easier afterwards. In addition, you want to look at the kind of support you receive once you’ve bought the product. How can you contact the company for assistance? What happens if things go wrong? The answer to these questions can reveal a lot about a company and help you choose the right product. Finally, make sure you also understand how the software scales. Your HR needs might grow and you want to know if the product and the developer behind it is able to meet your changing needs.
