Sara Blohowiak is the Human Resources Manager for SuiteDynamics, a NetSuite solutions provider. As an HR professional, she fosters a nerdy passion for transforming the employee experience and streamlining HR operations and efficiency. She has also worked in HR across many industries, including hospitality, government, and now, tech. Sara lives in Milwaukee, WI, with her dog, Penelope, and near her beloved pickleball league.
The Benefits of HR Automation: How to Make Work a Breeze
An automated HR system can do more than save your company time and money. The right one can increase the quality of life in your office.
Before I discovered the benefits of HR automation, I filed papers. One. After. Another.
For four years.
At first, I worked as a human resources coordinator, then as a talent acquisitions manager, and finally as a human resources management assistant. No matter the job, I would spend entire days inserting papers into the correct employee files. The task never ended.
When an auditor came, my team had to pull employee records. We descended into panic mode, sorting through stacks of papers to find the “not yet filed” documents.
Thankfully, my life in HR has changed. For the past few years, I’ve run the HR department for SuiteDynamics, and automation has rid my world of perpetual filing and panic sorting.
If you haven’t discovered the benefits of HR automation yet, I’m begging you to try it. Automation will take the friction out of your HR operations and cut your stress level in half. Try tackling these two processes first.
1. Documentation
As I said, manual HR documentation will chain you to a file cabinet—but automation sets you free.
Today, I don’t have to sift through papers, update binders with current documents, or pass hard copies between department heads and HR. Instead, our company has gone completely paperless, using fillable forms that save time and automatically update documents.
We also use an eFileCabinet to keep and manage every document in the cloud. That way, all documentation stays at the right person’s fingertips. We can limit the eFileCabinet based on class or department so HR can find employee records, accounting can access IR/AR documents, and project managers can retrieve statements of work agreements.
2. Employee Relations
Without automation, onboarding becomes clumsy. For example, you might have to use system uploads and supervisor approvals to complete employee record entries. The entire process often gets hampered by missed approvals, meaning that documents aren’t always ready and available for start dates.
If this sounds like your work life, maybe it’s time to switch things up.
NetSuite's enterprise resource planning (ERP) system features customizable performance reviews that allow you to create multiple questionnaires based on company and review needs. I can even schedule 90-day and annual employee reviews the day we hire a staff member. The software does this task automatically, so I don’t have to worry about manual creation, scheduling, and assigning.
The system also has a digital employee center, where staff can manage their own information. For instance, they can add goals for supervisors to use in performance reviews, providing a starting point for growth and development planning. The employee center even allows staff members to submit expense reports for timely processing.
Then, when employees need time off, they can request it themselves. The program also displays approved and pending requests to notify other employees of overlapping vacation days.
Life After Automation
This software has changed my entire office experience. Instead of drudging through paperwork and data entries, I can focus on more fulfilling tasks. I have more time to administer our 401(k), source applicants from our job postings, create training plans, craft handbooks and policies, and, of course, research NetSuite automation options.
I know you want to make a difference in your company, so talk to your leadership about the benefits of HR automation. An efficient system will save money and provide more time to reach personal performance goals.
If you have any questions about NetSuite's HR automation capabilities, schedule a free consultation with SuiteDynamics experts. They can help decide how the system will best serve your business.
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