2022 Budgeting for HR Teams: Must-Have HR Tools

Human resources work has always been complex and time consuming. Now, with the pandemic and everything it has brought, from remote work to the Great Resignation, anyone in HR is probably more overloaded than ever.

One of the best ways to make the most of your time is by automating as many of your processes as you can. Luckily, in our technology filled modern world, that’s easier than ever to do going into 2022.

Beyond saving yourself time so you can focus on the critical tasks that have to be done by a person, automation has another big bonus: accuracy. Pretty much anytime a computer takes over a process that’s previously done by hand, you can expect an increase in accuracy thanks to a reduction in human error.

Here are some of the best HR tools to build into your budget for next year. Your future self will thank you and so will your budget when you consider all of the cost savings automation can bring.

Employee recognition tools

Especially after these tumultuous years, employee recognition is critical. With companies hiring left and right, under-appreciated employees have plenty of opportunity if they want to look for the door. Keeping them happy is essential, and recognition is a key element of the employee happiness cocktail. If you want to automate your employee recognition processes, check out these options:

• Assembly: This platform lets you set up customizable rewards that can even be paid thanks to access to 600 options for gift cards and charities that are baked right in.
• Blueboard: This company is all about reimagining employee recognition. Rather than focusing on items, Blueboard focuses on experiences. From backyard projects to kite surfing lessons, it’s designed to have something for everyone.
• Bonusly: Their big thing is making it easy for employees to recognize each other, their direct reports, and their managers for the work that they do — big and small.

Especially after these tumultuous years, employee recognition is critical. With companies hiring left and right, under-appreciated employees have plenty of opportunity if they want to look for the door.

Team building and event tools

Coming up with team building activities and planning events sounds fun and easy, but often it ends up being stressful and time consuming. If you’re ready to let a computer take over some of the work for you, these solutions are ready to help.

• Confetti: This platform takes all of the thinking out of planning events. Browse hundreds of team building ideas by category (holiday party coming up?) and even book events with just a couple of clicks.
• Hoppier: Whether you’re looking for in-person or virtual events, Hoppier can help with everything from virtual lunches to happy hours and much in between.
• Outback Team Building: Not only does Outback make corporate team building easier than ever, it also offers training solutions, too!

Payroll tools

The dreaded payroll. It’s the worst thing to mess up because if someone’s paycheck isn’t exactly right and on time, you’ll have angry employees knocking on your door or shooting you Slack messages in no time. Plus, it’s a pretty time consuming process, too. If you’re ready to automate payroll, explore these:

• Patriot Payroll: With a 30-day trial, you can test out Patriot to see if their payroll system is the right fit for you and your company.
• Quickbooks Payroll: Whether you already have Quickbooks or not, the company’s payroll service is worth exploring. The best part is that you can integrate their payroll service with their tax services.
• Zenefits: We had to mention ourselves, of course! We pride ourselves in bringing the best overall HR solution to companies big and small, with a focus on getting the important processes (like payroll and benefits) right every time.

Time tracking tools

Remote work simply isn’t going away anytime soon. If you’ve been holding off on investing in time tracking tools, make 2022 the year with these options:

• Connecteam: This app lets employees clock in and out with a tap of their screen. For companies with employees out in the world, the app offers GPS capabilities to allow for real-time visibility into where your employees are.
• Timecamp: A more straightforward time tracking option, Timecamp makes project management a digital breeze to boot.
• Toggl: Designed to boost productivity overall, Toggle allows for easy time tracking and reporting. It also has project planning and hiring features, too.

Communication tools

Even if we do go back to the office next year, COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon. Therefore, neither will the many precautions surrounding it like working from home after a potential exposure. If the communication tools you have right now simply aren’t doing the job, consider switching to one of these:

• Microsoft Teams: Whether you’re looking to send off quick messages or you want to meet virtually, Teams lets you do that both internally and externally.
• Slack: With a handy mobile app, Slack and its various workspaces have quickly become a favored option for remote communication.
• Zoom: The video-conferencing platform that took the world by storm when COVID-19 hit has seen sustained success throughout the pandemic because of its user-friendly interface.