Is Your HR Software Missing These 5 Key Features?
Ready to invest in HR software? Before you drop money on new technology, ensure that your software has the following features so it grows with you.
If you’ve been looking into HR software, you know that it can be an expensive but essential tool for scaling your company’s processes. Every day, HR professionals test tools and evaluate what’s right for their growing companies. HR pros connect with sales reps, go through demos, and get approval from stakeholders to transform and digitize their employee experience.
Before you reach out to an HR software company, take a step back to realize what this software does and what features you need.
What HR software does for your business
When looking at a new expense for your business, you might be wondering how it can help. Here are a few things HR software can do for your business:
Keep up with younger applicants and employees who expect technology
If you want to impress Millennials and Gen Z applicants, you must invest in technology. These generations are familiar with technology, and paper-heavy processes can stop them from applying or engaging at work. Companies that value long-term growth invest in technology to attract more candidates.
Ensure time-sensitive tasks don’t slip through the cracks
HR software can help you remember these tasks, send reminders, and get things submitted on time.
HR professionals are responsible for some of the most time-sensitive company tasks. For example, onboarding in the United States requires employers to complete an I-9 form within 3 business days of an employee’s start date. Fines for dropping the ball on this task are expensive.
Before software helped streamline this task, some organizations struggled to keep up with these deadlines. HR software can help you remember these tasks, send reminders, and get things submitted on time.
Organize data that helps you make better decisions
Since technology has become more prevalent in business, HR professionals have become data analysts. Data-driven HR has become increasingly important. Without the use of technology, gathering these insights can be challenging. HR software helps companies make sense of all the information they collect on forms and surveys to improve their business.
Does your HR software have these 5 key features?
Now that you understand what HR software does, let’s talk about some key features. All HR software isn’t built the same. You might run across software with a specific use case, or an all-in-one solution. Some software might be made for companies of different sizes or in industries. The following 5 HR software features will be beneficial no matter what technology you consider.
1. Reliable features that work when you need them
If you are looking for the best HR software, you need features relevant to your business. Most of all, you need technology that won’t fail you or your employees.
If you want to make sure that software has what you need, speak with a sales representative.
- What features does this software have?
- How often are new features added?
- Do you have any system downtime reports I can look at?
- Do you have an uptime guarantee? What happens if you slip below it?
- Are your maintenance periods announced in advance?
2. System help documents, videos, and customer service
Companies need a mix of self-service options and excellent customer service to use technology. As you add new HR professionals, quickly getting them up to speed on your tech stack is important. HR software providers that have invested in product education make your life easier.
To ensure that your HR software has these in place, look for their help center. Is the platform filled with helpful advice that will make it easier to use the platform? If not, do they have plans to add these details?
As you add new HR professionals, quickly getting them up to speed on your tech stack is important. HR software providers that have invested in product education make your life easier.
3. A user interface that your employees will enjoy
If your employees don’t use the software you provide, your life will be more complicated. Going back to Millennials’ and Gen Zers’ love of technology, you need to invest in software with an excellent user interface.
It’s easy to determine if a company has a solid user interface. Ask your sales representative to demo the account from an employee’s perspective. If you can get into an account and test the employee experience, that’s even better. Is the software easy and enjoyable to use?
4. Easy-to-understand analytics
If you need to become more data-driven, you need software that can keep up. Some HR platforms track a ton of information, but aren’t always accessible to administrators. You need to ask specific questions to ensure that the information your software captures is reportable.
To understand analytics, ask about them in your demonstration:
- What kind of analytics does this platform track?
- How can I access this data? Can I download a spreadsheet or calculate in-app?
- What language does the platform use? Will I learn new words or use terms I’m used to in HR?
- Are there any pre-defined reports to make jumping into analytics easier?
- Will the platform highlight or send me alerts about any data points I need to look at?
What’s your biggest 2022 HR challenge that you’d like to resolve
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5. Simple integrations with your favorite tools
No matter which HR software you choose, you’ll likely have other tools in your tech stack. Being able to connect this software will make software adoption easier. Some companies are great at seeking out and creating helpful integrations. Other companies may provide documentation and rely on you to create your own integrations.
It’s not difficult to determine what integrations a company has. Most companies will have an integrations page listing every tool they connect with. You might want to talk to a sales representative to determine how these integrations work. For example, you may want to know if the integration is 1-way or 2-way. Having integrations that talk to each other makes your life as an administrator easier.
Finding the best HR software for you
If you are looking for the best HR software, look no further than Zenefits. We are highly rated by our customers and frequently show up on best lists from sites like G2 and Gartner. We’ve built a suite of easy-to-use HR tools to help you with your HR needs like onboarding, employee management, compensation, benefits, and more. Sign up for a free trial today.
