5 reasons why small businesses invest in HR software

Blog
Day to Day HR
5 reasons why small businesses invest in HR software

A member of staff requests a holiday and you have no idea whether it clashes with another employee. A team member has another day off sick, how many is that this year? You’re being pestered to review salaries but have no idea who is performing well. You keep hearing about auto-enrolment but are unsure exactly what you need to do to stay compliant. This is why you might want to invest in HR software.

These are common problems that small business owners face. Often the answers are buried in spreadsheets or filing cabinets, or you may find you have forgotten to note something down, and the time it takes to sort each one out means you delay decisions with varying consequences.

Can a software solution actually solve all of this and more? The answer is yes. Things have moved on dramatically in the HR software and outsourced HR arena – especially for small businesses. If you have admin headaches, regularly waste time on manual HR, and have staff chomping at the bit for their holiday to be signed off, then read on for the top 5 reasons that small businesses invest in HR software.

1. HR software automates time-consuming admin

Want to calculate staff holiday? Do you find it hard to keep up with holiday requests? Want to make sure that you’re paying staff the Minimum Wage in line with their age?

Good outsourced HR software does all of this and more. Gone are the days of going back and forth with holiday requests; a good system will tell you what holiday staff can take (even if they’re part-time), as well as keeping you up to date with the latest employment law changes. Imagine the time you’ll have to spend on growing your business, instead of playing with your calculator for hours on end.

2. The HR software does it for you, no HR knowledge required

Today if you have an HR issue or problem you probably have to read up on employment law and HR processes before you take action. Alternatively, you may ask one of your employees (not qualified in HR) to do it for you. Sound familiar?

With good HR software, all the important processes are done for you without any HR knowledge required. You don’t have to tell it the statutory minimum for holiday; you don’t have to rummage through filing cabinets for your employment policies; and you don’t need to worry about the latest employment law changes – it’s all handled for you – by technology. Saving you oodles of time to get on with running your business.

3. Your employees’ data is kept secure in an HR software database

Good HR software allows you to access employee data whenever you want, it’s usually a cloud based system, meaning you can login from any device, anywhere and you can be sure that it’s not going to fall into the wrong hands or get lost.

It’s always worth checking that the database is stored in a secure location and protected by the latest and best in online security. That way you know your employee’s information is safer than sitting in a filing cabinet. You can also control who in your business has access to what information, too.

4. HR software promotes transparency and trust

Given the freedom, we all approach problems and challenges differently. It’s human nature. When you’re away from your business can you trust that your staff and your managers handle HR in the right (and legal) way?

Good HR software removes this question. The processes, your business policies and ways of working are all mapped out for everyone to see and follow. This means you can trust your managers to take the right decisions more than ever before and avoid potential problems that could lead, at worst, to a tribunal claim.

And, when staff can view and request holiday, see their absence record and appraisals online, they can see that you are taking care of their needs as a responsible employer. Just notice how much happier and engaged your staff will be…

5. HR software helps you stay compliant with employment law

We’ve mentioned that HR software can ensure you give staff the right amount of holiday, and also check that you’re paying them the right wage. But when it comes to employment law how does your business keep up with the constant changes?

A good system will send you notifications to make sure you are abreast of all potential changes that could affect your business and also send you reminders to ensure you never miss an HR deadline again. At the least this will ensure you wish your employees happy birthday on the right day and at the most it can save you an expensive employment tribunal because you haven’t complied with a new law.

These critical reminders coupled with speedy tracking of lateness or sickness can make HR software your lifesaver.

If you could use some help to get rid of spreadsheets, save time and sleep soundly safe in the knowledge that your staff needs are covered it might be time to take a look and invest in HR software.

To find out more about citrusHR’s HR software, and why we built it from scratch especially to help small business owners get in touch with us on 0333 014 3888 or email help@citrushr.com.