What is HR software and does my small business need it?

What is HR software? 

HR software is technology designed to help businesses manage all aspects of employment and track people data. Put simply, it lets you manage your people at any time, from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection.  

As a small business owner, you might be thinking that HR software is something solely designed for large companies with thousands of employees. But that’s not the case: the right HR software can improve all aspects of a business, whether your team has five people, or a thousand.  

So, let’s break down what HR software can do for you.  

Save time 

We’ve talked about the many ways that HR software gives you back your time before, but the basic gist is this: with HR software, admin tasks that you might otherwise spend hours on are taken off your hands.  

Repetitive tasks like calculating holiday entitlement are no longer your responsibility: they’re being completed quietly and accurately in the background. Employees can book holiday, log expenses, update their personal information and so much more – all without adding to your already full to-do list. 

citrus HR even offers payroll as an optional add-on to our software, meaning painstaking payroll calculations – and the even longer process of double-and-triple checking your numbers – don’t have to be up to you anymore. 

This is why HR software is the ultimate timesaver for a small business owner who needs to get back to what’s truly important: the business.   

Connection

If you’re anything like us, your people are at the heart of your business. In a small business that doesn’t have hundreds of employees, the sense of connection and team spirit that comes from working with the same people every day is an important part of your company culture.  

Here’s how HR software helps nurture and support this sense of connection: 

• Finding out how your people are feeling about work is easy when you can simply set up a periodic staff survey. Plus, with citrus HR’s survey tool, all that feedback is collated into an easy-to-read graph, so you can spot any downward trends and fix the issues before they become a real problem. 
   
• A great way to motivate your people is by using Employee of the Month tools in your HR software. The whole team can get involved in the process by nominating someone, and when the results are out everyone can celebrate. In a small business, this can cultivate a close-knit culture and hardworking mentality for your people. 

• In the age of social media, business messaging apps like Slack make communication easier for businesses of all kinds. Now add HR software that integrates flawlessly with these apps to bring holiday requests and sickness notifications straight to your inbox, and you’re onto a winner!  

• Earlier, we explained the great timesaving aspects. With your admin tasks taken care of, it goes without saying that you’ll have more time to stop by and spend time with your team. 
   
• Finally, some software such as the citrus HR dashboard calendar can show when people are in the office, on holiday, training, on leave, and even when someone has been named Employee of the Month. This keeps everyone connected, and, in the case of hybrid working, means people can plan their office days to align with one another.  

Do I need HR software for my small business? 

If you want to do get things done faster, easier and with confidence that everything is accurate and compliant, yes. 

Not only can HR software help you manage your people and foster a great team culture, but it can also integrate with other pieces of software you use, such as your finance system or scheduling tools, meaning you only have to put data in one place, and it’ll carry across for you. 

Small business experts 

At citrus HR, we pride ourselves on helping small businesses manage the most precious part of their business – their people – simply, effectively, and without wasting time.   

You might think that your team is too small to fully benefit from HR software, but the truth is, no matter what size business you are, your life can always be made easier. If you find yourself poring over admin tasks and thinking you could be doing something more productive, it could be time to look into a digital solution. 

To find out more about our HR software, contact our team via email at help@citrushr.com or call us on 0333 014 3888.