HR teams spend nearly 70% of their time on inefficient administrative tasks, some of which are still paper-based. As a business grows and takes on new employees, HR professionals may find the need to expand their payroll system to something more robust in order to address the needs of all employees.
Having an integrated HRIS solution provides more efficiency because information only has to be entered once, and it improves accuracy across all databases. It also helps improve employee engagement by providing learning opportunities and lines of communication.
Why Do I Need an HRIS Solution?
In short, an HRIS (human resource information system) solution saves you money and time. Also known as human capital management (HCM) or a human resource management system (HRMS), think of this solution for your organization as a one-stop-cloud-based-shop designed to consolidate and simplify your human resource needs.
An HRIS can work for a large or small business and should be scalable so as your business grows, so too will your HR payroll system. It’s also important to make sure the system is integrated so you can move seamlessly from one aspect to another without using multiple logins and opening multiple databases.
What Makes the Perfect HRIS?
You may be overwhelmed when you begin your search for an HR payroll system, but there are a few steps to help you select a solution that’s best for your business.
One consideration you need to tackle right away is security. Your employees trust you with their information, so it’s critical you make sure any HRIS provider has the right defenses in place to protect your data.
Once you’re confident your company’s information will be well protected, it’s time to examine the product itself. Here are the top items you should look for in a solution.

1. Recruiting and Applicant Tracking
Job applications shouldn’t be complex or lengthy and available online. Nearly 40% of job seekers apply on a mobile device, so make sure your HRIS can accommodate mobile applications so you don’t miss out on potential top talent. An ATS recruitment software should optimize the hiring process by giving you quick and easy access to see where any applicant stands in the hiring process.

2. Onboarding
It’s important to make a good first impression and the right onboarding solution will make a new employee feel welcome and connected from the start. Your HRIS should allow employees to enter personal information directly (even before their start date!) which saves time and reduces errors. HR administrators should be able to check in at any time on employee progress which reduces compliance risks.

3. Time and Attendance
An automated, unified system between tracking employee time and the payroll process saves time and makes it easier to maintain accuracy versus using a paper-based system requiring rekeying employee hours.

4. Payroll
Efficiency is key. You should be able to access payroll from anywhere, from any device. It should be user friendly, making it easy to catch any mistakes and minimizing the stress of maintaining compliance.

5. Benefits Administration
The right benefits tool can educate employees on their options and reduce paperwork for HR administrators. It should be automated and integrated, eliminating the need for multiple data entry points. A benefits tool should help you generate and file IRS forms to keep you ACA compliant.

6. Learning Management
Helping employees stay engaged should be top of mind. A learning management tool should offer employees easy access to education and training while prioritizing performance management.

7. Employee Self Service
Self-service tools give employees a chance to view their timekeeping records, request time off and view their paystubs and W2s without contacting HR directly.

8. Document Signing & Storage
Using electronic signatures not only speeds up the recruiting and employee onboarding process, but it eliminates the need for physical storage space of all the paperwork HR requires. It allows both administrators and employees to pull up any documents in mere seconds, increasing overall efficiency.

9. Notifications and Certification Tracking
Automatic alerts can help keep you compliant and avoid potential penalties. Whether it’s lapsed licensing or training for certain employees or an overall ACA compliance check, proactive notifications will keep your company’s compliance needs and necessary certifications at the forefront.

10. HR Reporting & Analytics
There’s so much people data flowing through HR it can be overwhelming to sift through what’s most important. A reporting & analytics tool design for HR should simplify the information by translating the data into actionable opportunities, answering questions such “Which department has the most overtime?” and “Which manager sees the most turnover?”
As you can see, a robust HRIS impacts nearly every aspect of your business. If you find yourself grumbling about your current HRIS or are in need of one altogether, consider Paycor. Our HR software is seamless and easy to use regardless of your tech savviness. See for yourself!