Canadian HR Reporter

Multiple offices and the need to combine large employee groups are common triggers By Greg Trok W ith growth often comes grow- ing pains. Business owners can become so involved in the day- to-day operations of their company that they lose sight of the bigger picture. But there should come a time when they decide to stop thinking about Excel spread- sheets and start automating processes to free the HR team from duplicate work and wasted steps. Whether the move is prompt- ed by a need to eliminate manual processes or because the business has outgrown ex- isting technology, it's important to evalu- ate and plan for long-term business success while taking into account reliability, accu- racy and compliance. Technology adoption Technology is the great enabler. In Canada, as well as other places in the developed world, there is a strong shift towards reli- ance on digital technologies to stream- line business practices. However, Cana- dian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are lagging in adopting these tech- nologies, according to a 2014 report from the Conference Board of Canada. SMEs with fewer than 500 employees ac- count for 99.8 per cent of registered Cana- dian businesses. However, only 38 percent of small businesses (with one to 99 em- ployees) and 56 per cent of medium-sized businesses (100 to 499 employees) reported recent innovations in their product, organi- zation or marketing processes. Here are some of SMEs' barriers in tech- nology adoption: Time: e time required to implement new technologies can be daunting, yet must be seen as an investment into future productivity. Money: It is easier to hire another em- ployee than implement new technology to increase productivity. Fear and resistance: New technology can be scary; there is resistance to chang- ing established business practices. Confusion and distraction: In the face of day-to-day operations, it can be diffi cult for business owners to focus on more stra- tegic solutions. Trigger for change Knowing these biases, what is the trigger point for an SME to adopt human capital management (HCM) technology or upgrade to more effi cient solutions such as a human resource information system (HRIS)? Unfortunately, there's no exact number of employees or annual revenue that sug- gests a company is ready for HCM because circumstances diff er from one organization to the next. But having multiple satellite offi ces or the need to combine large employee groups after mergers or acquisitions are common triggers for considering a new solution. e fact of the matter is small HR depart- ments become overwhelmed with piles of paperwork, which leads to data errors, de- lays in onboarding and training of new em- ployees, and ineffi cient use of the HR team's time. ey get to the point where they can- not function eff ectively. So, how can HCM technology help SMEs thrive? Payroll management: Payroll is gener- ally the fi rst and most universally adopted HCM application. Payroll solutions, espe- cially those delivered in cloud-based envi- ronments, are intrinsically designed to help HR manage compliance. For example, the director of a Toronto- area daycare centre recognized the appeal of an HCM solution for payroll manage- ment at her small organization. Dealing with HR paperwork was detracting her from her main role of providing a comfort- able and safe learning environment for the children. " ere's a lot involved with pay- roll, and I'm not willing to risk making a mistake on someone's livelihood," she says. Maintaining employee records: At the core of an HR solution is the employee record. e ability to manage employees' personnel data is often supported through self-service functionality. Robust self-ser- vice payroll applications allow for mobile and online viewing of pay statements, on- boarding or off -boarding through digital forms, viewing schedules and more. Reporting: e opportunity to have a single system of truth (one employee re- cord) that allows for real-time access to data across multiple applications is invaluable. HR professionals can arm the business with this insight without having to wait and com- pile data, and hope it is accurate. is allows HR to take on the role of strategic partner. For Susan Babiuk, human resources manager at law fi rm Duncan Craig in Ed- monton, one of the many challenges that prompted her organization to look for a new solution was the increased number of "one-off " scenarios to manage employee entitlements. ere was a need for more consistent tracking and followup. Attracting and retaining top talent: Companies are looking to re-invent the job candidate experience so they can pro- actively reach out to talent via recruitment marketing solutions and create an interac- tive candidate experience. It's more than just the ability to attract the right talent that is fuelling the growth of HCM solutions. SMEs are adopting tools for performance management that allow for the measurement of goals and objectives, coaching and peer-to-peer interactions. Providing employees with career paths and rewards and recognition tools within an overall HCM platform plays a part in the retention strategy of many SMEs. Diving into analytics Corporate decision-making is based on more than just anecdotal knowledge and gut instinct. e smartest companies to- day are using comprehensive data to help them make key choices about their future, especially when it comes to human capital. At the end of the day, every business leader's goal is to stay competitive in a busy marketplace. Whether investing in new HCM technologies to replace manual pro- cesses or upgrading technology to support growth, an all-in-one human capital man- agement solution should be considered — especially one built from a single appli- cation where all employment and pay in- formation is shared across HR, payroll, and time and attendance-tracking platforms. Greg Trok is vice-president of consulting services at Ceridian in Minneapolis, Minn. For more in- formation, visit www.ceridian.ca. The smartest companies today are using comprehensive data to make key choices. for an Credit: Singkham/Agatus (Shutterstock) HR SOLUTIONS FEATURES

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