5 Applications of Cloud Computing in HR Automation

By Marianne Chrisos - Last Updated on June 4, 2020
cloud computing applications

Businesses using cloud computing to run a better business are growing every year. One report notes that “Cloud is transforming nearly all the major and minor industries in the market – health, retail, education, corporate, etc. The HR industry seems to be one of the industries benefitting the most. The sector’s use of cloud computing increased up to 73 percent in 2017 from 68 percent in 2016.” How can cloud computing be applied to your HR efforts, particularly automated processes?

What is cloud computing?

Before diving into how HR automation can be served by cloud computing, it’s important to define cloud computing as it stands today. A simple dictionary definition defines it as, “the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.” This technology has revolutionized the way that businesses store and manage data and business applications, and its effect on HR is no exception.

What are the uses of cloud computing HR?

1. Access from anywhere: One of the benefits of HR automation is the streaming of processes – many software packages include the ability to manage more HR processes from one place. That means you can handle tasks like payroll, recruiting, onboarding, and training, faster and more accurately. HR tasks usually require a lot of repetitive, routine activity and many approvals, and automaton helps cut down on the time for both. Cloud computing helps bring all this access and reporting to more devices. A cloud system allows you to access a program from tablets, laptops, and phones so you can get more work done without being tied to your desk or local server.

2. Better legal compliance: Cloud-based programs are often auto-updated or have automatic reminders about program updates. This means that if your automated HR programs help with heavily regulated parts of your HR operation like payroll and benefits, anything related to the rules surrounding those practices will be automatically updated and applied. Tax code changes, healthcare laws, and other compliance issues won’t go overlooked with cloud computing HR automation.

3. Additional security: Because cloud computing is based on a server, not on-site, it was originally thought of as being less secure, as the access wasn’t exclusively limited to the business owners of the data and information and data sent over the internet is more subject to hacking and other risks. Security features were a primary focus of developing cloud computing and are now incredibly robust. This kind of security is incredibly important to HR data, where a lot of information is sensitive and contains personal details like social security and home addresses.

4. Decreased HR costs: While there is a subscription cost associated with cloud computing programs, you can save significantly on things like server storage space, installation, software upgrades, and more. The additional efficiency of HR automation can add to the overall cost savings that a business gains when they are running cloud-based HR automation.

5. Real-time data: Cloud computing offers the ability for businesses to see information in real-time with few to no lags in data. That means that someone can upload a resume and an HR professional can view it immediately and that a review can be added by a manager and the HR team will be able to see and store it right away.

cloud-strategy

Cloud computing in HR is a way to increase security and overall efficiency of business HR processes. Using cloud computing to manage HR operations makes a lot of sense, as it helps to provide a fully integrated solution to allow for businesses to have a more holistic view of their business and make decisions with more accurate, more readily available data and reporting.

Marianne Chrisos | Born in Salem, Massachusetts, growing up outside of Chicago, Illinois, and currently living near Dallas, Texas, Marianne is a content writer at a company near Dallas and contributing writer around the internet. She earned her master's degree in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University in Chicago and has worked in publishing, advertising, digital marketing, and content strategy.

Marianne Chrisos | Born in Salem, Massachusetts, growing up outside of Chicago, Illinois, and currently living near Dallas, Texas, Marianne is a content writer at a c...

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