How to use robotic technology to automate your HR processes.
Streamline your HR processes and get more done efficiently with robotic process automation.
Robotic process automation, also known as RPA, is making jobs in every industry easier. Robotic process automation programs and software can help to reduce tedious tasks and speed up the process of doing business and completing projects. It also helps free up employee time and energy towards thinking only about tasks and to-do lists and help them think more strategically and creatively. This is useful at just about any level or area of business.
One place that RPA really has an opportunity to shine is in HR. There are loads of repetitive processes in HR that the right robotic process automation program could automatically handle. Here are some tips for how to begin reaping the benefits of RPA for your human resources team.
1. Decide what processes will be automated
HR carries a lot of responsibility. Compliance, payroll, benefits, insurance, employee relations, recruiting, retention, training, and onboarding are just some of the tasks that fall to HR teams. One of the first steps to bringing robotic process automation into your organization is to understand what the priorities are for your HR team. Do you want to free up their time, so they can focus more on employee development? Do you want them to spend more time writing good jobs ads to find top talent, rather than sifting through resumes? Your RPA tasks will depend on your HR goals, but some areas RPA can help with human resource tasks include:
- Automation of recruitment process, including resume screening
- Time keeping
- Employee onboarding
- Payroll
- Employee engagement
Deciding which processes you want to automate will help you choose your RPA program and gauge your success down the line.
2. Check your budget
The costs of RPA will vary. Some companies will start small, automating online a few related processes using a smaller, less expensive solution. Some will have their in-house teams develop the automation programs. Some decide it will be more cost effective to have anything that can benefit from RPA undergo automation right away. Once you know your goals and your capabilities, you can understand when the budget will allow for RPA programming to begin.
via Laserfiche: benefits of robotic process automation (RPA) infographic
3. Find a good RPA program partner
Finding the right software partner is key. If you’re not developing your solutions in-house, you want to make sure that you outsource your software needs to someone with HR experience, as well as post-install support and training. Some of the most popular vendors right who fit this need include:
- BambooHR
- UiPath
- IBM
Several considerations go into selecting a vendor, including price, service reviews, features, and tech support. Interview several vendors so you can find the right fit for your business and your HR team.
4. Train your team
The words “robotic processes” can be scary to some employees. When you’re training on the new RPA program, first ensure that the reason behind the change is evident and communicated clearly. It’s okay to say “cost-savings”, but it’s better to lead with the other benefits, particularly the ones that will impact the team. This includes more time to focus on development, better relationships with employees and vendors, and reduced stress due to the reduction of calculating and process errors that RPA provides.
5. Evaluate your success
There are several different ways to measure your success with RPA. Have HR costs gone down? Are you getting a good ROI on your process automation investment? Have you noticed positive employee feedback? Has the turnover of your new hires decreased? If you’re tracking towards your goals, you should feel good about making the leap into RPA. If you’re not noticing much of a change, even after soliciting employee and HR feedback, go back to your RPA provider for suggestions and additional training.
6. Look for different RPA uses
Once you’ve pulled the trigger on robotic process automation in HR, it might make sense to start implementing it elsewhere. You may see other uses for it throughout the company, such as the accounting department, marketing processes, or in your operations groups. If you’re an HR professional who’s seen a huge increase in productivity, mention it to your business leadership. If you’re in management and have seen better, improved processes come out of HR, it might be worth investigating if these programs will work for your business areas.
While RPA may be considered a disruptive technology, it is quickly becoming more mainstream and adopted by businesses in some area or another. Robotic process automation has a huge potential to make HR processes not only easier and more efficient, but also more cost-effective. It can help make hiring faster, bringing in higher quality candidates. It can help make new employee training easier for both employee and employer. It can increase compliance and payroll efficiencies. Ultimately, it can help your business make positive changes that benefit employees and the HR departments that support them.
