Five steps to align human resources and transformation

Contributed Article
December 16, 2020 4:16 pm
Marvin Opperman, People Director, Sage Africa and Middle East.

Digital transformation within a company must span all departments and areas of operation, including human resources. While the scope of digitalisation of the human resources department is no doubt extensive, this process can help companies achieve everything from talent insight and recruitment to employee wellbeing and retention of key and critical skill. 

Human resources departments in the Middle East know they need to step up their use of technology and embrace digital transformation if they are to support the needs of the business in this era of change and disruption. This business imperative has grown in importance during the pandemic, which is reshaping how people work and companies operate. 

Here are five ways technology can help the human resources department increase its performance: 

#1 Data-driven decision making 

With an integrated human resources platform in place, businesses can capture data online, store it in a single employee database, and use it to drive better decision making and employee experiences. For example, they can start to analyse the skills gap in the business, trends in staff retention, COVID-related absenteeism, or the balance of customer demand and employee capacity. 

#2 Support a distributed workforce

Many of us were thrown headlong into a work-from-home world during the lockdown, but the reality is that the remote working trend has been gathering momentum for some time already. The right human resources software supports flexible working patterns for childcare, tracking of assets for homeworking, and other essentials for remote and flexible working arrangements. 

#3 Streamlined reporting 

A human resources platform can help streamline compliance for the business. For example, the human resources department will be able to track employment equity goals against performance more easily, then generate the statutory reports required by the Department of Labour. It also helps the human resources department store and manage personal information in compliance with data privacy laws and standards. 

#4 Free up time through automation 

Today’s cloud-based human resources platforms enable businesses to automate their human resources processes across the entire employee journey, from recruitment through to offboarding. These solutions can be rapidly deployed and accessed from anywhere. In taking care of much of the mundane paperwork and reporting, a cloud-native human resources platform enables human resources professionals to focus more on adding value for employees and the business.

#5 Enhanced employee experience 

Modern human resources solutions include powerful and easy-to-use digital self-service functionality, simplifying tasks such as leave applications, updating personal information, providing access to pay slips and more. These tools take admin off the human resources team’s hands while empowering employees to manage their own information online or from a mobile app and improving turnaround times for routine human resources queries. 

The true value of human resources lies in understanding people and developing their potential, supporting strategic business growth, building the right team and nurturing a winning company culture. 

Marvin Opperman, People Director, Sage Africa and Middle East.
Marvin Opperman, People Director, Sage Africa and Middle East.

Key takeaways

  • The value of human resources lies in understanding people and developing their potential.
  • Human resources departments know they need to step up their use of technology.
  • Today’s cloud-based human resources platforms enable businesses to automate their human resources processes.

 

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