Are you as tired as most folks of being trapped in a never-ending cycle of HR paperwork?  Wondering if there's a more efficient way to manage your company's human resources?

HR gets a bad rap: cue the many memes and jokes about too much paperwork. But there's truth to it. HR professionals spend 14% of their time on paperwork and administrative tasks. Especially when those tasks are repetitive, it's just wasting time. In fact, research shows that over 40% of HR tasks could be automated. 

Too many businesses are drowning in the sea of administrative tasks that come with managing their people. But what if I told you it doesn't have to be this way? That by learning how to automate HR processes, you can break free from this vicious cycle. You can stay professional and compliant, all while saving massive amounts of time. 

This post will guide you step-by-step how to automate HR processes for now and the future—a future where your business is no longer slowed down by time-consuming HR admin but propelled forward by efficient automation tools.

The Imperative of HR Process Automation

With the advent of digital technology, many organizations are embracing HR automation to streamline their processes. Accuracy and efficiency are essential for successful automation. Automation can save up to 20% of an HR professional's time. 

The Overwhelming Burden of Paperwork

The traditional methods used in HR departments often involve mountains of paperwork. From hiring documents to leave requests, everything is managed manually. But there’s a cost associated with this manual approach: human error and processing costs.

It can be quite taxing for an HR professional when they need to sift through countless papers every day - leading to increased chances for mistakes that could lead towards serious repercussions down the line.

But thanks to HR process automation, these challenges can be tackled head-on. Automation uses software tools designed specifically for digitizing repetitive tasks within an organization's human resources function.

What HR Processes Should You Automate?

HR pros will feel the most immediate impact of generative AI in recruiting, career development, and employee self-service." 

-Josh Bersin, HR Tech Analyst 

The digital era has brought a plethora of automation tools that can significantly enhance the efficiency and productivity of your Human Resources (HR) department. But what are the most common HR processes to automate? Here's a list:

1. Employee Onboarding

This process involves numerous steps like document collection, setting up IT systems, and assigning roles. 

Onboarding is one of the most crucial aspects of any organization's human resources function. It sets the tone for an employee's journey within your company and impacts their overall perception about it. Software such as BambooHR can streamline this procedure by automating tasks and ensuring nothing is missed.

Online portals can be used to store and share information about the company, its policies, its benefits, and other important information. This allows new hires to access and review the information at their own pace, reducing the need for one-on-one training sessions and improving skills development.

Automated training software can also provide customized learning paths for each employee, based on their role and skill level. This HR technology ensures that employees receive the necessary training and development to perform their job effectively.

-Anna Verasai, Expert Writer at HR Digest 

2. Time Tracking & Attendance 

Keeping track of employee hours manually can be time-consuming. Tools like Toggl Track, allow for seamless tracking of work hours and leave management.

3. Payscale Adjustments 

Payroll adjustments often involve complex calculations based on multiple factors. Software solutions like Paycor’s payroll system, automate these tasks reducing errors in payment processing.

4. Talent Acquisition & Recruitment 

From sorting resumes to scheduling interviews, recruitment is another tedious task that benefits from automation via platforms such as Lever Recruiting Software.

For example, you can use Magical to draft and save templates to notify employees of next steps, to inform them they haven't been selected, or to draft job offer emails. You can even write great responses to thank you emails received from applicants. 

5. Performance Appraisals 

Performance appraisals require gathering feedback from various sources which could be simplified using tools like 15Five Performance Management Software.

Each of these HR processes is automated for a reason. Automation not only reduces the time and effort spent on repetitive tasks but also minimizes human error, increases productivity, and allows your HR team to focus more on strategic tasks. Moreover, it ensures a smoother experience for employees as well - from recruitment to retirement.

How To Automate HR Processes Easily

Automating HR processes can significantly streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce manual errors. Here's a step-by-step guide to automate various HR processes:

1. Identify Repetitive Tasks

Start by identifying the repetitive, time-consuming tasks within your HR processes. Common examples include informing people about application status, writing job descriptions, employee onboarding, payroll processing, leave management, and performance reviews.

For example, maybe you constantly send people the same emails. You could cue these up quickly with snippets from Magical. 

2. Choose the Right Software

Choose HR software that suits your organization's needs. Look for features like cloud-based systems, user-friendly interfaces, and integrations with existing tools. Consider options like SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, or BambooHR. These programs can track your various tasks to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. 

Look for programs that: 

• Save time
• Ensuring compliance and accuracy 
• Integrate well with existing software 
• Have good reviews from current users 
• Provide good onboarding and ongoing customer support help 

3. Map Out Workflow Processes

Document the current workflow of the processes you want to automate. Understand how each step is performed, who is involved, and where bottlenecks or inefficiencies occur.

For example, maybe certain things need to happen at every stage of the application process. Write them down in order and compare this against the software programs you've picked out. 

4. Configure the Automation Tool

Customize the software according to your workflow. Set up templates for emails, forms, and documents. Automate notifications and reminders for important tasks and deadlines.

5. Integrate with Other Systems

Connect the HR automation tool with other systems used in your organization, such as payroll, time tracking, and benefits management systems. This ensures seamless data flow and reduces manual data entry.

6. Test the Automated Processes

Before fully implementing, conduct tests to ensure that the automated processes work as intended. Check for any issues in data flow, notifications, and user access.

7. Train Employees and HR Staff

Train your HR team and employees on how to use the new system. Ensure they understand how to access, input, and retrieve information, and whom to contact for technical support. 

8. Implement the Automation

Roll out the automation in phases or all at once, depending on the size and complexity of your organization. Monitor the implementation closely to address any immediate issues.

9. Collect Feedback and Make Adjustments

After implementation, gather feedback from users to understand how the system is performing. Make necessary adjustments based on the feedback to optimize the system.

10. Regularly Update and Maintain the System

Technology and organizational needs evolve, so regularly update the system to meet changing requirements. Maintain the system by monitoring its performance and addressing technical issues promptly.

11. Review and Scale as Needed

Periodically review the effectiveness of the automated processes. Look for opportunities to scale and improve, such as adding more features or automating additional HR tasks.

By following these steps, you can easily automate your HR processes, leading to a more efficient, accurate, and employee-friendly HR department.

These HR automation tools are highly regarded in the industry for their features, user-friendliness, and effectiveness. Here's a list of the top 5 HR automation tools:

1. BambooHR:

Renowned for its user-friendly interface, BambooHR offers a comprehensive suite of tools including applicant tracking, onboarding, time-off tracking, and performance management. It's particularly favored by small to medium-sized businesses.

I used to maintain all employee information in a multitude of Excel spreadsheets - emergency contacts, assets, certifications, expiration dates of documents, phone #s, benefit enrollment. I have NO more spreadsheets for employee data!

Onboarding also made my life so much easier. The ability to assign onboarding (and offboarding) tasks to other team members has saved me so much time. Everytime we think of something new we want to do during Onboarding, we simply add it to the checklist so we never miss that step in the future.

-Joanne E. 

2. Workday

Workday is a cloud-based software known for its extensive HR functionalities that include human capital management, payroll, talent management, and analytics. It's well-suited for large enterprises due to its scalability and extensive integration capabilities.

What I like about it is Workday offers different features, from your business calendar, to your performance management, to your salary pay, up until your personal information. You can even find office announcements and feedback from colleagues there too. They even offer shortcuts for easier navigation. I make sure to use it on a monthly basis, maybe thrice a month.

-Kiane B. 

3. SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors offers a wide range of HR functionalities including core HR and payroll, performance and compensation management, and learning and development. SAP SuccessFactors is designed for businesses of all sizes and is known for its global reach and extensive reporting capabilities.

Best part for me is integrated payroll talent management feature with HR analytics and through SAP SuccessFactors we have a better understanding of the organizational behavior of our employees. It's a great knowledge base for new employees and and workforce planning sales Performance Management are professional cloud base.

-Sharonika W. 

4. ADP Workforce Now

ADP offers a comprehensive set of HR tools which include payroll, HR management, talent management, benefits administration, and time and attendance solutions. It's known for its reliability and is popular among a wide range of business sizes.

I have been using ADP for 17 years now, and the one contstant is that ADP is always evolving! They're constantly looking for ways to make the Client experience more efficient. When I first started using ADP, it was PC Payroll for Windows (PCPW). They evolved from bieng PC based, to having seperate modules for Human Resourses and Payroll that would be imported at each payroll processing, to an all in one system that flows seamlessly between the two. In addition to this live integration, I also love the live account verification which helps avoid prenotes.

-Sejal P. 

5. Zenefits

Zenefits is a cloud-based software that simplifies HR processes for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers features like benefits administration, payroll, compliance, and an HRMS. Its ease of use and integration capabilities make it a popular choice for growing companies.

Each of these tools has its own unique strengths and is best for different types of organizations based on size, industry, and specific HR needs. It's important to evaluate them based on your organization's requirements to find the best fit. Additionally, since technology is always evolving, it's important to check for any new tools or updates in the HR tech space for the most current information.

Zenefits houses all our core HR functions in one place - from payroll, to onboarding, to PTO, to benefits. We're a small team but we've still got to manage as many processes as a big organization. It's so great to have a platform that keeps it all running in sync without a lot of manual tracking, updating, calculating, emailing, and all that other stuff that we love to do.

-Ben F. 

A Final Word

There's lots of companies who are reaping the benefits of HR automation. When you learn how to automate HR processes, you're setting your HR team free to focus on more important tasks and saving time.

If you have lots of repetitive documents and templates with your HR work, make sure to use Magical to save even more time. Magical is free to download to your Chrome browser and simple to set up. Try it today to find out why 20,000+ teams are using Magical to save 7 hours a week on average.