Intelligent HR processes

How can I solve a task as efficiently as possible? What is often affectionately referred to as routine in everyday life is actually nothing more than processes. Like the coffee cup that is filled after showering but emptied before brushing your teeth and then finally goes into the dishwasher after tying your shoelaces, before you take your keys from the key rack and finally pick up the newspaper from the letterbox on the way to work. For this morning routine to work in 25 minutes, several factors have to come together: The coffee must be available, a clean cup should be ready, the key is on the key board and the newspaper is distributed on time.

The list is endless and many things can go wrong. And yet all the factors work together like clockwork. So we have an efficient process that allows us to sleep longer and use just 25 minutes for our morning routine. Now, very few people think of writing down their morning routine in a process flowchart and optimising the process in a structured way. So why should HR do this?

Quite simply: in addition to efficiency, good processes can be perfectly aligned with the needs of employees, form a good basis for Digitization and also create an understanding within the Team for the work of others. This is precisely why we love optimising HR processes.

Defining and optimising HR processes

By a defined process, we mean a series of interrelated tasks whose purpose, handover and execution are clearly defined by roles, authorisations and tools. It makes no sense to define, document and optimise every single one of these hundred HR processes. (See graphic below)

A simple way to prioritise processes is the frequency and complexity of the process. Complexity can be determined by asking the following questions: How many people are involved in the process, how many steps does the process have, how many dependencies are there?

What is the procedure for optimising HR processes?

You can use the following five steps to optimise your HR processes:

1. Brainstorm and prioritise: Employees themselves often recognise which processes are the most important and need to be optimised as a priority. If this is not clear, we recommend brainstorming about the existing processes. The processes can be prioritised with the help of the graphic below.
2. Define target: Now the fun begins. In interactive workshops with many different tools, the current status is mapped out and the target process is defined.
3. Clarify important points: Before implementation begins, you should clarify important issues and ask the following questions: Is the process legally and GDPR-compliant? Can I map the process with the tools available to me?
4. Implement the process: Now it's time to get started and implement the process.
5. Measure success: When you optimise a process, you should also take the trouble to talk about the measurable success factors at the beginning. For example, you need to define how employee satisfaction is measured in the onboarding process or how much time HR spends on master data changes. This is the only way to find out whether the process has been improved.

Ultimately, the procedure is no different to the morning routine. You think about an optimal target process from the moment you get up to the moment you leave the office. Important things are clarified in advance, for example whether the coffee machine can be programmed the evening before. Then you implement the defined process and measure the daily success with an eye on the clock and your satisfaction.

Do I really need Software for efficient HR processes?

You don't necessarily need Software to have efficient processes. Software doesn't automatically make processes efficient either. An inefficient process remains inefficient, even if it is mapped in software.

Software can, however, help you to automate certain steps. For example, you can start the onboarding process automatically as soon as "hire" is selected in your recruitment tool. A draft contract is created automatically and employees receive an automatic email asking them to check their details and add any necessary information.

What options are there for digitising HR processes?

In general, a distinction can be made between three types of software solutions:

• Dedicated HR process software: These tools have been specifically developed to digitise HR processes throughout their entire workflow. One example of this is the software UKG HR Service Delivery .
• Fragmented HR process software: These tools can often be used to digitise parts of an entire process. Recruitment or performance management tools such as SuccessFactors are an example of this.
• General process software: These tools are often built into existing sharepoints or can be applied to all possible processes in the company. Examples include Nintex or Leanix.

With all software solutions, it is important to ensure integration into the existing system landscape in order to utilise all the benefits of the chosen software.

Employee Experience in HR processes

An important aspect that is often forgotten in process designs is how employees feel about the process (Employee Experience). Onboarding is a great example. The process often only deals with the classic onboarding process: Creating a contract, recording master data, requesting documents. Ensuring that employees feel integrated and welcome is neglected. It is crucial that HR becomes an active creator of positive experiences. You can read more about this in our Specialist articles "The importance of Employee Experience" .

Digitalised and standardised processes bring structure and focus. This allows HR to concentrate more on the essentials and invest the time gained in a future-oriented and strategic way.