First published on Thursday, Jun 04, 2020
Last updated on Thursday, Mar 14, 2024
A human resource information system (HRIS) is a piece of software popular in HR as it offers businesses a source of employee data.
Some businesses refer to it as a human resources management system (HRMS).
Either way, it allows your HR team can use the information stored to complete various essential day-to-day processes.
In this article, we’ll take you through what those are so you can work out whether you think it can provide you with return on investment.
What is HRIS?
It’s human resources computer software that lets your business establish a central resource for employee data. Within it, you can keep information such as:
- Names.
- Addresses.
- Employee numbers.
- Payroll numbers.
- Work permit information.
- Attendance rates.
- Lateness.
It can prove useful for your organisation as you can also use it to double-up across your recruitment strategy through applicant tracking.
As well as attendance management and performance appraisals.
So, what is HRIS software? It’s a database of your workforce’s essential information.
Examples of HRIS systems
So, what are some HRIS systems? There are three HRIS software examples you can choose from:
- HRIS: A human resource information system manages people, policies, and procedures.
- HCM: Human capital management includes everything from an HRIS, but also throws in talent management and global features (such as multi-currency, multi-lingual, and localisation options).
- HRMS: The human resource management system merges important elements from HRIS and HCM. This includes management of your policies and procedures alongside the likes of different language features and talent options.
The type you should pick depends on your business.
But don’t underestimate the importance of having HRIS within an organisation—they really provide some excellent real-time automation features.
Our HR software, for example, includes various features. An HR software list looks something like this:
- Staff holiday planner: Easily manage your workforce’s annual leave requirements.
- Sick leave and lateness: Monitor issues with employee’s timing.
- Shifts and rotas: Create your own work schedule with easy to use software.
- HR document storage: Safely store your data online with unlimited storage.
- Employment law advice: Instant advice about any topic you need.
- Health & safety advice: Ensure your business is compliant with laws.
- Employee support: Offer support to your workforce.
- Time off in lieu (TOIL): Manage your calculations with ease.
There’s also an HRIS app, Blip, which provides clocking in and clocking out software for you and your employees.
HRIS applications simplify the process to save you a bunch of time, as well as providing real-time data and employee messaging features.
Benefits of HRIS in an organisation
So, what exactly are some of the advantages of using this software? The main ones are:
- Automate common HR tasks.
- Reach larger candidate pools during a recruitment phase.
- Make onboarding faster.
- Reduce paperwork (a common feature with HR software).
- Engage employees with self-servicing HR options.
- Improve attendance tracking accuracy.
- Improve HR productivity.
- Become more efficient with time management.
So, HCM/HRIS/HRMS software proves to be cost-effective and it’ll help you achieve more goals at once by streamlining your administrative processes. It’ll help you to:
- Easily oversee your employees, no matter how many numbers make up your workforce.
- Keep track of leave and absence rates.
- See a mass of essential data at a glance, in real-time, all of which is safely stored.
- Improve business productive with automated features.
- Increase the effectiveness of your hiring strategy.
What can HRIS do for your business?
Wondering which piece of software will work for your business, or how it’ll make a difference to your daily routine? Call us today for a closer look at how it’ll provide you with ROI: 0800 783 2806.
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