Imagup General Magazine 2024
Businesses are having to overcome hurdles quickly during the pandemic. Few managers and HR teams could have prepared for this situation and remote working has caused cracks in systems and processes to show.
When it comes to managing staff, HR systems are proving one of the most valuable tools for businesses in many sectors. Not only can HR systems alleviate tasks for HR but also make everyday duties for employees easier, you can see more here.
We discuss how HR systems can be utilized during lockdown for businesses of any size and location.
Looking After Mental Health
Mental health has taken a tumble during the pandemic, from heightened anxiety from the worry of loved ones or money troubles from redundancies and furlough to depression caused by loneliness and lack of routine and more.
It is the role of HR to keep an eye on employees and offer support and resources to help. Unfortunately, it is rare that staff will volunteer this information without being prompted. Although mental health issues are being discussed more openly, there is still a stigma attached.
HR systems alleviating the somewhat intimidating task of admitting you need help and requesting support. Surveys can be created by HR teams and tailored between departments if needed.
This can be completed during a time that suits staff members and can even be filled out anonymously to encourage candid answers.
Even though this does not provide an insight into individual wellbeing, correlations between teams and departments can be analyzed and turned into actionable insights. Extra support can be provided for certain teams or management can be shifted.
Making Communication Easier
Emails, instant messaging, video calls, there are so many ways to communicate with staff members nowadays but they aren’t always effective.
When trying to inform large numbers of staff about various matters, emails can easily get lost and ignored in busy inboxes and video calls come with the downside of connection failures and struggling to get all team members collated at the same time.
HR systems provide the ideal platform to notify any number of staff members about important information. Tracking systems in place can flag who and who has not read these messages so managers can get a clear picture of who needs to be chased.
Another solution for this is implementing a VoIP system into the workplace. VoIP systems can receive real-time calls and messages, perfect for notifying urgent matters. So, even if you have a remote workforce, you can still communicate with them conveniently. For Canada-based companies, you can reach out to your local VoIP service provider like this website.
HR Advice
Small business owners may not have a specialized HR team or larger businesses may not have these colleagues available at this time. Furloughed, sick staff and those who have had to take time off to care for the family can mean essential HR expertise is currently not available.
But it is not more than ever that procedures, protocols, and law are properly followed. When choosing an HR system provider, there are numerous vendors out there. Choosing a supplier who is not just a software specialist, but also employees human resource experts means there is expert advice and support at the end of a helpline, whenever needed.
Recording Absence
Absences are going to be more frequent that anybody is used to. Employees may be hospitalized, needing to self-isolate, care for vulnerable family members or children, or simply need to take some days off to relax, even if they can’t go on holiday this year.
Monitoring this can be complex at the best of times, let alone when there is not a visual representation of empty desks.
Staff can request time off via these HR systems to await approval from management. Managers can see immediate clashes of annual leave between staff members and deny these requests before understaffing becomes an issue.
There are absences, such as sick leave, that are unavoidable and this can inevitably lead to understaffed and strained areas of the business. Managers can quickly see where these problems are occurring and ease workloads or provide more support so targets are still met without overworking employees.
Training
Employee development is still essential and even if businesses are not in a position to financially reward staff, managers should still show they value their staffs’ progress by providing training.
HR systems can be utilized to hold training systems, information, links, and notes. This can be tailored for each employee, depending on their current skills and weaknesses.
This can be completed at a time that suits staff, meaning managers don’t have to worry about everyone being available at the same time. Progress can also be tracked so managers can see if there are certain areas people are struggling with and make changes or provide assistance to those who need it.
Onboarding
Starting a new job can be daunting at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. Training can come with hurdles and it can be difficult to get an idea of the office culture and create relationships with colleagues when working remotely.
New starter forms can be completed through these HR systems and safely stored so HR teams can access this information from anywhere they are placed.
Information regarding the new starter’s first day or week can be uploaded so they can gain an idea of what they will be doing, even before they start.
Employee profiles can be created, this can provide a quick overview of staff hierarchy and which colleagues to reach out to depending on their query or problem.
These are just a few of the tools that can be used within HR systems that can help with managing staff during Covid-19. At some point, we will be welcoming staff back to the office and these systems will provide the perfect platform for gauging how the staff feels about returning and any changes that need to be made in the workplace through staff questionnaires.
