Attracting applicants, onboarding employees, and processing payroll and company legal documents are the standard duties of the human resources (HR) department. However, the team’s responsibilities are not limited to these. The HR department plays a vital role in ensuring the continuity and success of the organization in the coming years by focusing on the employee’s growth and development. 

The HR team typically handles the following standard processes within the company:

• onboarding; 
• attendance, time, and scheduling management; 
• performance management; 
• payroll service; and more. 

These ensure that employees receive fair compensation for the work hours they spend. Depending on the workforce population and business goals, these processes take too much of the department’s time and manpower. 

Fortunately, there are now ways to manage and automate these processes. Thanks to technology, companies can now transition from paper-based documentation to a cloud-based system. With technological innovations constantly being introduced, such as full-suite HRIS and payroll software, the standard processes above are easier to process and handle. 

When the HR team spends less on time-consuming activities, they can now focus on activities and programs that will drive employee and company success. 

These are the things that the HR team should focus on. 

1. Being involved in crafting and executing the business strategy

The HR team is responsible for bringing in the manpower needed to execute the business’ functions and processes. The team should not only focus on filling the position; they should also assess the candidate’s capability to contribute to fulfilling the company’s objectives. 

As such, it is crucial for the HR department’s presence when it comes to creating company-wide strategies. This way, the team can tailor the role descriptions based on the company’s needs. 

The team’s involvement also goes beyond hiring quality talent. They also serve as the liaison between management and the employees. Through offline syncs and online discussions, the HR team helps in motivating employees to achieve the company’s objectives while also ensuring that management addresses employee pain points. 

2. Adapting new processes

The workplace continues to adapt to the changing times brought about by technology and current circumstances. With the current hybrid work setup that most Filipino companies implement, using software to optimize and digitalize work processes has been the norm. 

The HR department should be the first to implement these technological solutions. Fortunately, there is a full-suite HRIS software that provides employee acquisition and management features, as well as integrated payroll services. With software like this, the department can better manage the workforce wherever it may be. HRIS and payroll software also enables the company to transition from manual documentation to a digitalized and automated one. 

3. Utilizing employee data for development

Comprehensive employee data shows trends in employee behavior vis-à-vis their satisfaction in the company. Their attendance, engagement, and performance hold a lot of insights that can help managers create and implement the right programs to ensure the workforce’s success. These show the employee’s willingness to initiate and implement change to help them achieve their goals. And when they succeed, the whole company does as well. 

There are pros to investing in an HRIS’s full capabilities. In doing so, the company can enjoy the full benefits that the HRIS and payroll software provides. Fortunately, HRIS software providers also provide solutions for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). With more than half of the businesses in the country composed of MSMEs, introducing tools and programs to help them on their journey to digitalization is a good step to future-proofing their operations. 

And when looking for the right software for the business, make sure that the provider complies with the data privacy and security laws, along with certifications on its data privacy measures. 

4. Identifying skill gaps and cultivating talent

Employee growth and development are key to employee satisfaction and success. The HR team and the managers should focus on creating the right development program that will hone each employee’s skills based on the professional goals they want to achieve for themselves. 

Just as the individual employee’s growth is important, the growth of each team contributes to achieving the company’s objectives. Developing the right training programs per team allows them to create solutions that will positively impact the organization and every department on it as well. 

In a hybrid work setup where there’s a tendency that the employee, manager, and HR might not meet face-to-face, conducting an online performance evaluation and management is the way to go. Make sure to invest in software that makes coordination easy and stores previous performance evaluations so the employee can review their performance over time. 

5. Maintaining a healthy organizational culture

Providing third-party services that cater to their physical and mental health is good. Providing a healthy working environment where they can collaborate, hone their skills, and voice out their suggestions is a good aspect to focus on as well. 

When employees are motivated and engaged, they are more likely to suggest improvements to the company’s processes. This is the best time to listen to them. Each employee should be treated equally, regardless of their race, class, and identity. Create a healthy work environment where they are free to communicate their ideas and be themselves. 

A healthy work environment can also be online or offline. Whether they’re in the office or wherever they may be, make sure that the employees are heard and taken care of. 

When the HR team spends less time on processes that can be automated, they can now dedicate more time to cultivating the employees and the environment they need toward success. And in dealing with the department’s manual processes turned digital, there’s software for that: GreatDay HR provides the tools they need to help the organization and its employees grow for the years to come. 

GreatDay HR is one of the platforms offered by SunFish DataOn Philippines Inc. (SDP), the leading provider of cutting-edge Human Resources technology solutions used by thousands of companies in the Asia Pacific region, including the Philippines. Together with its sister companies, Humanica Thailand and DataOn Indonesia, SDP creates HRIS and Payroll Solutions for employee empowerment across the board. With its 80+ staff and growing in the Philippines, SDP offers a comprehensive and smooth support service to all its valued clients.