Five features to look for in an enterprise HRMS

In a sense, any HRMS software could be labeled ‘enterprise’ because it deals with a workforce, an organization as opposed to an individual. However, in this instance what we mean by ‘enterprise HRMS’ is a system fit to provide HR automation to a larger business, with a workforce in the thousands.

1. Core enterprise HRMS functionality

First of all, let’s name all the so-called ‘obvious’ features that are nevertheless common to corporate HR systems:

• Recruitment: first, find and hire the best people; this may include social media features, applicant tracking, links to the company jobs board or site (and of course, the recruitment process should be followed by effective onboarding, which an enterprise HRMS may also help with).
• Time & attendance: tracking hours and days worked, managing leave requests and paid time off allowances.
• Learning management: including course and materials management, trainee tracking, career and development planning, and even online/e-learning solutions.
• Performance management: supporting managers with measuring performance against requirements and then processing the resulting data.
• Payroll: administering salary and compensation, and benefits management.
• Reporting & Analytics: analyzing the resulting data from the above (and other) functions for workforce insights.
• Mobile access: flexibility is leveraged through web access or custom apps for employees and managers.

2. Talent Management

Staffing is key for any large enterprise and this doesn’t just mean having the correct number of people in position. A good talent management module is more than just a system of record - it encompasses succession planning, building talent pipelines, external and internal sources, and career development paths. The larger the organization, the more necessary it is to have software support for getting the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time.

Find enterprise HRMS features with our glossary of 52 features to look for in your next HRMS

3. Social

Keeping pace with evolution of technology and how it impacts on society, organizations are looking to leverage the average worker’s familiarity with social media, building social networking into its interactions with potential employees and social collaboration tools internally to help bridge traditional hierarchical divisions.

4. Integration

Enterprise HRMS cannot operate in isolation. Indeed, the larger the organization, the more value there is in integration with other business intelligence systems, such as ERP, CRM, and so on. In true Big Data style, the larger the pool of information available, the more sophisticated the analytics and strategic input.

5. Lifespan

Enterprise HRMS is unlikely to be cheap. The ideal system not only meets your needs for today and even tomorrow, but is also flexible enough to adapt to the needs you haven’t (or couldn’t) anticipate. As industry thought leader Josh Bersin says, “…enterprise software becomes nearly obsolete in seven years.” Something to bear in mind.