5 Questions about Mobile HRMS You Should Be Asking

The whole world is on the move and HR technology is no different. Responding to employer’s (and employee’s) needs for anywhere, anytime access to HRMS, most software vendors offer some sort of mobile HRMS app. The question is, how to judge this aspect of your HR technology purchase?

How Is Data Secured When Accessed by Mobile Devices?

There are a number of issues here to be addressed. First, how do you ensure the security of data and information that is being accessed or downloaded to a smartphone or tablet? Employees are human and may forget to logout or even lose the device, creating the opportunity for unauthorized access. Second, there is the lack of control over what else might be downloaded to that device, including viruses and malware. Finally, in a BYOD culture, there is the ownership of the device itself and how might the vendor’s system fit with your BYOD policies and strategy.

What about Compliance with Privacy Laws?

The point about mobile data is that geographically, it can go anywhere. If your employees travel internationally then their mobile devices (and the information stored on them) may be subject to different countries’ data protection legislation, which may involve different provisions around security and encryption and consent.

How Does the App Deal with Intermittent Connectivity?

In a way this question is more of a hardware issue but asking it may throw up some interesting responses regarding data security, interrupted downloads and access, and sign-on. When it comes to mobile, coverage is critical and the world is far from 100% covered. This is far from a developing country issue; even the most technologically-enabled nations have plenty of dead zones. How will these affect your mobile HRMS processes?

What about Single Sign-On?

The more HR and business systems you have, the more usernames and passwords your people have to remember…, unless you have some form of single sign-on which effectively unifies your different systems from the user’s perspective. The question is, how seamlessly will your vendor’s mobile HRMS app work with that?

What Can My People Do/Access from a Mobile Device?

This fundamental question requires you to be very clear about your needs, both now and for the future. The possibilities afforded by mobile access to HR systems continue to expand and you need a vendor who can keep pace with your requirements.