Why your HRMS requirements should include self service

The self service functionality contained in your HRMS is possibly the feature that will make the biggest difference to your organization, encouraging engagement and ownership, as well as reducing costs and inefficiencies.

What is self service?

In a nutshell, self service is how you give your employees and managers direct access to HR processes via technology, enabling them to access information, manage personal data, and carry out many day to day transactions solo.

Common features for employees might include updating rights for their own personal records, accessing work schedules, making time off requests, and payroll information including online paychecks and deductions statements. Managers may have additional features on their dashboard, including schedule management, time and attendance records, and the performance reports relevant to their team.

Read our full guide to selecting and implementing HRMS self service

Benefits of self service

An organization whose workforce has bought into using HRMS self service can expect to realize some or all of the following benefits:

• Improved access to HR services: well-integrated self service can remove the need for staff to contact the HR or payroll departments for simple day-to-day services such as checking paychecks, updating benefits packages, or making changes to their personal information held on the system. Most self service portals are accessed via a web portal, enabling anywhere, anytime access.
• Reduced costs and overheads: with a reduced workload, your HR team can either be reduced or redirected to focus on duties with more strategic impact. Either way, you’re getting more for your money.
• Employee engagement: the direct access offered by self service HRMS usually boosts employee satisfaction and commitment levels. With a working system, there are less complaints about HR processes and more accurate staff records.

Identifying the self service features that you require

Most HRMS self service packages should include these key features:

1. Personal records: your employees can view their personal data held on the system and have controlled updating rights, including addresses, name changes and banking details. The benefit here is that responsibility for the data’s accuracy is effectively delegated to the person most likely to know what is accurate… and with the most to lose from it being inaccurate.
2. Payroll: self service allows users to view HR documents online, including paychecks, tax reports, and deductions statements. Any HR team will tell you that the loudest complaints tend to relate to payroll, after all, for most people in the company, money is the bottom line. Individual access to payroll data improves accuracy.
3. Time off / vacation management: self service permits all team members to view the relevant work schedules, and therefore make requests for changes or paid time off that are more likely to be granted.
4. Benefits management: similar to payroll, employees can access information relating to their benefits packages via self service. Likewise, during open enrollment, your HRMS can become a significant part of your communications strategy, providing individual access to the available options and their explanations.

Vendor suggestions

The following are not endorsements but rather a short list of established vendors offering self service functionality in their HRMS packages:

• ADP: ADP’s self service payroll app is often touted as an industry leader.
• Dayforce HCM: designed to offer a particularly intuitive user experience.
• UltiPro: unlike many other systems, UltiPro utilizes touchscreen capability for user convenience.
• Workday: focused on the needs of managers, including managing current priorities and offering information on the cost of employees.