Empowering your workforce The benefits of devolved HR
What is devolved HR? In a nutshell, devolved HR refers to the passing of certain responsibilities from HR managers to non-hr line managers throughout an organisation. The aim of this practice is to increase the efficiency of the HR department in order to help the organisation realise its potential. Devolved HR is achieved by leveraging the close, working relationships between line managers and the employees that report to them. Alongside this, the implementation of the right HR software will improve the efficiency and speed of a number of HR processes, empower managers, promote commitment to HR policies and guidelines, achieve and facilitate strategic HR, and cut costs throughout the organisation. The results are even better when this software is Cloud-based and optimised for mobile use. 1
Is devolving HR a risk-free process? Not quite, but the benefits highly outweigh the risks involved. Some HR Professionals may be concerned, however, that after decades of HR remaining almost unchanged, they may lose control if responsibilities are handed down to other departments. Others worry that the unique oversight that HR has over employee development and its influence on behaviour and policy could be lost too. It can also be argued that line managers, although better placed to deal with employees, are challenged somewhat by their existing workloads and the omission of proper HR training. However, when devolution is implemented correctly, it creates an opportunity to transform HR into a strategic function within the organisation. It s time to think of the process not as losing control, but as delegating duties. 2
Harness the Cloud for more efficient, streamlined HR Ask yourself what processes does HR carry out every day and which of these are repetitive and time-consuming? The answer is probably quite a few. Think then, of the relief that would come from speeding up these once slow, mundane tasks while reducing costs. Today, it s just too expensive and timeconsuming to maintain every aspect of HR in-house, especially if your organisation operates on a global scale. That s where the Cloud comes in. By outsourcing operations to a Cloud-based platform, you can scale your usage up and down depending on your needs, and allow for a cost model that s calculable per employee, per month. In fact, one of the best ways to create a streamlined and easier way of working is to hand employees their own self-service tools. Give them the tools to manage parts of their working life, and you can free yourself from all sorts of time-consuming scenarios, like employees asking when their next pay review is due or if they have enough holiday days left for a trip abroad. Empower line managers through greater responsibility As well as handing a degree of autonomy back to employees, devolved HR gives more responsibility to line managers for a number of administrative functions. With access to real time information, they gain increased visibility over their teams and have the latest information to help shape their decision making. Have more time and resources to achieve strategic HR In the last few years, the role of HR especially true in larger organisations has become more strategic. It has been an exciting development, and with this change, the value and importance of HR has grown substantially. A devolved HR department has the opportunity to transform itself from a reactive, administrative doer into a proactive, strategic facilitator. 3
Attract and recruit the best talent, more easily A company is nothing without its staff, so ensuring your organisation recruits the right people is crucial. When it comes to recruitment, it doesn t make sense for it to be shared across HR, managers, business partners and employees. You know the expression: too many cooks Once, hiring new staff meant having to manually generate an updated organisation chart. Now, running your department on the right software ensures this process is fully automated, and run in real time by anyone who s allowed access via the self-service system. By handing line managers the reins, organisations can take a more consistent approach to recruitment, while the addition of Cloud-based software removes many of the associated headaches. A system that selects only appropriate applications based on pre-selected keywords, for example, is a tool that busy managers will always find rewarding. 4
Use data to drive better, more informed decisions This is the era of big data and it s time to embrace it. Data gives HR the clear, customisable reporting it needs to confidently manage from a higher position. Decision making becomes easier, and with data collected instantly from across the organisation, you can evaluate both individual and company-wide performance against KPIs. Reporting and analytics have never been more important, and are essential to back up arguments and aid an organisation s planning. People data is of particular importance, and is required not just for legal reporting and compliance but for strategic planning and talent development. Cloud-based, outsourced HR services are essential for the maintenance of global databases of information and allow employees to connect seamlessly to HR applications and for HR to gain instant access to up-to-date employee data. You can say goodbye to manually producing and sending reports, too. All you have to do is build the report structure, and then allow each line manager to run it according to their needs. By generating email reminders to individuals throughout the organisation, you can automate a number of other processes. For example, automating the entire on-boarding process for new recruits, from scheduling performance reviews to booking training schemes, will help them to feel immediately at home, and valued. 5
Work anywhere from any device, through the Cloud Technology has permeated every aspect of our lives; connecting with friends through social media, downloading music to a mobile device or searching the web while shopping are now the norm. It s this democratisation of technology, this always-on, always connected culture that s changing how we now work. Cloud technology has enabled us to work from anywhere, at any time. Aided by leaps and bounds in mobile technology, people now expect to be able to work remotely, easily and at speed, across a number of mobile devices. And HR professionals are no different. Their role as intermediaries is over; self-service Cloud capabilities now enable employees to manage their own careers. So what does this mean for HR within the organisation? Well, it can no longer be transaction-orientated, but instead act as a strategic partner to senior management. It must anticipate and function as an agent of change, creating ongoing value by mastering and monitoring globally compliant, easy-to-access and highly transparent HR processes across the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring to retiring. 6
Conclusion In devolving HR, there s always the small risk of losing control, but it s a risk that s worth taking. The long-term benefits, of which there are many, far outweigh the potential setbacks. When implemented correctly, delegating responsibilities and empowering other teams allows you to capitalise on a number of related benefits and focus on the overall business strategy. The addition of the right HR software makes the process easier too. With Devolved HR, you can work smarter and add greater value to your organisation: from using data to drive better, more informed decisions and the Cloud to create more efficient ways of working, through to fully automating your recruitment and talent management processes. Want to find out more? Then why not arrange a demo? At CoreHR, we re on a mission to give HR departments the tools they need to work smarter. To find out more about what the right HR software can do for you, or for a free demonstration, call us on +44 (0)121 456 2192 or email sales@corehr.com Sales UK +44(0)121 4562192 Ireland +353 (0)21 4947400 sales@corehr.com www.corehr.com