HR Onboarding and Automation: Here’s What You Should Know

Running a business is a balancing act. Business owners constantly look for ways to minimize costs, produce quality work, and keep clients happy at the same time. Some changes can help you meet one goal but not another. Some even damage one goal in pursuit of another. For example, if you cut costs during product development, the quality of your product might suffer. However, there is one change you can make that will help you meet all of those goals: HR onboarding automation.

The most important part of hiring an employee is getting them started. When employees are ready to hit the ground running on the first day, they start their jobs happier. Happier employees stay in their jobs longer, which eliminates the cost of high turnover rates, keeps your team members focused on quality work, and assures your clients that they can trust your product or service.

You want to make sure that your HR onboarding process goes as smoothly as possible. A successful onboarding often means a successful work experience, while a rocky onboarding can get a new employee off to a rocky start. For many businesses these days, automation makes all the difference.

These are just a few of the reasons automation creates onboarding success. Take a look to see why more business owners are turning to this option.

When HR processes are automated, everything that needs to be done before a new employee starts on the first day is done. Business cards, computer, ID cards, office supplies–you name it. If it’s something everyone else on the team has, your new employee can have it right away.

Why does that make a difference? Because it benefits multiple people and departments at the same time. It’s just one change, but when this part of HR onboarding happens right away, everybody notices the difference.

Consider the new employee, for example. When that employee has all of the official supplies that they need from the outset, they can immediately start feeling like a part of the team. During the first few weeks of an employee’s tenure, it’s easy to feel left out. They have to get to know a new office culture and a new routine. When that employee doesn’t have things like business cards or an office ID, those missing items can contribute to feelings of newness and isolation. However, once they have that documentation, they are one step closer to feeling like they belong. Because a sense of belonging leads to happier employees and better work, the company as a whole can benefit, too.

Plus, this supply automation can also make life easier for management during HR onboarding. They can focus on the most important aspects of onboarding, instead of the little things.

HR onboarding comes with all kinds of documents. A lot of people forget just how many documents come with the hiring process until it’s time to bring a new employee onto the team. Those documents can really add up in terms of time and money, especially for your HR department. Between sending documents, printing copies, and making sure all the information stays secure, your HR team puts a lot of effort into document management when they help new employees join the office.

When HR spends so much time chasing documents, they can’t focus on the more human aspects of onboarding, like making sure new employees acclimate quickly. Plus, there’s also the cost of paper and ink, along with all of the security concerns that come with poor document management.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. You can make the entire process easier. When hiring a new employee, onboarding documents can be sent automatically. Things like I-9 forms, direct deposit information, and training modules can be sent ahead of time. The completion of these tasks can be tracked remotely. Once an employee has completed a step, a member of the leadership team can be informed. Reminders can also be sent to ensure compliance.

You’ll save time and money, and you’ll keep a better handle on document security.

Speaking of document security, your HR onboarding process could probably use a lot more protection than you have right now. When hiring new employees, a lot of information goes back and forth, and that information is usually sensitive. Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses are personally identifiable information (PII) that you collect during the hiring process. Naturally, your new employees will want to know that the company keeps this information safe.

If your HR team uses automation during onboarding, you can confidently assure new employees that their information is safe. By using automated data systems, your company can prevent unnecessary access. The information gathered can be restricted and audited as necessary. Automation reduces the risk of data breaches, so your new employees can focus on getting started instead of worrying about their data being stolen.

Of course, you don’t want just any automation service for your HR onboarding. You want to make sure that you find the right service to meet your company’s HR needs.

As you look for automation solutions, pay extra attention to document management options. Document management services provide all kinds of solutions for automated onboarding. You can store and track important HR documentation, keep checklists of your onboarding tasks, and keep pre-made and customizable copies of business cards and other supplies that your new employees will need. Some document management solutions even have e-signature capabilities, so you can accept signatures without ever printing a document.

Most importantly, document management software is secure, so you can protect your new hires and your company as a whole by keeping information safe.

Want to learn more about document management and other HR onboarding solutions? Vasion can help. Our cloud-based software can help you and your HR team keep your business running smoothly. Schedule your demo now to see how Vasion can work for you.