Home News & Insights How Automation can bring the 'Human' Back to Human Resources

How Automation can bring the 'Human' Back to Human Resources

"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people." - Maori Proverb

Amidst the growing concerns that smart tech and AI will take over our jobs, I’m here to tell you that technology can’t outdo humans just yet. The Maori proverb above explains why. Even in this digital age with increased automation, a business is nothing without the humans that breathe it to life. Similarly, HR is nothing without the professionals that bring an important shade of grey to the otherwise black and white corporate environment. So rather than fear technology and automation, is there a way we can collaborate with it to work smarter?

As HR professionals, we play an integral role in the employee journey from recruitment onwards, but sometimes it feels as if our work knows no bounds. We can have the best intentions and checklists that cover everything we need to complete, but once the work leaves our desks and falls into the hands of others, the wheels of the project can fall off. We understand that people can get side-tracked by other business-critical tasks, but we don’t always have the time to chase.

Our role finds us morphing from counsellor to friend to legal advisor, and so much more. It’s a balancing act between having the time to be available and listen when needed, and staying on top of the more routine parts of our job. This leads to us spending a lot of time manually completing tasks that could be automated if only we had the right systems in place. Automation could allow us to work in more meaningful ways, benefiting the entire business. So how can M-Files, our intelligent document management system, work in collaboration with you?

Destroy information silos.

A request I frequently receive is for access to on-file employee information. The kind of details I house is strictly confidential and needs to be held as both hard and soft copies. A lot of my time goes into retrieving this information upon request, and sometimes it’s not as easy to find as it should be. With M-Files, employees can access their own documents from the cloud-based server and can, granted they have the proper permission, edit their personal information should their contact details change. These changes then trigger a notification to HR so you always remain in the loop.

Faster processes, more accountability.

Imagine an automated checklist that follows a pre-set, customisable workflow, one that sends direct reminders when a task hasn’t been completed. These workflows would be perfect for onboarding processes where everyone involved can follow the same timeline, with all requirements clearly communicated. If someone falls behind, they’re automatically sent a reminder so you don’t have to follow up personally. Everyone stays on the same page and people are held accountable for their part in the process.

Confidentiality is key.

One issue with storing confidential documents online is security. With M-Files, everyone will only have access to their own personal information and not their colleagues. Supervisors will have higher visibility but still only be able to see information pertaining to their direct reports. It’s easy for HR to restrict access to documents as they see fit, so your confidential information remains secure. The control of information shared still remains firmly within your grasp.

With you throughout the employee life cycle.

Not only does M-Files free up time by banishing information barriers, it can also assist you throughout the employee life cycle. Manage and share all resumes during the often hectic hiring process, track new employee inductions, manage annual performance reviews with ease and retain employee information in an easy-to-understand, auditable platform.

Keep everyone updated at all times.

Company policies, handbooks and manuals are changing all the time, and it’s up to HR to ensure that these are clearly communicated and visible to all staff. Sure, you can upload the documents to a shared drive, but will anyone ever look at it? M-Files would enable you to send notifications to all staff when these company documents are updated so you can rest assured everyone has the latest information. Moreover, you can keep track of who has received and read the updates as well so there’s no need for guesswork on your part.

Automation that works smarter, not harder.

A special feature of M-Files for Human Resources is the multitude of personalisable document templates that simplify record keeping. With common processes, such as performance reviews, documents can be pre-generated by yourself or management and assigned automatically to the employee to complete. This begins a trackable workflow so you can ensure all actions are being completed on time, by the right people. You can even set up internal notifications every time a document needs to be reviewed or updated, helping you stay on top of things without the hard work.

With M-Files by your side to take care of previously manual processes, you’re free to help the company in more purposeful ways. Leave the routine work to systems you can trust and bring the humanity back into human resources.


Contact us to find out how M-Files can help your HR department work smarter.

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