Making the decision to acquire a new HRIS is an exciting prospect. HRIS can help organizations to progress, develop, and grow faster, increasing productivity and ultimately earning potential. However, the beginning of the journey can be intimidating, as there is a lot of information to process. The ultimate success of the system relies on making the right selection, implementing and training properly, and using it in ways that are beneficial to the company, so the first steps are critical.
Figure Out Why You Need It
The very first step of the HRIS journey is to figure out why your organization needs an HRIS. There are usually some processes that are less efficient than they could be. Making a list of which system processes you believe could benefit from automation is a great first step and can provide focus and clarity for the rest of the journey.
Consult Key Managers and Employees
After a preliminary list has been drawn up, consulting key managers and employees can help to refine the priorities for the system. Managers and employees from different departments may have different ideas about what would be of greatest benefit to the organization, which can provide a fresh perspective and new insights.
Perform Due Diligence
Before settling on top priorities for a new HRIS, due diligence should be performed. This may include tracking exactly how much time is needed to complete certain tasks that have been identified as inefficient using the current system and then calculating how much money or how many hours could be saved by automating those tasks. Having quantitative data can help you to clearly see what would benefit the organization the most-and show those results to everyone involved in decision making.
Establish the Budget
Some organizations make the mistake of establishing the budget as the first step in the HRIS journey. It is better to have an idea of needed features, so that you can research the common cost of those features through top HRIS vendors and make more informed decisions about how much the total costs may be with purchase, installation, and training. Having all of this information before establishing a budget will help to prevent overrunning the budget later.
Contact Vendors
Vendors can provide demos that will allow you to picture exactly how their solution will work in your organization. Vendors will explain how they can help with implementation and training, which may be something that will add value to a system and save time. It may also be possible to negotiate with vendors for better prices or bundle deals for additional features.
Establish Implementation Timeline
Figuring out an implementation strategy and timeline can help to save a lot of headaches and increase the efficiency of the project right from the start. If the vendor offers to send a representative to assist with implementation and training, it may be worth the added expense. Otherwise, it may be helpful to hire an HRIS consultant that can help configure the system to meet the needs of the organization and manage the project from start to finish.
Taking these steps before purchasing a new HRIS can help to ensure success and a good return on investment. It can also help you to clearly see if the journey will be worth it before setting out.
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