Resource Center
Without the necessary people power, a perfectly profitable company can easily flounder. In an era where benefits programs such as 401Ks are a priority for soliciting good employees, virtually every office requires knowledgeable management of benefits programs and the myriad of regulations accompanying them. Also, with more employees preferring to go wireless and work from home, companies must possess the ability to track employee performance remotely, and with ease. As a result, traditionally forms-driven human resources (HR) departments are turning to automation. A 2005 HR.com paper entitled “Talent Management Metrics: A Survey of Current Practices,” however, reported 75 percent of employers are opting for manual processes when it comes to recruitment, rather than conducting the business of hiring online.
So, perhaps the HR industry has split between paper-based forms and electronic organization. Despite HR.com’s findings, the proliferation of automated HR services and software indicates a shift toward automation. The following human resources management software products and services are replacing the flood of traditional employee management forms, ensuring streamlined workflow and organization for corporate human resources departments.
Set Sail
Headquartered in Reading, UK, with U.S. offices in Campbell, Calif., Fairsail provides on-demand, integrated HR software compatible with Salesforce.com’s hosting platform. The software itself compiles employee performance tracking with tasks such as goal-setting, historical analysis, job description maintenance and strategizing for promotions.
“I’ve delivered customized HR web applications for the past 10 years,” said Colin Cooper, Fairsail founder and CEO, “and previously, client/server applications to blue chip companies worldwide. With the Force.com platform, Salesforce.com has changed the landscape, offering a completely new way to deliver applications. Companies no longer need to worry about the infrastructure and maintenance efforts associated with on-premise software resulting in more efficient and effective implementations.”
For more information, visit www.fairsail.com.
Ascending Automation
Ascentis, located in Bellevue, Wash., offers the HROffice software application, focusing on the benefits and payroll aspects of HR. Automation is key to the appeal of HROffice, which handles office management concerns, such as various types of benefits management—including policies and eligibility—as well as payroll.
Ascentis lightens the HR paper load with its HROffice Employee Self-Service, allowing employees to access their own HR information and electronically submit HR-related requests for management. HROffice Carrier Connect handles company insurance information, communicating the information directly to insurance providers.
“HROffice saves organizations time and money, and provides HR [departments with] advanced administrative support so they can devote more time to strategic objectives,” noted Kristen Hayer, director of sales and marketing at Ascentis.
For more information, visit www.ascentis.com.
NuView Mirror
NuView Systems, Wilmington, Mass., is the producer of NuViewHR, a complete solutions suite handling payroll and benefits, processes such as recruitment and training and employee performance. NuViewHR also features self-service options for employees, as well as the option to license or have a company’s software hosted.
For more information, visit www.nuviewinc.com.
Workforce Workflow
Kronos, located in Chelmsford, Mass., has released its Workforce Central 6 suite, suitable for companies expanding internationally. The software allows easy access to, and management of, employees working in different time zones than those of company headquarters. Workforce Central 6 streamlines productivity by offering a simple way to analyze a combination of factors contributing to overall regional performance, including geography and labor activity. Furthermore, the software offers a scheduling feature that compares employee skills and shift availability.
“With remote, international and contingent employees, managing today’s diverse workforce has never been so complex. Aligning talent with the needs of the business is like walking on a tightrope: you want to strike a healthy balance while maintaining a clear focus on your ultimate objective,” said Peter George, chief technology officer at Kronos. “Workforce Central 6 transforms businesses by providing executives with greater visibility into their global workforce, enabling them to identify critical business issues and empowering them with the tools to make good informed decisions en route to achieving their ultimate business goals.”
For more information, visit www.kronos.com.