Many small businesses don’t realize just how much time is spent on entering data. Each time an employee needs to update their W-4 form or adjust their benefits, an HR employee has to manually change that information. Then, the HR professional has to update the same information in all of the other systems your company uses. 

With employee self-service tools, employees can update their information on their own. As long as these tools are integrated with your other software programs, a single update will be automatically reflected in every other system. 

What Are Employee Self-Service Tools?

Employee self-service tools are a type of human resources information system (HRIS). They help you manage HR information by providing employee access to their own data. With employee self-service tools, workers can instantly change their payroll data, personal information, benefits, and other important details. 

The Benefits of Using Employee Self-Service Tools

Having real-time access to employee data isn’t just convenient. It also makes your company more efficient. When making decisions, you can use the latest information. In turn, you can enjoy more accurate data and better accessibility. 

Time-Savings and Efficiency 

One of the biggest benefits of using employee self-service features is the time savings. As an employer, you don’t have to devote HR labor hours to updating personal information. Employees can easily request time off and access pay stubs on their own. 

For workers, these tools can also result in time savings. Rather than wait for HR to help them with day-to-day tasks, the employee can immediately update their information, access their pay stubs, and perform other tasks. Instead of devoting time to monotonous, easily automated HR tasks, employees and employers can focus on doing more important things.

Accuracy

By using employee self-service tools, you can improve the accuracy of your HR system. The software apps are integrated, so information can instantly be updated across every app. This reduces redundancies, improves accuracy, and ensures that addresses, banking information, and other data are updated in every location.

Convenience

By investing in the right tools, small business owners can enjoy a more convenient experience. This type of portal means you’ll have fewer requests for data. Employees can simply look up HR questions on their own. 

For the same reasons, employee self-service portals are incredibly convenient for workers. Employees don’t have to wait for an HR professional to look up an answer. Instead, they can use the intuitive interface to find the information they need. If an HR task needs to be handled, the employee doesn’t have to wait for someone else to do it. Over time, this type of added control can make employees feel more satisfied with their work environments.

Compliance and Security 

Even if you aren’t legally required to protect certain types of data, it’s a good idea to handle information as securely as possible. If personal or financial information is lost in a data breach, it can end up angering your clients and employees.

Additionally, there are some legal regulations about how to maintain certain types of data. By using employee self-service portals, you don’t have to worry about whether your company’s data is being stored in a compliant, secure manner or not.

Accessibility 

For small business owners, employee self-service tools offer real-time access to employee reports and data. You can analyze your company’s labor hours and benefits usage from any location. Then, you can use this data to make more informed decisions.

Meanwhile, employees can enjoy being able to access all of the information they need right away. They can instantly print an HR form or change their home address. For everyone involved, employee self-service tools lead to a more accessible, efficient workflow. 

What Are Some Types of Employee Self-Service Tools? 

Each business is unique, so the type of employee self-service tools you use can vary. Depending on your organization, you may want to try one of the following self-service tools. 

• Time trackers
• Benefits management
• Training and development tools
• Apps for employee requests, such as time off requests 
• Pay stubs and payroll software

The best employee self-service programs integrate different features, so you can have an all-in-one location for your HR and payroll management.

Discover Leading Employee Self-Service Tools

If you want to make your workplace more efficient, the right self-service tools can help.  To learn more about the intuitive employee self-service for payroll & HR, reach out to our team of small business HR and payroll experts today.