Human Resources Software, Personnel Management Software

Most frequently used HR modules

Recruiting or personnel recruitment

A recruitment module usually maps both the internal approval processes for a job advertisement and the corresponding publication of this advertisement. The module also usually includes functions for searching for candidates, CV parsing, automated assessment processes, functions for communicating with applicants as well as with responsible HR staff and possibly colleagues. The recruiting module often offers interfaces to social media and other platforms on which job applications can be published and candidate analyses can be carried out.

HR master data management / digital personnel file

The digital personnel file contains the basic employee data relevant to the employment contract. This includes the personnel master data as well as, for example, references, contract documents, performance appraisals, certificates for completed training courses, etc.

Applicant management

The functions of an applicant management software solution may be very similar to those of the recruiting module, as applicant management is a sub-area of recruiting. Applicant management maps the processes that an applicant goes through or triggers in the company. This includes, for example, the receipt of the application, CV parsing, the sending of a confirmation of receipt, the distribution of application documents in the company or their activation and notification of the relevant HR staff. Applicant management often also includes features for one-click applications or chatbots or jobbots that guide applicants through the application process interactively via dialog.

Onboarding

HR software also includes onboarding. There are also modules or separate software for this area. They support all processes related to the first day at the new company and usually offer additional tools and features beyond the initial introduction. Onboarding software is now more than just a personalized welcome page with important documents and information. The functionalities can cover the entire employee lifecycle. The onboarding solution is often used for assigning training and instructions as well as for networking with colleagues. Questions and requests from the new employee regarding access data, ID etc. can usually be recorded and forwarded as in a ticket system.

Personnel portal - Employee Self Services

The HR portal or employee self-services are buzzwords for possible self-service applications for employees. These include, for example, access to personal data or the streamlined and simple application process for vacation etc. or the administration of certain work materials or target agreements and much more. Personnel portals and self services can also be used to query working time accounts, appraisals or to store qualifications. The main advantage of the HR portal is that it reduces the workload of HR staff while at the same time strengthening the employee's personal responsibility.

Personnel deployment planning

Staff scheduling and workforce management modules generally offer a wide range of planning functions for staff deployment, for individual and rotating shifts, for mapping work schedules and for managing attendance and absences, among other things. Workforce scheduling is usually closely linked to vacation management and time recording or time management.

Time management

One of the most important modules and key functionalities in HR software is time management. The software is usually linked to the personnel administration or is also a direct component of the personnel administration solution with a connection to the payroll software. The software is used to record, process, monitor and document the start, duration and end of working hours and break times. In most cases, various working time models can be mapped and functions are available for mobile employees.

Vacation and absence management

Absence management and leave management are often closely linked to time management and personnel administration and are increasingly accessible via a personnel portal. The module for leave and absence management usually offers the option of submitting, approving and managing leave. However, the module should also map the relevant statutory regulations on parental leave, maternity leave, educational leave, special leave, etc.

Talent management, succession planning

Talent management combines various aspects of HR management. Talent management includes employee search, employee development and employee retention. The aim of talent search and talent development is, among other things, successful succession planning. The software therefore supports the alignment of talent search with strategic business objectives, the identification of career paths and their planning, as well as the development and maintenance of a talent pool. There are overlaps with recruiting, onboarding and skills and competence management.

Performance management

Performance management includes all functions relating to the assessment of employee performance. Activities and the completion of assigned tasks are recorded and compared with targets and objectives. Performance management modules often include feedback tools, 360° performance feedback functions, features for managing objectives and planning functions for appraisal meetings. In most cases, the module is also linked to the talent management and succession planning module.

Learning management, training and further education, instruction

HR management is tasked with ensuring and organizing the necessary company training, as well as training and further education and knowledge transfer within the company. Software for learning management, training and further education and also for instruction therefore supports, among other things, the creation of training plans for employees, the booking of courses and the administration of the corresponding budget for further training and evaluation and feedback processes. Such a module often offers a learning portal for employees with individual learning or course requirements.

Payroll

Payroll accounting is one of the basic activities in HR departments. Separate software is often used for payroll accounting. However, many HR software providers have already integrated modules for payroll into their HR software suites. The software (stand-alone or as a module in a suite) includes functions for mapping payroll modalities and paying social security contributions. These can be various modalities such as hourly wage accounting, construction wages, fixed wage or wage group accounting, etc. In most cases, the programs also support digital tax audits and offer evaluations for tax offices and health insurance companies, among others.

Tips and suggested questions for evaluating human resources software

• Before making a software decision, conduct a thorough market research of potentially suitable solutions. Our tip: Use our free research service without any obligation. Questions are worked out, large parts of the tender are taken over, potential solutions are presented in a structured way and the communication with the providers is documented!
• Please note that personal data should be given special protection compared to many other company data. This not only protects the privacy of employees, but also prevents a poor working atmosphere and potential misuse of data.
• Make sure that the software offers user rights management down to field level if possible if you are working in multi-user mode and want to implement different authorization groups.
• Check whether the software supports the wage types used in the company or those that could be used in the future.
• Find out whether the integration of social web activities is possible for applicant management, as, for example, applicant data can be transferred directly from a career portal to your applicant management system.
• Ask whether the software supports the organization of assessment centers. If you want to recruit and test applicants at trade fairs or in-house events, the relevant data obtained should be included in the human resources software.
• Check whether the compliance regulations are observed by the HR software or an additional tool and whether the compliance regulations can be flexibly managed with the software. Compliance regulations govern, for example, different access rights to employee data.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to develop new strategies and redesign your HR department's processes when introducing HR management software.
• Clarify whether there are functions or options that ensure occupational health and safety measures such as risk assessments, hazardous substance management, operating instructions, briefings, protective clothing instructions and also the regular inspection of work equipment.
• Make sure that a member of the HR department is involved in the selection and implementation of the software so that their expertise and knowledge of the processes involved can be taken into account in the decision.
• Also ask whether an integrated database for managing task descriptions and assigning them to employees is included in the scope of the software. The management of job profiles according to freely definable company divisions is also a helpful option, as is the recording of personnel costs and expenses for further training and seminars, for example.
• In addition to evaluation options, ask for predefined evaluations, graphics and reports, standard evaluations, e.g. organizational charts and a clear list of personnel costs per cost centre or "position". In this context, you should be able to define the key figures and thus always keep an eye on the costs.
• Make sure that the software can be supplemented with additional modules as flexibly as possible so that the selected software can continue to be used if the HR strategy changes, for example.
• Make sure that the price-performance ratio of the software is in relation to the size of the company and the number of employees.
• Thoroughly analyze and document the existing company processes in the HR department in order to select suitable software that fits these processes or can change them in a meaningful way.
• Analyze in advance the potential savings you can make on your HR administration costs by introducing new HR software.
• To optimize your company-specific HR management, the HR software should automate the relevant processes as far as possible and prepare and provide decision-relevant data.
• Ensure that strategic functions and data are also available. In addition to administrative HR management, intelligent strategic HR management is particularly important to ensure that critical roles and functions in the company are secured in the long term.
• Consider whether the software should provide talent management functions, as sustainable talent management is now an essential part of comprehensive HR management in order to retain qualified potential employees as well as important high-potential employees in the company.
• Check which planning method can be used as a basis in the software: For personnel cost planning, choose between the top-down method, where cost specifications from management are to be implemented, or the bottom-up method, where planning proposals from employees are used as a basis.
• Personnel controlling, for example to determine the return on investment and employee motivation, is becoming increasingly important for companies as a strategic competitive advantage.
• Find out whether employees and supervisors have access to the relevant employee group-specific target agreement forms.
• Make sure that the different fixed and variable salary components can be stored.
• Consider whether you need a flexible personnel information system that also reminds you of appointments and deadlines.
• Find out whether the software has functions for strategically important demographic management.
• Check whether organizational charts can also be created, as this means that additional, special organizational software can be dispensed with in individual cases.
• Due to the wide range of tasks involved in personnel management, personnel software is usually offered in individual modules, e.g. personnel administration, training or personnel files. To avoid having to enter personnel data twice, it is often advisable to obtain all the required modules from one provider. In this way, the individual modules access the same master data records, offer largely standardized interfaces and can exchange data with each other.
• Bear in mind that it often makes sense to use HR management software that is able to generate statistics on employees, employment and wages and salaries, filterable by client, occupational group and department.
• Consider using the personnel development module not only to plan the training program and its measures, but also to manage general data on your participants and lecturers, including costs, working hours, correspondence and literature.
• Check whether you can also use applicant-specific text elements in the applicant management software in addition to the standard text modules, thereby ensuring a personal touch with every applicant contact.
• Clarify whether the HR software enables Employee Self Service or Manager Self Service. This simplifies many processes in the HR department.
• Ask whether an interface to e-mail or groupware programs is available. For example, if a shift employee is absent due to illness, you can quickly find replacement employees in your employee database and inform them by text message.
• Make sure that you can use a similarity search or suggestion function in the software's search function. As proper names such as "Patrick" are often searched for, other spellings such as "Patryk" or "Pádraig" are also displayed for selection.
• Check whether employees can also access their personnel data if you want to promote an appropriate working atmosphere through transparency as part of feel-good management.