Human Capital Management: Improve Your Corporate Culture (With Unified HR)

When it comes to unified HR portals, sometimes the big picture gets lost in the details.

Don’t get me wrong—details are important.

• Will we process payroll in-house or outsource?
• How will we manage employee timekeeping?
• Can we improve employee scheduling to lower labor costs?
• What workplace laws do I need to comply with?

There are hundreds of components in your workforce management processes. In today’s post, however, we are going to focus on the big picture. We are going to discuss how unified HR portals can improve corporate culture. (And why you should care.)

How Does Human Resources Shape Corporate Culture?

Human Resources transactions reveal company culture from the moment a job candidate applies for a position. It is expressed through hiring processes, onboarding, and training. It manifests in the way an employee clocks in each shift.

Confusing application processes don’t exude efficiency. Poor communication doesn’t reflect business competence. Paycheck hassles contradict messaging that your company is “innovative.”

Establishing effective Human Resources operations is a worthy goal for any organization. And there are many benefits, both tangible (financial) and intangible (satisfied employees that like working for you).

The best way to improve Human Resources is to implement a broad solution that consolidates all workforce management processes.

What Is A Unified HR Portal?

A unified HR portal is also called an employee self-service (ESS) system. It’s a web-based interface through which your employees perform all HR transactions. Employees access the portal through a mobile app outside of work. Or with their work computer when they are on the clock.

Human Resources portals are usually cloud-based SaaS systems. Companies use the products with a subscription-type arrangement. They sign up with a workforce management vendor that maintains the software and provides customer support. Most vendors charge on a per-employee basis and many don’t require long-term contracts.

HR portals contain a company database, shift clock in/out, time cards, schedules, tax forms, and vacation requests. Some have tools for onboarding, benefits enrollment, and performance reviews.

Companies that use HR portals like WorkforceHub from Swipeclock save money, reduce administrative time, and streamline document management. The automation they provide can smooth growing pains for businesses that are expanding. They are also invaluable for Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance as well as other laws that affect the workplace. These platforms also help small companies run a lean operation by tightly controlling labor expenses.

Business owners shopping for an HR portal should look for systems that integrate with the software they are already using. These may be payroll processors (like Quickbooks), hiring systems (like BambooHR), or CRMs (like Salesforce).

Because HR portals touch so many processes, they shape the corporate culture. Simply put, when they work, they improve it. When they don’t, well…you get it.

Now that we’ve described what HR portals are, let’s get back to corporate culture.

How Corporate Culture Drives Business Growth

If you are a business owner, I am going to go out on a limb and guess that you want to increase revenue in 2022. As a small business owner, you may not have given much thought to your corporate culture. You may be too busy just keeping your head above water. You might think that esoteric concepts like “corporate culture” are for the Googles of the world.

Stay with me for a minute. Every business has a culture, regardless of whether or not anyone has tried to define it or change it. Improving your culture with employee-centric HR software brings a myriad of rewards, especially for the small business.

Let’s talk about them.

Culture Increases Team Unity

Of course your employees are motivated by a paycheck. But in addition to their salary, they want to be a part of something worthwhile. A well-defined corporate culture persuades employees to invest in your mission. (You have a mission, don’t you?) Employees who are invested welcome and inspire new employees. They help them get up to speed quickly and start contributing. This is especially important if you have remote or mobile employees.

Culture Improves Employee Retention

In the SwipeClock blog, we often discuss how efficient workforce management can lower employee turnover. This is still a relevant issue. In 2022 HR theory, employee retention is related to a “sustainable” culture. The goal is to spark investment in the company even before a candidate is hired. Companies are worried about employee retention because attracting talent is not getting any easier. Improving your corporate culture can be a determining factor in the success of retention programs.

Reevaluate What It’s Like To Work At Your Company

Christmas bonuses and employee appreciation lunches are nice. But isolated perks are less important than the daily tasks each employee must perform. How do your employees interact with HR? How easy is it to get information about their health benefits? Does it take more than two minutes to update the paycheck direct deposit form? Has the employee handbook been updated recently? How does an employee request time off?

Unified HR Has a Profound Impact On Culture

Everyone on your staff interacts with human resources. If your people management workflows are substandard, you have a wonderful opportunity. A unified HR portal provides a comprehensive solution to improving day-to-day operations.

Your employees will love the convenience of a cloud-based system. They can access it with the mobile device they manage their lives with. It will change how they engage with your company. This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to corporate culture.

Your Employees Will Be More Effective

When HR is put on auto-pilot, your employees can succeed. They won’t waste any mental energy on workforce management. And they won’t waste time using clunky processes. Advanced HR tech affirms your company’s commitment to the future and market relevance. And, more importantly, your employees’ future within your company.

Employees As Brand Evangelists

You work hard to persuade customers to be brand evangelists. Employees who are invested can also become brand evangelists. Customers leave online reviews about your products and support. Your employees leave “What it’s like to work here” reviews. (Have you read yours lately?) Prospective employees read those reviews when they consider applying.

HR Portals Provide Transparency

Half of all employees don’t believe their companies are transparent. In other words, 50% of workers don’t trust their employers. HR portals bring transparency to payroll, time and attendance, and leave policies. It puts everyone on a level playing field.

HR Portals Increase Accountability

Of course you want to hold your employees accountable in their roles. Workforce management automation helps managers monitor employees and control labor costs. It gives them tools to track mobile employees and crews at multiple locations.

Unified HR systems bring accountability to management as well. How does management accountability benefit employees? It highlights high performers so they can be recognized and rewarded. This is especially important for behind-the-scenes workers who toil away unnoticed. It benefits employees who are hesitant to bring attention to themselves.

It increases employee trust in hours tracking, payroll, overtime, and PTO. It helps managers conduct better performance reviews.

Learn How WorkforceHub Can Improve Your Company Culture

If you made it to the end of this post, you may want more information about how an HR portal can improve your business. Let’s hook you up. Visit WorkforceHub to request a demo. We look forward to connecting with you. Thank you for visiting our blog.