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Social media screening is necessary evil, so why not get it right?

Posted on August 1, 2011 by actionhrmblog

I’m sure you’ve done it. Even if you didn’t want to admit it in the context of screening your job applicants, you’ve done it. That means a Google search and/or a perusal of social media profiles.

According to a recent New York Times article, “Things that you can’t ask in an interview are the same things you can’t research — which includes the gamut of information covering a person’s age, gender, religion, disability, national origin and race…75 percent of recruiters are required by their companies to do online research of candidates. And 70 percent of recruiters in the United States report that they have rejected candidates because of information online…”

And according to an EmployeeScreenIQ annual survey – out of the nearly 800 respondents, 25% used LinkedIn, 34% used Google, 30% used Facebook and 22% used Twitter to screen candidates.  44% said they would like their screening provider to offer this service in the future.

My take is that employers need to be using a social media screening service along with their standard background screening firms to protect themselves from making unfair hiring decisions as well as from potentially unlawful violent activity, racism and other intolerance, illegal activities, sexually explicit material – things you’d most likely call 911 about.

However, most hiring professionals I know today are screening without hesitation and making hiring calls based on what they see, regardless of what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) says about it all. These potentially poor hiring decisions could eventually lead to litigation. If that rises and gets more and more media coverage, which it will, then and only then will we see more employers think twice about going on their own.

That’s the catch-22 of hiring — the fact that employers have an obligation to protect their employees and have fair hiring practices. It’s a necessary evil, so why not get it right?

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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Employ new hires with emotional intelligence

Posted on July 28, 2011 by actionhrmblog

Imagine you have an employee who’s constantly invading his co-workers’ personal space — reading stuff on their desk, opening their mail, eavesdropping on their phone calls, constantly tell them what they’re doing wrong, undermining leadership’s authority by telling everyone else what to do — all from his vantage point of “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Unfortunately like many companies, management may ignore the whole situation hoping that it’ll work itself out and that the co-workers will do something about it, even though as HR you’re recommending something be done.

Or, maybe you call him in to meet with his supervisor and yourself to discuss the situation, to only then ignore it after the fact hoping it’ll work itself out.

Unfortunately, if your company doesn’t do anything about it, it’ll build over time like a small molten ball of unchecked emotion that can only thrash and scream in your arms. It can’t communicate. It can’t take care of itself.

It can’t stop until — ka-boom.

And management thought there was potential litigation the first few times it came up?

Even if it’s only for 5 minutes at a time, 15 minutes or even more, with enough repetition it can take its toll, creating yet another much larger molten ball of unchecked emotion that spreads like volcanic wildfire that can then all go to hell in a hand basket immediately if not sooner.

Again — ka-boom.

Companies today are running leaner and just can’t afford these employee blow-ups. There are still so many sad scenarios that play out in the workplace today, forcing our inability to deal with the emotional fallout. If we leave our employees unchecked, we can become chaos:

  • More than 28 percent of companies with 250 to 999 employees said they had an incident of workplace violence over a year period.
  • 37 percent of all Americans report being bullied now or at some point in their careers.
  • The annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence is estimated as $727.8 million with over 7.9 million paid workdays lost per year.

These are only a few examples and isn’t even taking into account less extreme examples of poor interpersonal communication, ineffective supervision and leadership, low employee engagement, little to no training and development programs, little to no personal responsibility and self-policing.

A study conducted by LeadershipIQ that tracked the success and failure of new hires concluded that only 11% of employees failed because they lacked the technical competence to do the job. The remaining reasons new hires failed, were due to issues such as alienating co-workers, being unable to accept feedback, lack of ability to manage emotions, lack of motivation or drive and poor interpersonal skills.

Mood and emotional reaction affects behavior and performance. Behavior and performance affects mood and emotional reaction.

What if we behaved better, had more self-awareness and self-management? What if our leadership created a culture where that behavior is rewarded and new hires were assessed to have these capabilities?

As the kids say, check yourself before you wreck yourself and others.

We’re all responsible for leading self, but some of us lead with others in teams and some of us lead others in entire organizations big and small.

We need to employ personal responsibility and emotional intelligence in our places of work. As human resource professionals, these are the new hires you want working for you. Assessing and developing emotional intelligence is critical for today’s workforce.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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The people-centric and business-centric HR technology research you need

Posted on July 25, 2011 by actionhrmblog

Making the business case for buying new or replacing existing HR technology isn’t always easy. It’s bad enough that you’ve always been seen as a people-pushing cost center. The problem is the “HR” in HR technology – it’s more about transactional HR activities than strategic business initiatives.

The fact is for HR to remain relevant in today’s business world, HR must become business-centric and not remain HR-centric.

That’s why like many others in the past week, I recommend reading People Management Technology: A New Framework for Delivering Business Results (you can get a report summary, or buy the full study here) that lays out “a new framework for evaluating people technology decisions in an age of increased demands on business results.”

It also gives insight into emerging trends, as well as advice for technology and HR leaders “as they make next-generation investment choices in the next three years.” It’s by Amy Wilson, principal analyst and vice president at Constellation Research, someone I know and highly respect as an industry analyst.

Here are some of the key points made in the report (as highlighted by TLNT.com):

  • Business needs more from HR Technology. From the report: “Today, this is not enough. Pressure grows for businesses to positively impact success through better people management … Yet, the HR technology view still misses key elements of business success. Business outcomes take a backseat to HR features and functions.”
  • A new, more business-centric framework is required. From the report: “The shift from HR efficiency and effectiveness to business performance is a fundamental change that must be driven down to all levels of HR operations. This means that companies must evolve people, processes, and technology to move from HR process to business results focus … from siloed HR look-ups to people decisions integrated into core business processes … (and) from HR programs at the center to a strong foundation supporting business goals.”
  • The new framework focuses on impacting the bottom line. From the report: “The new people-centric approach requires a new type of business-centric HR framework – it is no longer sufficient to bolt-on business users and solutions as an afterthought to HR technology. Such a strategy is incomplete, relying on outdated frameworks to inform what is important to HR, but not to business success.”
  • Business comes first in People Management Technology framework. From the report: “The people management technology framework is business-centric, rather than HR-centric, and allows businesses to better impact results through more effective people management. The framework is comprised of four components: Business Management, Strategic Programs, Transactions, and Master Data.”
  • Business Management: People planning, insight, and operations drives the process. From the report: “The technologies that provide visibility and support to business leaders as they plan, operate, and gain insight into their businesses are emerging and evolving rapidly. Incorporating these tools into the technology framework changes the conversation between business leaders and HR leaders. Instead of HR on one side and business on the other, the two blend together to solve people and business challenges simultaneously.”

If you are upgrading, replacing, or considering buying HR software for the first time – you should read People Management Technology: A New Framework for Delivering Business Results from Constellation Research before you do.

Too much of the HR technology and people management research out there today is vendor-centric, so its refreshing when it’s people-centric and business-centric, which is what we all need today to succeed.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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It’s the kudos and creature comforts that keep us coming back to work

Posted on July 21, 2011 by actionhrmblog

The chairs were killing us. Okay, not really killing us, but they were un-comfortable with a capital U, and sitting in them for any length of time was beginning to wear on our Generation X bodies, even those of us in pretty good shape.

So it was time to do something about that. We’re a small firm with less than 50 employees and don’t have a huge equipment budget (if any) for the main office or our virtual team members, but we did realize the importance of being comfortable and ergonomically correct since many of us sit for long hours working on our computers and laptops.

In fact, we recognized the importance of having the right equipment to be the most effective and efficient at any given time, all the while staying in tune with our bodies to ensure healthy working environs.

So we called an ergonomics expert and she walked us through the dos and don’ts of working correctly in any environment, and then made recommendations for new chairs we should be using.

We bought a set for the main office a few years ago and now we’re buying some more. A little comfort goes a long, long way to keeping our team happy.

The same goes for empowering teams with flexible schedules and other low-cost ways to keep your employees happy.

Check these recommendations out from the appropriately titled article 5 Low-Cost Ways to Make Employees Happy from BNET:

1. Offer something special

You want the product or service your business offers to stand out in the marketplace. So it makes sense to think of your workplace in the same way by making it special and ensuring that it stands out from those of your competitors.

2. Share control

Time is a precious resource these days. Studies have shown that people in all sorts of situations respond positively to having a little control over their environment, their schedule, and more. Take a look at your workforce and your schedule and introduce some flexibility if there’s room for it.

3. Share the load

Along the same lines, it’s important to remember that most people value and thrive on meaningful engagement. Employees crave involvement and autonomy, which can help your business in many ways. Let them engage in defining their jobs and helping make decisions about company resources and more. That sense of ownership will not only boost their morale, but it may help boost their productivity as well.

4. Offer no-interest loans

Looking for benefits that are low-risk for you and high-boost for them? Consider offering small, no-interest loans to employees. Talk to your accountant about how to administer such a program and be sure to cap these as “micro” loans that will just help people on small purchases. It’s a supportive gesture that will not go unnoticed.

5. Show your appreciation

One of the most basic morale-boosters is simply recognizing good work. People at all levels appreciate being appreciated, but it doesn’t have to come in the form of a fat check. Many people respond to a simple — and specific — “thank you” from their managers.

That last one is one of the best and doesn’t cost a thing. It makes your employees feel like the richest folks in the world.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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Visa and Diploma Mills: The path of least resistance can be so destructive

Posted on July 18, 2011 by actionhrmblog

I worked hard for my college degree at an accredited university. Although I was always a good student, there was a time in college when I thought I’d just scrap the whole plan. But I hung in there and finished it with honors. Didn’t mean I was guaranteed a job, but it did help pave the way.

Right on.

And I’m all for allowing non-US students attend our universities as well as non-US citizens to launch business ventures here that may create jobs.

So when I read a San Jose Mercury News report about a twist on the diploma mill epidemic – visa mills – especially in this still horrid economy, it’s frustrating and disheartening. Human resources must be extremely vigilant.

Unaccredited schools that had been paid millions of dollars by foreigners to obtain student visas that authorize them to remain in the U.S. — a scheme whose growth was fueled by a profit-sharing system that gave students who referred newcomers from abroad a 20 percent cut of the tuition, according to court records.

Entrepreneurism runs amuck in a black market, which is usually a big part of the legitimate business markets, and sadly the US government approves this currently.

A decade after terrorists in the country on student visas carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security — the very agency established to oversee a tougher visa system — endorses universities that should be ineligible to issue the necessary certificate for students to gain F1 student visas, records show. It even places these schools on the list that international students consult before pursuing a degree in the U.S. (Thankfully this is being investigated now.)

The students who attend these are attracted for another big reason: the promise of legal jobs. Unfortunately many of these students return home with little education, no accredited degree and broke. And for those who do get jobs, it’s at the expense of those who have been unemployed for months, even years now.

According to the SJ Mercury article: ITU contends that it meets federal criteria because its credits are accepted by recognized universities — but no proof was submitted. School officials asserted to the newspaper that their courses are accepted by San Jose State, Santa Clara, Stanford and the University of California system — a claim all the universities say is not true.

Of course not.

According to global background screening firm EmployeeScreenIQ:

Diploma mills are mostly online entities that offer substandard or bogus degrees in exchange for payment and not much else. Often these entities will grant a “degree” based on the submission of a résumé detailing life experience, and will even let the applicant choose his own subject and year of graduation. Others might require the student to do some work, but because of the lack of recognized accreditation or authorization to grant degrees, the certificates are worthless.

Systems of higher education recognition and accreditation vary greatly across the globe, making it easier for diploma mills to confuse and deceive.

EmployeeScreenIQ’s U.K. strategic partner, Verifile Ltd. has published their 2011 report on diploma and accreditation mill activity and reveals an astounding 48% increase worldwide in the number of known diploma and accreditation mills in the past year alone.

48% increase. Mercy.

And we don’t have to look as far as our own backyards.

The Accredibase™ report identifies the following red flags that may help in the identification of diploma mills:

  • The institution does not have authority to operate or grant degrees from the education authorities where it claims to be based.
  • Degrees are delivered in a very short space of time – sometimes just a few days.
  • Degrees are granted based entirely on work or life experience.
  • Contact details are limited to an email address and the institution is vague about its location.
  • The institution will allow the student to choose his/her own course title and specify the graduation year to appear on the certificate.
  • Sample certificates, transcripts or verification letters are available to view on the website.
  • Institutions make over-complicated or misleading claims about accreditation or recognition.
  • The institution’s name is similar to that of a recognised and respected education institution.
  • Internet domain names are misleading – such as ‘.ac’ instead of the regulated ‘.ac.uk’ used by higher education institutions in the United Kingdom.
  • The website is poorly designed, has poor spelling and grammar or it plagiarises copy from other institutions.

Again, it’s frustrating and disheartening that the path of least resistance can be so destructive.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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Remember, an employee contract is an employee contract

Posted on July 14, 2011 by actionhrmblog

Whatever you do, don’t say one thing then do another. Particularly in business when it comes to people management, hiring and firing at-will.

At-will employment means that an employer can terminate an employee for any reason or for no reason at all (within reason of course that includes not promising to keep someone for whatever reasons, regardless if you’re an at-will employer).

That’s the trouble for companies big and small that have these policies, the fact that they have good-hearted, emphatic human resource professionals and managers who don’t want to be the bad guys, when in the end, the succumb to the beast of their businesses.

Lawyer Eric B. Meyer in a TLNT.com post titled An Employer Blueprint For How to Screw Up At-Will Employment shares the following case:

The case is Lapidoth v. Telcordia Technologies, Inc. In 1986, Ms. Lapidoth began working for Telcordia. All the while, Telcordia had an at-will employment policy in its Code of Business Ethics.

In 2005, Ms. Lapidoth requested a six-month maternity leave because she was expecting her tenth child. Prior to her nine previous births, Ms. Lapidoth had requested and received extended leave from Telcordia.

Before Ms. Lapidoth’s tenth birth, the company sent her a letter which set forth the conditions of her leave. In that letter, which also referenced the company policy on maternity leave, Telcordia guaranteed Ms. Lapidoth that her job would be waiting for her when the 12 months expired.

Fast-forward 12 months. Ms. Lapidoth is ready to return. However, the company has filled her position with someone it deemed to be a better fit. Ms. Lapidoth sues claiming that the company breached its contract with her. (She also claimed that Telcordia violated the FMLA, but she lost on that). Telcordia defended by arguing that, because Ms. Lapidoth was at-will, it could fire her for any reason or no reason at all.

What happened? Well the Appellate Court found that the company may have promised to reinstate Ms. Lapidoth’s position at the end of her leave.

Really. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.

Here are Eric’s three lessons for employers:

  1. Avoid creating contractual rights in your handbook, unless you intend to live up to them. Make sure the employee handbook contains a clear statement that employment is at-will and anyone can be fired with or without good cause. Also, if your leave policies are more generous than what the law requires (e.g., you offer up to 18 weeks of FMLA as opposed to 12), that’s fine. But, remember, that’s a contract.
  2. Avoid creating contractual rights in your communications with employees, unless you intend to live up to them. If you wish to provide an employee with additional time-off benefits, you should clarify in writing any conditions attached to those benefits. Here, if Telcordia had informed Ms. Lapidoth that her job would not be guaranteed to her upon her return to work (especially, if the company hires someone to replace her), then the outcome may have been different.
  3. Avoid deviating from the handbook. If your handbook says “A”, but you always do “B,” then employees will come to expect “B.” And if you don’t give them “B,” then see you in court.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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Forget work-life balance because it’s just life

Posted on July 11, 2011 by actionhrmblog

Sometimes we find zen. A moment of harmonic convergence in our lives when all things family, friends, co-workers, employers, work and life become one.

Sometimes. Work-life balance. [sigh] Wait, who are we kidding, right?

We don’t time zone travel with a head cold on a flurry of work trips for balance. We don’t wake up every 1-2 hours for to soothe the savage 11-month-old baby “beast” for balance, or play

That’s me and my family this past few weeks. But, we wouldn’t give it up for all the zen in China because the intrinsic rewards outweigh the work-life imbalance — enjoying what we do and loving our family. In fact, it’s not even really about balance or imbalance — it’s the highly integrated work-life world that we ride for joy (and that runs us down in fear).

And if I’m your employer, I’m going to do everything I can to foster the emotional connectivity and encourage the internal motivational drive, as well as moving the motivation needle externally with “rewards” when appropriate. But I want you to work hard, I want results, I’m going to focus on pay-for-performance and if your position allows, I’m going to let you do it as you see fit (when, where and how). I will be empathic and trust you, but I will not be a pushover.

And if I’m your employee, I’m going to demand flexibility in exchange for regular, quality output whenever, wherever and however I’m doing it. I want to take time off when I need it, regardless of the reason, and I don’t want to be questioned. I want your empathy and your trust and I will reciprocate. I want to to be pushed and pulled and challenged to learn as long as I’m enjoying what I’m doing in the context of what you’re doing.

And like someone suggested to me recently: “It’s just life.”

Find a way to like what you do and keep doing it, over and over again. The mindful workplace presence of frenetic zen will take care of the rest.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

 

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What are you doing to prevent your folks from fleeing?

Posted on July 5, 2011 by actionhrmblog

Living in and around Silicon Valley for over 25 years, one thing is clear – no one is safe from poaching.

I mean, the big tech firms may give lip service to the fact that they’re not going to “steal” away each other’s talent, but that’s a bunch of hooey.

But no one really gets stolen away, do they? Unhappiness breeds the need to look for love in other places, and the best headhunters and recruiters know this and exploit it. And right now in Silicon Valley (and the world for that matter) the dot.com sequel is upon us and bidding wars for specific engineering and software development talent is hotter than it’s ever been, in a world that’s still colder than it’s ever been economically.

As a people management professional, what are you doing to ensure your folks aren’t fleeing into the arms of your enemies?

According to a post by Josh Letourneau on the Fistful of Talent blog from last month, The Headhunters Are Coming … Are You Ready?, you should be doing these three things:

  1. Look at the roots of your Organization first. Are your Managers and Leaders those who instill trust and confidence in their teams?  Can they define “integrity”?  If not, you might as well get rid of them.  Sure, feel free to dump more money into “training”, but remember this – leopards rarely change their spots.  Upgrade your leadership and watch the impact on your retention.  “Leadership Retreats” and seminars look great in marketing materials, but breaking a leg while jumping off a ledge into a group of co-workers (who don’t want to catch you in the first place) doesn’t make one a Leader.  This isn’t easy and it takes time, but time and time again, it works.  Hire Leaders that people will follow, not run from.
  2. Do you have a Career Development Plan? What do your Employees have to aspire to?  20 years and a gold watch?  Those days are behind us, and playing Frank Sinatra in the background still doesn’t make a superficial “Thanks for the years” ring any better.  Instead, show Employees that caring about their development is more than just lip service – ensure you have a plan that is documented and accessible by all levels in the organization.  And, oh yeah, stick to it.
  3. Is “Black Friday” a term in your organizational vocabulary? Does your firm lay off 20% of the workforce every October so your numbers look a little better in January the next year?  If so, good luck.  The only talent you’re retaining is the Employee that either lives in a bubble or hasn’t heard of that “social media thing-a-ma-jigger” called LinkedIn yet.  Sure, in a down economy, you can screw people – that’s life.  But remember, once your employment brand becomes associated with hatcheting off employees to earn Executives an extra week of vacation at the Jersey Shore, it’s pretty darn tough to break that stigma.

Best of luck to you.

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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If you couldn’t make it…here’s some SHRM 2011 news and recaps

Posted on June 30, 2011 by actionhrmblog

For those who couldn’t make the 2011 SHRM Conference & Exposition this week in sunny (and boiling hot) Las Vegas, I’ve highlighted some of the great media and blogger coverage below. The keyword here is “some,” because there are a whole bunch more you can find elsewhere, including here at HR Blogger, courtesy of Blogging4Jobs.

Even for those of you who did go to SHRM this year, you probably haven’t read some of these. So fire up the grill, prep all the yummy food, light some sparklers (not close to the grill mind you, especially if it’s a gas grill), crank up some homemade ice cream to go with that apple pie, pour yourself your favorite beverage and enjoy:

SHRM Names Henry Jackson as New President and CEO (Workforce Management)

Most recently, he led the organization’s initiatives to educate HR professionals on the employment issues facing military veterans. After a yearlong national search for its president and CEO, the Society for Human Resource Management named interim leader Henry “Hank” Jackson to the post on the opening day of SHRM’s 63rd Annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas…

SHRM Las Vegas Wrap: The Good, The Bad, and The Swag (TLNT)

The SHRM annual conference is a wrap here in Las Vegas, and usually by this time in the conference, I’m a blubbering, brain dead mess. But this conference has been exciting time for us here at TLNT (with a large, well received tweetup and the launch of our radio show). It’s been fun to connect with readers who just started reading us a few months ago, and introducing new people to what we have going on here…

SHRM: Give US staff more holidays, says Richard Branson (People Management)

The amount of annual leave American workers are given “stinks” and employers should be more generous with their holiday policies, Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson has said. In the opening session of the SHRM 2011 conference in Las Vegas, Branson received rapturous applause from an audience of thousands of HR professionals when he called for US firms to come closer to the European approach…

#SHRM11 Wrap Up (Fistful of Talent)

Walking away from the SHRM Conference (and yes, walking, not stumbling like you might expect as it is Vegas), you can’t help but to be a bit introspective about the trip and for me, I’m stuck thinking quite a bit about two things: one, young professionals in HR and two, how intimidating and massive this conference is. The two things go together hand in hand though…

The Real Value of a SHRM Conference (The Tim Sackett Project)

Got into a really good HR conversation yesterday at #SHRM11 in Las Vegas.  The conversation wasn’t at a session or about a session or with someone I even knew – and to me this is the real value of an event like SHRM National.  I’m sitting down, having something to eat, and I strike up a conversation with the guy sitting next to.  He’s from Dallas, TX – we go through the small talk stuff – Mavericks rocked this year, yeah it’s hot and muggy – my brother in-law lives in Frisco, etc…

Talent Anarchy = Comforming to Engagement (HR Insominiac)

I had the pleasure of sitting in a fab session by two great HR pros named Joe Gerstand and Jason Lauritsen.  Their moniker is Talent Anarchy which is a) ultra cool and b) appropriate for the world of Talent management. Why? They are powerful zen masters; karmic HR dudes really keeping the message deceptively simple. Do good HR things > good HR things will happen to you and your teams.  Networking is about being authentic; Networking is not about a hard sell…

SHRM11: Passion Is The Word (HR Ringleader)

Each time I attend a conference, there seems to be a theme that I hear emerging.  At SHRM 11 Annual Conference, the theme I’m hearing is passion. Interesting word to throw around at a HR conference, right?  Even so, we talk about having passionate employees, passionate customers, passionate leaders.  The compelling emotion that can connect a person to an organization is the magic ingredient that companies are looking for.  It’s what I heard in two very different sessions…

#shrm11 2011 SHRM 63rd Annual Conference & Exposition Swag Video (The Cynical Girl)

(You just gotta see it.)

SHRM 2011: From Shuttle Buses to Lightning in a Bottle (Marcom HRsay)

Back to why I was here at SHRM 2011. The HRmarketer.com announcement was an important milestone, yes. But, I’m also here as a blogger analyst to report back in my way of what’s happening of interest in the “business of HR.”And if the enormity of the show this year was any indication, business is back on the growth path. And what better way to check on the business of HR than to take the bus…

 

(What? You didn’t think I’d include mine?)

(Kevin W. Grossman, Guest Blogger)

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New ActionHRM Article: Kick the paper habit

Posted on June 23, 2011 by actionhrmblog

You’re in hiring mode and all is well with the world, except the fact that you’re drowning in applicant and new hire paperwork. In fact, you’re always drowning in it. Every day. All the time.

Did you know the average U.S. office worker wastes 1,500 sheets of paper every year?

Yikes. But maybe you’re one of the HR professionals have spent the better part of the past decade championing innovative business practices and processes. Maybe you’re part of the nationwide movement taking a powerful step toward greener operations by adopting HR management systems delivered via software as a service (SaaS).

Of course, one of the greatest benefits of these systems is that they help your company go paperless. So you’re not drowning in paper. Every day. All the time.

If you’re still trying to figure out how to kick the paper habit, check out these substantial rewards including:

  • Cost savings—Paperless systems mean energy savings, as you won’t be using the printer, copier or fax machine as much. You also can reduce the number of staff devoted to talent acquisition and management, so you’ll have fewer computers sucking energy and potentially fewer offices to keep lit and heated. Plus, automated processes enable you to slash costs on paper, printer ink, copier toner, folders and other office supplies.
  • Improved recruiting and hiring efficiency—After switching from primarily manual HR management processes to an automated HR management system, companies can see a dramatic decrease in time spent on hourly candidates’ applications and a much faster time- to-fill for corporate openings. SaaS systems help eliminate paperwork and processing steps, enabling staff members to work more efficiently and, ultimately, concentrate on more critical tasks.
  • A stronger brand—A green reputation strengthens your hiring brand, especially among younger talent. And it can stand as a differentiator when these candidates are deciding on an offer. In addition, many of your current employees will feel a greater sense of satisfaction and increased loyalty to your organization because of its conservation efforts. Studies have shown that green initiatives increase retention and engagement levels.

Want to learn more as well as the right questions to ask when selecting a SaaS HR management system?

Then download the latest ActionHRM article titled Help Your Company Kick Its Paper Habit: Adopt an SaaS HR Management System. It’s free and there is no registration required.

Kick the paper habit today. ActionHRM can help.

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