Goodbye to paper

  • 10th October 2024

Ruth Gladwell considers how using HR technology can help school leaders deliver their people strategy

 

With a selection of proposals to strengthen employment rights part of the new Labour government’s plans to deliver “good jobs and productivity growth”, employers should be aware of the need to keep an ear out for, and eye on, employment legislation updates, all of which will have an effect in terms of people management routines within the independent school sector.

These are likely to include day-one rights to fair dismissal, parental leave, flexible working and a revision of trade union restrictions. There will continue to be a lot of matters vying for attention on the HR project list. Along with the day-to-day tasks of people management and ultimately ensuring the day job of providing the pupil experience is delivered, jobs in independent schools are definitely not plain sailing.

So what can make people management a little easier? Well, I would start with a people plan – let’s call it a strategy. This will allow the HR team to communicate what their service plan is, outline their capacity, identify the priority of tasks, and set out how they are getting to address those ‘big ticket’ items.

What is a people strategy?

A people strategy is one that supports the direction the school takes regarding the key pillars of the employment life cycle and how these will be delivered. Those key pillars are likely to include:

  • Safer recruitment.
  • Engagement and retention.
  • Compliance and governance.
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion.

In this article, I am going to focus on technology in HR. The days of HR managers, bursars, personal assistants or people managers filling out paper holiday requests, and both return to work and recruitment forms, now have to be on their way out of the door labelled inefficiency. There’s a need for these functions, falling within the compliance and internal governance box, but every task that doesn’t add value is going to be under scrutiny. Also, do bear in mind that when you are recruiting staff into these roles, a lack of an overarching HR management information system that handles the heavy lifting and manual tasks will be a significant factor in not attracting them.

What is a HRIS and what technology should we be looking for in the HR department?

A HR Information System (HRIS) is one that captures activities in the employees’ life cycle, producing analytics to support fully informed, data-driven decisions.

As well as being an information database, the HRIS solution should be designed to manage and automate various HR tasks, such as candidate and employee records, payroll, benefits administration, and performance management. These systems enable HR departments to maintain accurate records, streamline administrative tasks, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. HRIS platforms come in various forms, ranging from basic systems that handle core HR functions to advanced solutions with modules for recruitment, learning management, and employee engagement. By consolidating data into a single system, HRIS platforms reduce manual paperwork, minimise repetitive manual entry errors and support a positive employee experience.

Do we really need data analytics for HR decision-making?

If you want to have your finger on the pulse of what’s likely to be your most expensive asset, and understand the employment liability position to enable your school to engage its staff group fully, then the answer is most definitely yes. Data analytics is revolutionising the HR department, providing real-time insights into workforce metrics that in turn drive strategic decision-making.  With the advent of big data, HR departments can now analyse employee data to uncover trends, forecast future needs, and improve workforce/succession planning. Predictive analytics on metrics you determine are of importance to your leadership team.

For example, turnover and absence management rates can be built into a dashboard to give you an instant snapshot of the current state of play. Other analytics can dive into the effect of other initiatives – for example, are changes in the benefit package affecting turnover rates, and if so, how? Are return to work interviews supporting attendance in the workplace and how does that have an impact on costs? Having a data-informed position adds up to you being able to assess and prioritise the areas to be addressed in the HR plan, making fully-informed decisions that align with the overall goals and needs of the school.

What sort of automation is available?  Should AI be a consideration?  

Automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping HR functions by enhancing efficiency and accuracy. Routine tasks, such as scheduling interviews, managing benefits enrolment, and processing payroll, can be automated using AI-powered tools. This not only reduces the administrative burden on HR staff but also improves the speed and consistency of these processes. AI-driven chatbots, for example, are increasingly used within HRIS for handling first-line employee queries – signposting to policy or procedures or guiding candidates through a paperless safer recruitment process. These tools enhance the candidate and employee experience by offering instant assistance and freeing up HR professionals to focus on more strategic activities.

How can HRIS support safer recruitment?

Recruitment processes fall into the real heavy lifting section in schools. Safer recruitment requires a variety of techniques and tools to be operated to navigate candidates through the process. Recruitment technology has advanced significantly, designed to streamline the hiring process and improve candidate experience.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) help HR teams manage job postings, track applications, and communicate with candidates. Modern ATS solutions integrate with external job boards (for example, Total Jobs, Indeed) and social media platforms (LinkedIn), which expands the reach of job postings and attracting a diverse pool of candidates, all the more needed in today’s search for teachers, especially those elusive design and technology candidates. AI-powered recruitment tools can screen CVs, assess candidate fit using predictive algorithms, and even conduct initial video interviews. I would advise a sense check here, though, as you may not wish to deploy all of the AI functions before you fully understand how they reduce bias during selection. However, these technologies most certainly enhance the efficiency of the hiring process ensuring that the most qualified candidates are identified and hired.

There will be significant ongoing innovation and integration in HRIS, however start at the beginning, and dip your toe into the water by having a demonstration with one of the variety of providers. See how the technology can transform your HR department by enabling more efficient processes, enhance planning and decision-making, and improve the overall employee experience.  Embracing technology not only reduces clunky, paper-based HR operations but will position your school for long-term success in a rapidly changing and financially demanding environment.

Ruth Gladwell is head of HR projects at Navigator Law

Ruth Gladwell
(Photo: ©Lesley Donald)

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