What Is HR Automation and Its Benefits?

In our increasingly digital world, we manage more and more of our lives with technology. In many cases, weuse automation to make the tech do the work for us. Think about the bills you have set to autopay or the pet food delivery you receive every eight weeks like clockwork. Thanks to HR automation, human resources teams everywhere are applying the same technique to their routine work tasks.

Automating HR tasks saves time and drives efficiency for HR staff, ensuring critical administrative tasks aren’t overlooked so that your team can focus on the work that matters most. 90% of employers say automation would save them tons of time in the recruiting and hiring process alone.

But what exactly is HR automation, and how can it benefit your organization?

90% of employers say HR automation would save tons of time in their hiring process alone. 🤖 Learn more about why you should be automating HR tasks:

What Is HR Automation?

HR automation refers to the use of software to perform routine, repetitive tasks quickly and efficiently without requiring human intervention. Tasks range from managing employee data and processing payroll to sending company announcements and answering common questions. Automating these tasks streamlines workflows, reduces the potential for human error, and saves hours of time for your team.

Many HR automation workflows are a simple sequence of actions, e.g., an email confirming the receipt of a job seeker’s application that is triggered when they click “Submit.” Other automations are more complex and enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI). AI doesn’t just follow commands; it can make recommendations and produce new information. For example, an AI chatbot on your career site can answer applicant questions and make suggestions about which of your open roles best fit their skills.

To implement automation, HR teams either adopt new software solutions or look for technology that can integrate with their existing tools. Given the rapid pace of software development, it’s wise to choose a system with built-in automation capabilities.

Eliminate silos caused when your team uses too many pieces of HR software. Consolidate and integrate your solutions to save time — download ClearCompany’s Guide to Optimizing Your HR Tech Stack to find out how.

11 Ways to Use Automation in HR Processes

HR automation tools can perform tasks and increase efficiency across every HR function, from recruitment to performance management. We’re sharing just a few examples of how HR professionals are putting the technology to work.

1. Automated job postings enable recruiters to post open roles to multiple job boards at the same time and manage every post from within the software. Recruiters save hours reposting jobs and can focus on finding great candidates.
2. Automatically generate interview scheduling links in outreach emails, cutting down on the back-and-forth that can add days to the hiring process.
3. Send text messages and emails in bulk to both candidates and employees, enabling your team members to scale outreach efforts and build trust while maintaining their own voice.
4. Create employee records instantly across your connected systems when a candidate becomes a new hire. For example, if your applicant tracking system (ATS) and payroll software are integrated, changing a candidate’s status to “employee” in your ATS triggers the creation of an employee record in your payroll system. This eliminates a tedious data entry task and ensures the employee’s information is entered correctly.

5. Assign employee onboarding packets based on the new employee’s role, location, or other criteria and enable digital paperwork completion. With these digital processes in place, your HR department doesn’t have to assemble every employee’s onboarding paperwork or manually file it away.
6. Ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations by tracking and electronically storing employee certifications, licenses, and training. Thorough records that are easy to access and search help protect your business from violations and fines.
7. Run background checks automatically when you use an ATS with built-in capabilities or integrations with major background check providers. Your team can stop wasting time reentering employees’ information in a different system and complete required employment verifications faster than ever.
8. Send employee surveys, like the Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) survey, automatically each quarter to monitor engagement levels. There’s no need to set a calendar reminder or recreate the survey —just set up your survey cycle and monitor the results.
9. Create performance reviews and manage review cycles with HR automation software. The best software solutions include ready-to-use performance review templates and scheduling tools so you can kick off a review cycle in just a few clicks. Automatic reminders and notifications help increase participation and keep everyone on schedule.
10. Keep track of employee goal progress and achievements with automatic notifications. Managers can stay on top of their team’s progress and ensure that big wins and major milestones are celebrated consistently.
11. Create custom reports and automatically send them to stakeholders and HR management each month to analyze HR data and inform decision-making.

There are many more ways to apply HR automation to your processes and make your team more efficient. With the right software solutions, you can save time and resources and strengthen the entire employee experience.

Stay ahead of the curve with HR automation. ⚡️ Explore how HR teams are using automation in recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and more.

The Benefits of HR Automation

Automating manual tasks can benefit your HR team — and your workforce — in myriad ways. First and foremost, it frees up hours of time. HR is responsible for many essential tasks, like verifying employment eligibility, that can’t be skipped. Automating these tasks with a cloud-based software system ensures that they are completed correctly and that there’s an accessible record of their completion.

With the time saved, your team can focus on more meaningful strategic work, like reviewing employee surveys to find more effective ways to engage your people. Automation also helps your department become more efficient and increase overall productivity.

Automated HR processes also reduce human error and increase accuracy in data management. This ensures that the employee information in your records is up-to-date and correct. That helps improve HR compliance, reduce the costs associated with manual tasks, and avoid potential fines.

When you use HR automation to simplify HR processes, your team can level up in your organization, take a more active role in strategic planning, and contribute to the growth and success of your business.

Your team can work efficiently and regain valuable hours in their week with HR automation software. ClearCompany’s Talent Management System is robust HR software equipped with essential automation capabilities including:

• AI-assisted content creation to write job descriptions, candidate emails, and offer letters instantly
• Recruiting email drip campaigns for effortless engagement with prospective candidates
• Advanced texting capabilities, including bulk texting and Text-to-Apply, to streamline outreach
• Automated interview tools, including scheduling links, Interview Guides, and Scorecards for fair, standardized interviews and quick prep

Explore more of ClearCompany’s HR automation and AI capabilities.