Productivity is a focal point for human resources; they both must model it themselves and encourage employees to do the same. 

Productivity in human resources management isn’t just the actions employees take, but also the systems and processes they have in place to make productivity possible. Here are five trends for productive human resources management.

Centralized Systems

One of the limitations that many businesses face that negatively impact productivity is separate systems. Both accounting and human resources have a vested interest in employees. On the accounting side, payroll, benefits, and taxation are all relevant to employee management. From the HR perspective, recruiting, onboarding, and performance tracking all play a role.

Historically, these two departments have had separate systems to manage the same people. While having a collaborative company culture is essential for success, misalignment between processes can be tedious and time-consuming. Having one centralized system to handle everything is the best way to streamline operations. For more information on system functionality, visit HR Payroll Systems.

Automated Processes

Automation is changing the way businesses around the world operate. There’s been much controversy, particularly in the HR world, about how this will impact human employment. However, in most cases, automation doesn’t replace human employees; it makes their use of time more valuable.

For HR professionals who have to deal with a lot of paperwork, having automated processes in place can save hours each week. By having automated systems handling necessary but low-value tasks, human resources is freed up to focus on the high-value tasks that require a human mind.

Cloud Technology

The traditional 9-5, Monday to Friday job in a shared office is falling by the wayside. While this evolution in business creates a lot of opportunity for recruiting and saving on overhead costs, it also creates new challenges for HR. One of these challenges is that the team may not be in one location to share documents.

Enter cloud technology. Cloud technology allows HR management to oversee employees from around the globe and share documents within seconds. Furthermore, two people on opposite sides of the country can work together on one document at the same time with live updates. No more losing attachments in email or labeling versions one through 100.

Prioritize Communication

Poor communication can ruin an otherwise successful business. For HR management, communication should be the main focus at all levels. Ensuring that pertinent information gets shared form the C-Suite to the other departments and beyond will keep things moving smoothly.

Working on communication policies for both HR managers and the organization as a whole can improve productivity. Encourage email downtime to get employees moving and speaking to one another. Introduce town hall meetings that provide regular updates from the top level and help employees communicate better overall.

Promote Flexibility and Balance

As the world of business changes, the expectations of employees and employers are evolving as well. Promoting flexibility and balance is a great way to improve employee engagement and attract top talent. The best way to implement actions for flexibility and balance is to model it within HR.

HR professionals have to bear the burden of expectations from all over the business. They also tend to be on the front lines for emotional experiences, like layoffs and firings. These experiences can wear someone down over time.

By prioritizing flexibility and self-care within the HR department, managers will ensure that their people are fresh and engaged. This modeling behavior will have a trickle-down effect throughout the organization. A well-rested employee who knows that they are valued and recognized as someone who has a life outside of work is one who is happy to get the work done.

There are a lot of different ways to improve productivity throughout an organization. However, the first step is to provide the right tools and practices that make productivity possible.

Author Bio: Wendy Dessler is a super-connector who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in HR, tech & digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.