HRIS Implementation

Implementing a new Human Resource Information System is not a task that should be undertaken lightly, unfortunately the importance of good planning is often a task which is overlooked.

One of the most common mistakes made is underestimating the how much time is required not just in implementing the new system but getting your employees trained for using the system in their daily activities.

Below are some of the key areas of consideration when looking to implement a new HRIS.

Research and Planning Phase

It's important to know what you are getting into right from the start. During the research and planning phase you should review all business processes which will be affected by the HRIS. This will allow you to set an initial timeline for the entire implementation project.

Installation Phase
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Depending on the HRIS you are implementing this phase could take a few days or just a few minutes! If you are implementing an on-premise HRIS you may need to engage the expertise of a consultant or in-house IT professional to complete the installation phase. This is because the installation may require special skill set or system permissions to complete.

On the other hand, if you are implementing a cloud based HRIS then you can basically skip the installation phase all together.

Employee and Company Data Migration Phase

The time and complexity of migrating your data to your new HRIS will really depend on the number of employees you are dealing with as this usually equates to the amount of data that needs to be managed. It's a good idea to explore ways to automate the data migration phase as much as possible, especially if you are dealing with large amounts of data. The more automation you can use the less change of human error occurring. If you are not able to automate the task of adding your data into the new system then it's a good idea to assign specific tasks out to individuals to complete allowing them to focus solely on the task at hand.

Configuration Phase

Once your data has been added to your new HRIS there will be a number of configuration options you need to complete in the new system. This will including configuring specific company policies and setup of dashboards for both management and employees. On top of that you will also need to configure workflows and approval processes which maybe required based on your company needs.

Review and Testing Phase

Now the HRIS is configured and loaded with your employee data it's time to review and test the system before granting access to your employees. We cannot stress enough how important the review and testing phase is. You don't want to roll out your new HRIS and have data incorrectly shown to your employees or have the system not perform according to your requirements.

You should cross check your original data with the data which is now in your HRIS. This may feel like a slow and tedious process but it's one of the most common steps which is rushed or skipped altogether and will come back to haunt you later on.

Training Phase

By now you will be very familiar with the ins and outs of the HRIS and now it's time to get your employees up to speed too. Organise company-wide training for your employees to show them the new system. If you can arrange for the training to be a hands-on experience rather than a lecture style training. Allowing your employees to get their hands dirty with the new system tends to greatly increase the learning speeds which in turn should reduce the number of training sessions needed.

Oligo Tip: It's also important to make sure your training and HRIS system is well documented. This is especially important for on-boarding new employees into your company. Giving them access to well documented training material will greatly increase your ability to get your new staff up-to-speed with your HRIS quickly.

Going Live

Before going live you should clear your HRIS from any test data which was added during the testing and training phase.

Once your HRIS is cleaned and your employees are trained on the new HRIS it's time to go live. It's important to clearly identify and announce when the new HRIS will come online. It's recommended to give at least 1 week notice of the go-live date and even longer for organisations with a large number of employees.

Post Go-Live

Once your HRIS is live in your organisation you should monitor the performance of both the HRIS and your employees. The latter is often overlooked! If you find the efficiency of your employees is going down after you have launched your new HRIS then you should investigate into why this maybe. They may require more training in the new system or the system itself maybe having problems.

You should conduct a feedback session with your employees about 2 weeks after the go-live. This should be an open and information discussion allowing you to gather valuable feedback on the HRIS, feedback should include both good points and bad.

If all of the above sounds a little too daunting then don't worry, Oligo Business Services is here to assist you in your HRIS implementation needs. We will be able to guide you on how long your implementation will take and hold your hand step-by-step through the entire process.

If you want help in getting started with HRIS send us a message at [email protected] or fill in the contact form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.