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To free up HR staff to perform their more strategic role and to ensure employees receive the information they require, many of the operational tasks related to information provision activities are now performed using human resource information systems (HRIS).
An employee self-service portal (ESS) is a system that enables employees to access HR information from their end, reducing the range of administrative tasks performed by modern HR teams.
While employee self-service portals streamline information access and reduce HR workload, their benefits extend far beyond mere efficiency. These portals can improve employee engagement, creating a more connected and productive workforce. In this article, we explore the potential of employee self-service portals as a key to unlocking employee engagement. We delve into their functionalities, benefits, and how they can empower your employees.
Understanding the Employee Self-Service Portal
An employee self-service portal is a software that provides a means for a company's employees to access its HR services and information.
With an ESS portal, employees can perform various tasks and transactions using the data stored in the HRIS system. Besides updating personal and banking information, employees can manage other aspects of their employment, such as benefits and time off, through the platform.
These portals can range from simple websites that allow employees to access static HR policies, such as safety requirements, to sophisticated softwares that allow employees to access and edit their individual information.
Functions of Employee Self-Service Portal
Employees use the HRIS system on a self-service basis to obtain personal information. For instance, they can look up paycheck information or check to see how much vacation time they have available. Training programs can be advertised via an employee self-service portal. They can enroll in any program of their choice and gain access to internal and external courses.
ESS portals are also used to bring HR tools and information to remote workforces. This enables organizations to ensure that recruitment selection, performance management, leave management and other HR activities are conducted in line with the organization's policies and practices, irrespective of the location at which these activities are taking place.
Through an employee portal, employees can submit requests for vacation, sick leave, and other forms of time off, as well as track their remaining time balances. The portal can serve as a central hub for receiving and managing job applications, allowing candidates to easily submit their resumes and cover letters online. This eliminates the need for manual application processing and saves time for HR teams.
Employee self-service portals benefit both employees and employers. Employees can manage their work lives with more autonomy and convenience, while employers can benefit from increased efficiency, reduced administrative costs, and an empowered workforce.
Benefits of Employee Self-Service Portals for HR
Reduce administrative burden
An employee self-service portal streamlines all your processes and reduces the workload for your HR department. For example, managers and HR leaders can save time and reduce frustration by avoiding scheduling issues, time off requests, and open enrollment questions. You can easily communicate employee handbook policy changes or other updates to employees, this improves communication and collaboration at all levels.
Additional resources: Welcome new hires effectively with our free Employee Handbook template!
Improve data accuracy and compliance
ESS portals allow employees to review and update their personal information. This reduces the time HR spends doing data entry and further simplifies the process. By allowing employees and managers to enter their information, data entry errors and mistakes can be avoided. They can regularly review their data through the portal and identify any mistakes, which further heightens data accuracy.
Provide better insights for decision making
Employee self-service portals can collect data on employee leave usage, training completion, and performance reviews. HR can then analyze this data to identify trends, optimize staffing levels, and make informed decisions about benefits and training programs. The use of an ESS allows HR teams to create HR strategies that play a more significant role in strategic business decision-making.
Importance of Employee Engagement
An engaged workforce is one of the major drivers of organizational growth and profitability, and an employee self-service software portal could be a tool for facilitating the employee engagement process.
Highly engaged employees tend to:
Be more productive and efficient. When employees derive greater satisfaction at work, they perform better and your business grows.
Show greater creativity and innovation. Engaged employees are more likely to think outside the box, be creative, and come up with innovative ideas.
Provide better customer service. Organizations with highly engaged employees boast 10 percent higher customer metrics than those whose employees are less engaged.
Stay with the company longer. When people are engaged in their work, they're also more likely to work hard, get better at their jobs, and stay longer at the company, reducing attrition rates and absenteeism.
Be stronger ambassadors for the company. Engaged employees are more likely to speak positively about the company culture and company mission to others, acting as brand advocates and attracting top talent during recruitment.
Foster a more collaborative and positive work environment. Their enthusiasm and dedication can be contagious, creating a ripple effect of positive energy and collaboration within teams. This positive environment further enhances engagement and organizational well-being.
Overall, your company's bottom line depends on the satisfaction and happiness of your workforce.
Impact of ESS on Engagement
An employee self-service portal (ESS portal) can significantly impact employee engagement in several ways:
Empowerment and ownership
Increased autonomy: Employees can complete tasks and access information without relying on HR or managers, increasing their autonomy and control over their work. This software portal makes employee's lives easier. Giving employees efficient tools to work with, reduces their dependence on laborious and manual processes, which improves their experience. More engaged employees tend to be more loyal to their company as well as more productive.
Easy access to information: Having direct access to the right information improves employee satisfaction and engagement. Benefits information, company policies, training materials, or any other resources they might need can be accessed at a time convenient to the user, without the employee coming to the office. This saves time and frustration, leading to a more positive and engaged workforce. They can also see information regarding opportunities, training and advancement, which will give them more control over their careers. Many seek out opportunities to improve themselves and their skills, making them more valuable employees and helping to reduce employee turnover.
Improved communication and collaboration
Centralized platform: An employee self-service portal is a digital hub that centralizes various functionalities and resources for employees. It acts as a central location for them to manage personal information, view and manage benefits information, check their leave entitlements, pay records, performance assessment, and professional development plans. The portal also streamlines communication by keeping employees informed about company updates and policies. This fosters transparency and trust within the organization.
Increased transparency and recognition
Performance feedback: The portal can be used to conduct training and knowledge transfer. With a directory filled with training materials, tools for acquiring new skills and internal and external courses, an employee portal helps employees become better at their jobs which improves their performance, reduces performance gaps and makes them work efficiently.
Recognition programs: Employees are no longer content with having a ‘middle man’ that speaks for them. As companies grow, it can be difficult for each voice to be heard, and accomplishments to be recognized. An employee self-service portal can be used to implement and manage recognition programs, publicly acknowledging employee achievements and contributions, which boosts morale and engagement.
Read next: 12 Employee Recognition Examples to Keep Your Team Engaged All Year
Enhanced user experience
Personalized experience: Depending on the features and functionality of an ESS software, some portals can be customized to meet individual needs and preferences, providing a more relevant, and engaging experience for each employee. For example, employees can create their personal experience by selecting from a menu of options including the display of key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives and key results (OKRs) relevant to their role, or gain quick access links to information and tools they use frequently, and personal items such as news, internet search tools and more.
Gamification elements: Gamification elements make completing tasks within the portal more enjoyable and interactive, leading to increased usage and employee engagement. Points, badges, and leaderboards in games have positive effects on learning. Trainees may be motivated by the goal, leading to higher engagement, increased attendance, and participation. Integrating gamification elements into your employee self-service portal is a great tactic to entice employees to engage, learn and grow.
Revolutionize Your Employee Engagement with HR Tools
Employee self-service portals make it a breeze for employees to tackle their HR tasks with ease. These portals not only simplify administrative tasks but also serve as catalysts for fostering a culture of transparency, open communication, and accountability within the organization.
Omni’s employee self-service portal empowers employees to submit their time off requests, which automatically routes to the appropriate manager thanks to customizable approval workflows. To make things easier, Omni seamlessly integrates with your team’s favorite work tools such as Slack, enabling managers to receive and manage time off approvals directly within the messaging platform, removing time-consuming steps from leave management with a quick push of a button.
With automated calculations, employees and managers can easily view leave balances in real-time, and track how many vacation days they have left without having to go through HR.
Book a demo with us today to learn how leveraging Omni’s powerful automation and ESS portals can create a more engaged and productive work environment, leading to improved employee retention and overall business success.
