Working in the year 2023 can be tough at times. Evidence suggests that it is only going to become more so as technology enables greater levels of complexity to evolve. If you're an HR professional, or on the leadership team in your organisation, you’ll know that simplifying the workplace is an absolute necessity.
Your employees are overwhelmed because they've succumbed to the pressures of the demand to do more with less, in addition to the 24/7 levels of connectivity that tech and device-enabled living make possible.
For organisations looking to create a more productive and engaging work environment, it's time to shift gears and focus on empowering and equipping employees to do fewer things, but to do them better. Let’s explore how you can simplify HR processes in the workplace! 👇
Why It’s Important to Simplify HR
We’re in the midst of an era where we check our phones more than 150 times a day, send extraordinary numbers of emails on a daily basis, and are expected to be 'on' pretty much 24/7. It's no surprise that leadership and management teams now realise that this non-stop nature of work eventually takes its toll on employee productivity, engagement, and morale.
However, constant connectivity is only one part of the equation. The workplace is also getting increasingly complex due to the penetration of new technologies into the workplace, administrative compliance demands, as well as overly complex business processes.
Companies often become victims of complexity, adding steps to previously straightforward HR processes that make performance management systems convoluted and inefficient. This leads to unnecessary red tape and procedural hurdles that frustrate employees and slow work life down.
However, by implementing some simple steps, organisations can remove chaos, enhance performance, and maintain high morale. Current sentiment points to the fact that the best way to improve working conditions and engagement levels is to invest time, energy and resources in focusing on simplifying the workplace.
Let's explore some ways to bring back simplicity to the workplace. 👇
6 Ways to Simplify HR Processes
Make simplification a business and HR priority
A big part of the responsibility in the simplification process falls on the shoulders of HR leaders. HR should be the catalyst for the entire organisation to streamline and automate as many HR processes as possible. Human resources can take the lead on advising your business on how to save time and reduce the number of emails and meetings.
A good place to start in simplifying the work environment is by asking employees about the HR processes that waste their time and complicate their tasks and then developing a business case to justify the need to redesign.
Simplifying complex HR processes requires both time and resources. A case in point is tech company Adobe, who discovered that its performance management process consumed a staggering 8 million person-hours annually. Organisations must be willing to allocate adequate resources to untangle such complicated procedures and streamline them to more practical levels.
Get email overflow and unproductive meetings under control
The average employee now spends over one-quarter of the workday reading and answering emails. Recognising that we can't slow the proliferation of technology, companies are now embracing practices to stop emails on weekends, implement simpler tools, and even penalise people for sending emails while on vacation. Some companies are starting to treat 'time capital' with the same seriousness as financial capital and are working on cutting back on the seemingly endless rounds of meetings and conference calls.
Maximising employees' time by reducing the number of emails, meetings and conference calls has become a critical priority for organisations. The less time people spend answering emails, attending meetings, and dialling in, the more productive and focused they are throughout the day. There are several apps that even facilitate creating an email-free work environment.
Invest in more integrated, simpler technology
New technology features arrive faster than most people can learn to use them. The ever-increasing focus on technology for the sake of technology has a limited lifespan: the simplest products are now the ones most widely used.
New features are cool and exciting, but companies need to evaluate software based on its ease of use. Technology vendors now have programs on the market that simplify their applications and tools, making the process of redesigning the world of work that much easier.
With the advancement in HR technology, automating routine tasks such as payroll and benefits administration can produce significant ROI and simplify work for human employees.
Implement design thinking and process simplification within HR
Design thinking is a process that brings user interface designers, process experts, and graphics teams together to make work systems more functional and easier to use. Transformations brought about by Uber, AirBnB, and Open Table, are changing entire industries through dynamic technological and design innovations aimed at simplifying the way we live. To think that this trend will not happen in the workplace is naive.
For many businesses, it's time to rethink the underlying model of how work gets done before your competitors do. HR teams should serve as an organisational role model by removing steps and using design thinking to implement just the right amount of HR process and technology to help people get the job done.
Simplification may be one of the most important and underutilised tools in your organisation's toolkit. The good news is that you can harness the power of simplifying your work environment to gain a competitive edge.
Streamline performance reviews
Performance reviews have been under scrutiny for years, with many articles declaring their demise due to their complexity, inefficiency, and time-consuming nature. Often using review forms, the HR process can become a box-ticking exercise that takes a long time to complete, with ratings that are subject to bias and bad for employee engagement.
Despite this, many companies continue to use annual reviews due to their familiarity. However, replacing them with frequent, informal, one-on-one check-ins will save time, increase productivity, and result in happier, more engaged employees without the need for complex forms.
Avoid unnecessary communication
When employees are inundated with meetings, emails, and phone calls, communication can lose its effectiveness. This can lead to a chaotic work environment and make employees feel uncomfortable.
To prevent this, we suggest implementing structured and consistent lines of communication. By creating simple HR processes for managing common calls and emails, you can reduce excessive contact. It's important for HR to be involved in these decisions to ensure a consistent approach to simplification is used.
Going Further Than Simplificating HR: Creating Positive Change
The road to positive change is a continuous process. The point is not merely to save employees’ time, reduce stress, and foster employee engagement, as important as those aims are. The ultimate goal is also to free up unproductive time to allow more engaged employees to focus on business imperatives. Here are a few more considerations for creating positive change in your organisation:
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Lead by example: Change is often most powerful when it comes from the top. Leaders should have, and should also grant themselves, permission to take these steps, setting an example to help their employees deal with being overwhelmed.
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Get input: Assess employees’ current workloads and what issues trouble them most. Rather than only asking high-level engagement questions, survey them on their most 'frustrating' HR processes or systems.
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Simplify HR and talent programs: Reduce the number of steps involved and make it possible to complete an entire HR process in just a few minutes.
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Simplify information and HR systems: Consolidate HR and employee systems in favour of creating one integrated place to find information, people, and content. Technology solutions make this type of simplification possible in HR, so if your organisation hasn't yet enhanced its HR capabilities through the use of technology, it is definitely time to investigate your available options.
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Publicise and celebrate flexible work policies: Employees need to understand that it is OK to work at home, take time off during the day, and miss meetings. Clear policies help make it possible for people to disengage from less important tasks when they are busy with other projects or personal needs.
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Make meetings productive: Post guiding principles in every meeting location to encourage effective meetings. Help people reduce the size of meetings, the number of emails, and the frequency of communication. Schedule meetings for 20 or 50 minutes rather than 30 or 60. 'Stand up' meetings are a powerful way to keep people from wasting time.
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Delegate decision-making: Is it clear who makes decisions in your workgroup? Are your employees able to make their own decisions without involving many others or asking others for help? Empower your employees to know what to do and when, and watch how much easier people’s lives become.
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Outsourcing or insourcing non-core tasks. Large organisations are experimenting with programs that enable employees to off-load technical and administrative non-core tasks. The result is that employees spend more time on value-adding activities which use their core skills, enabling them to focus their time and energy on essential tasks.
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FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to simplify HR processes in the workplace?
The non-stop nature of work and constant connectivity can take a toll on employee productivity, engagement, and morale. The penetration of new technologies into the workplace, administrative compliance demands, and overly complex business processes have also made the workplace more complex. Simplifying HR processes can remove chaos, enhance performance, and maintain high morale.
Who is responsible for simplifying HR processes in the workplace?
A big part of the responsibility in the simplification process falls on the shoulders of HR leaders. HR should be the catalyst for the entire organisation to streamline and automate as many HR processes as possible.
How can organisations remove chaos, enhance performance, and maintain high morale in the workplace?
Organisations can remove chaos, enhance performance, and maintain high morale in the workplace by maximising employees' time by reducing the number of emails, meetings and conference calls. They can also invest in more integrated, simpler technology and implement design thinking and process simplification within HR.
What are some ways to streamline performance reviews?
Companies can replace annual reviews with frequent, informal, one-on-one check-ins that will save time, increase productivity, and result in happier, more engaged employees without the need for complex forms.
How can organisations create positive change in the workplace?
Organisations can create positive change in the workplace by leading by example, getting input from employees on their most frustrating HR processes or systems, simplifying HR and talent programs, simplifying information and HR systems, publicising and celebrating flexible work policies, making meetings productive, and delegating decision-making.
Can HR technology simplify HR activities?
Yes, HR technology can simplify HR activities, such as automating routine tasks such as payroll and benefits administration, which can produce significant ROI and simplify work for human employees.
What is HR process simplification?
HR process simplification is the process of streamlining and automating HR processes to remove complexity and unnecessary steps. It aims to simplify work processes and create a more productive and engaging work environment.
How can HR process simplification benefit my organisation?
HR process simplification can benefit your organization by improving employee productivity, engagement, and morale. It can also help save time, reduce the number of emails and meetings, and increase ROI by automating routine tasks such as payroll and benefits administration.
What are some best practices for simplifying HR processes?
Some best practices for simplifying HR processes include making simplification a business and HR priority, getting email overflow and unproductive meetings under control, investing in more integrated, simpler technology, implementing design thinking and process simplification within HR, streamlining performance reviews, and avoiding unnecessary communication.
How can I get started with HR process simplification?
To get started with HR process simplification, start by asking employees about the HR processes that waste their time and complicate their tasks. Then, develop a business case to justify the need to redesign and allocate adequate resources to untangle such complicated procedures and streamline them to more practical levels. It's also essential to evaluate software based on its ease of use and to simplify information and HR systems by consolidating HR and employee systems in favour of creating one integrated place to find information, people, and content.
