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Category Archives: Workflow Automation

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What Goes into Manual HR Onboarding?

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

Taking on new employees in any industry is a huge undertaking. An immense amount of paperwork is needed to comply with industry and governmental regulations, which means that for each employee, that paperwork needs to be printed, filled out, and collected. Between collecting this information and entering it into your company filing system, you’re talking about several days or often weeks before all of this processing is done, and this doesn’t include fixing the mistakes that come with manual onboarding and processing.

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Managing Your Files with an HR Workflow

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

With each new employee comes a new, weighty file full of their personal records and hiring documents. The longer the employee is at the company, the bigger this file grows and the more space it takes up. If one of the documents within the file needs to be referenced, an HR employee has to go through that individual’s entire file to find that one piece of paper, which takes up time.

Onboarding each employee is a whole other story, and it involves a huge amount of paperwork that needs to be filled out, collected, and filed away. Just a few examples of necessary paperwork are medical records, banking information, emergency contact information, W-4s, I-9s, handbooks, job descriptions, references, and more. All of this information needs to be completed by the employee, and then processed.

Paper processes are simply too tedious and inefficient, but fortunately, an automated workflow easily solves all of the issues that paper presents. With an automated workflow and digitized records, employees can fill out this information using E-forms, or electronic forms, that eliminates the need to process paper. E-forms can be completed on computers, tablets, or even phones, and immediately integrated into the workflow.

Following completion, that paperwork enters the workflow. This means that all of the information that would normally have to be passed from desk to desk to be approved or entered into the system can be received and approved electronically. With less paper and less of the manual data entry that comes with the typical onboarding process, there will be less human error. Mistakes caused by human error cost your company valuable time and money. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology is used to extract the data from E-forms and other digitized documents, eliminating the need for staff to enter important data by hand.

Besides onboarding documents, other processes that can be automated or put into a workflow (or both) include timesheets and leave requests. Employees can submit their timesheets as they are being pushed through the workflow for eventual approval, and automatically receiving those timesheets makes it easy for your department when it comes time for payroll. Employees can fill out leave requests using E-forms, and that information can be sent to be approved automatically.

It’s not just your department that will benefit from an automated workflow—your employees will benefit, and your customers will, too. With all-around quicker processes, faster access to files, and an easier onboarding process, everyone is happy, and better yet, they are able to focus on other things within their department that could use some work. You will quickly be able to see the benefits of automation throughout your entire company. Call Datamation (630) 321-0601 today to discuss the perfect plan for your company’s needs.

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2018-04-25 00:00:00

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Are You Maintaining Compliance?

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

One of the many roles of the Human Resource department in your company is to ensure that compliance is being maintained. Complying with local, state, and federal laws is vital to protecting your organization, especially during lawsuits and investigations. Many of these regulations entail keeping certain employee records on hand for a specified amount of time, even if that employee has retired or has been terminated. As more employees leave the company for one reason or another, in addition to those who stay, the number of paper documents that must be on hand just gets bigger and bigger. How do you know what to throw out, and when?

A good example of one such document is an I-9 form. These forms serve as a record that verifies both the employees identity and their authorization to work in the United States. It is recommended that these forms are kept separate from personnel files, and they must be kept on file for both active and terminated employees. I-9 forms must be kept for three years after the hire date, or one year after the date employment ends—whichever comes later.

When you think of that in terms of paper, think of the number of employees who have at least one sheet of paper dedicated to just that record. You also have to think about the fact that that specific paperwork cant even be stored in the employees personnel file—it needs its very own space.

When these records are maintained in paper form, they may be difficult to find, but the more likely scenario is that they are difficult to keep an eye on when it comes to retention. If certain documents are kept for too long, it may be considered an invasion of privacy for an employee who has long since stopped working in your company. On the other hand, if a document is thrown out too soon, it may leave your company open to lawsuits and unpreparedness in case of an investigation. This makes it extremely important to know how long to keep a certain record.

When you scan and store these records electronically, Datamation can keep track of that retention window for you, automatically alerting you when a document can be disposed of. This makes sure that every record, like an I-9 form, is kept as long as it needs to be kept, and no longer. It also protects your company from lawsuits and makes sure that you are prepared for investigations. Besides this major benefit, scanning your HR records with Datamation will save your company time, money, and space.

Call Datamation today at (630) 321-0601 to get your free quote.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Eliminate Paper Processing With Electronic Forms

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

The staple of any Human Resources department is paper: paper employee files, medical records, evaluations, reports, payroll, and more. As a company grows, the amount of paperwork grows. It’s incredibly difficult to manage thousands of sheets of paper, much less utilize them to track performance, payroll, and so much more. Electronic forms, or E-forms, are designed to completely eliminate paper as a medium for a record, which also eliminates the need to process the paper altogether.

To use an example, let’s say that an employee needs to update a W-4 form. With paper files, this would require filling out a new form however often your financial situation changes. Then that paper would need to be processed and the information entered. Doing this for multiple employees as often as necessary takes time, and is also error-prone, which can be problematic down the line. E-forms make it easy to quickly adapt to ever-changing regulations without going through the entire process of filing and refiling.

Another scenario is the process of HR onboarding, which requires extensive paperwork. Whether you’re rehiring or hiring someone for the first time, it can be a paper nightmare. Gathering all of the employee records, job histories, resumes, evaluations, and work authorizations takes far too much time and effort.

The ideal situation would be that all of these documents have already been scanned, making them immediately accessible and easy to gather, or other documents can be filled out as E-forms, eliminating the processing of paper altogether. If some of your staff is seasonal or they work remotely, E-forms also make it easier to adapt to a wider range of employment types.

E-forms eliminate the middle-man, or in this situation, the paper itself. The information is entered straight into a computer, tablet, or phone, and because the employee themselves is entering the information, there is less error. Information can be entered anywhere, at any time, and involves zero data entry or processing—it goes straight into any workflow. This allows your business to save time that would normally be spent processing, space that would normally be used to store paper, and money that is spent buying paper and paying employees to process and enter information. The biggest benefit is a cohesive, seamless workflow that makes your business more efficient and airtight. With industry regulations in constant flux, E-forms make it easy to keep up effortlessly.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Create the Perfect Solution with Human Resources Workflow

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

If your company is currently working with paper documents and records, what does your workflow look like? Do you have one? With the increasing amount of paperwork needed to maintain compliance and industry standards, managing all of this paper is getting more and more difficult for HR departments everywhere. Datamation has provided businesses everywhere with the perfect workflow solution by capturing the data on all documents and records and placing it directly into an efficient, airtight workflow.

Automated HR Workflows can automate several processes that would normally take a huge amount of time and effort, including:

● Onboarding

● Performance reviews

● Payroll

● Applicant hiring and screening

● Employee training

● Travel and leave requests

These are just a few of the regular HR processes that can be integrated into a workflow. Using the data captured from paper documents or E-forms, all of the information that would normally have to be manually processed from a paper record can be sent to the right department at the right time, seamlessly.

One of the most important factors in HR processes is that any procedures that are carried out must be uniform. In a disciplinary situation, for example, in order to prevent any kind of dispute over how it was handled, it is vital that each employee involved is treated in the exact same way. If everything is handled in the same way, there is no room for dispute or even litigation. Having a consistent workflow ensures that everything is uniformly carried out.

Disciplinary actions are just one of the many processes that require consistency. The more uniform each and every task is, the better your company’s overall organization. Both document scanning and the use of E-forms can make this a reality for your company, and Datamation can easily provide you with a solution that fits your needs exactly—no need to spend money on things that don’t apply to your specific business.

Datamation provides a wide range of software that uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to capture the data needed to effectively perform within the workflow. Call Datamation today to discuss a plan that works for you.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Did You Get That Done? You Can with Automated Workflows

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

As regulations become more stringent and as paperwork per employee increases, it becomes more and more difficult to properly process and manage those documents. As your company grows, your HR department can’t afford to let paperwork intensive tasks slip through the cracks, leaving your company open to fines and litigation. Datamation can provide your company with a comprehensive, automated workflow that fits your company’s specific needs and wishes to ensure that you get every single task done, every time.

Take employee onboarding, for example. Whether the person is a rehire or a brand new employee, there is extensive paperwork involved. A few documents that are necessary with any hire are W-4s, I-9s, direct deposit information, benefits packages, offer letters, job descriptions, emergency contact information, and an employee handbook—and this doesn’t even include everything! Making these documents electronic, including E-forms, allows employees to directly fill out their information electronically, eliminating the need for paper processing and reducing the error that comes with manual processing, and allowing these documents to be placed directly into your workflow. You’ll never have to deal with missing or incomplete paperwork again.

Automated workflows are also perfect for situations like disciplinary actions, training, or any kind of procedure. Having a uniform workflow and system for completing and filing the paperwork ensures that firstly, no steps of the process are missed and secondly, that all situations are treated exactly equally, preventing dispute. Along the same line, having a set process for maintaining compliance and keeping up with regulations can be crucial for your company. Having an automated workflow with E-forms makes it easy for your department to electronically update paperwork based on changing regulations, ensuring that your company is always up to date. Leaving it up to chance, or manually updating and processing regulation documents can subject your company to unnecessary fines.

Automated workflows make your company’s HR processes easier as a whole. All documents can be kept in one secure system that still provides easy and quick access. It ensures that nothing is missed, from employee onboarding to training procedures and compliance, providing uniform, consistent procedures. With everything conveniently in one system, you never have to wonder if that one nagging task got done again. Call Datamation today to make the perfect plan for your company!

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Greater Efficiency in Human Resources Leads to Greater ROI

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

In any industry, time is money. Usually, the longer something takes to do, the more it costs, and that includes any kind of Human Resources process within your business. Paper documents are outdated, inconvenient, cumbersome, and most importantly, they reduce your company’s efficiency. And with less efficiency comes a lower return on investment Datamation can provide your company with the tools it needs to implement a solid workflow that will save time, money, and effort while increasing your ROI!

In HR processes like onboarding, training, or payroll, the amount of information that must be shared between departments (originating with yours) is huge. With each employee having several types of documentation filed away, thousands of papers cross HR department desks each week.

The problem with paper is that it can’t be effectively processed in such large amounts. It takes a huge amount of time to find the paper document, pass it from approver to approver, and to finally refile it. The longer it takes to process information, the more money it costs your company.

The only way to drastically reduce processing time is to scan your documents into an automated workflow, eliminating the need to pass along each record or file by hand. This keeps documents from getting misplaced, and also gets them through layers of approval quickly and efficiently.

On average, an employee spends 19.8% of business time trying to find a certain paper document, adding up to about one full day a week. Think about how much more would get done if it took just a few seconds to find a document, and how much of that time could be directed towards targeting problem areas of your company. When you scan your files and store them electronically, any document can be found within just a few seconds with a simple keyword search. The ability to find documents quicker leads to quicker processes in general, which in turn vastly improves customer service. Your company’s time is valuable—make sure it is used wisely.

With the amount of information that crosses your desk on a daily basis, you don’t have time to search for documents that have gone missing or that are stored among thousands of other documents in a filing cabinet. The more time it takes to complete one of your many tasks, the more money your company is spending to keep those processes going. Integrating your documents into an electronic workflow with Datamation will make your company’s processes more efficient, more timely, and less cumbersome.

Call (630) 321-0601 today to discuss the perfect plan for your business.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Tap Into the Talent In Your Company

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

Your employees are the main moving parts within the company. Their performance as individual contributors forms the performance of the entire company, so having a uniform, organized system to measure individual performance is vital to track talent within your company. Without an organized system, keeping track of employee performance effectively is next to impossible.

Datamation can give your company the comprehensive system that it needs to compile data on performance and integrate them into effective reports automatically.

Consistently keeping track of employee performance not only benefits the employee, but the company, as well. If there is an employee that is a consistent high performer, that employee deserves recognition, and perhaps a pay raise. Having that data also allows your company to track that high-performing employee and utilize their value and their skills to the full extent.

On the other hand, a comprehensive evaluation may lead to the discovery that another employee is underperforming. In either situation, having complete visibility into employee performance is vital in making sure that your company is performing at the very best rate that it can while rewarding and encouraging high performance.

The other necessary function of employee evaluation is to revisit job descriptions to map out goals and expectations. Evaluations don’t only monitor performance, but they also serve to check in with management to discuss the guidelines for future performance and expectations. It’s also possible that the employees role has changed within the company, requiring the expectations and goals to be shifted. When expectations and goals are laid out and explained right away, you avoid awkward surprises and further miscommunication down the line.

You can make this part of the process easier as well by allowing standards and guidelines to be updated as the company grows and changes. E-forms, or electric forms, eliminate the need for paper forms altogether, making document changes happen with just a few clicks.

Are your employees performing to their best abilities? Have you been able to notice and monitor who is working diligently, and who isn’t? It can be difficult to keep an eye on every employee without accurate and thorough reports in addition to a consistent, uniform process of evaluation.

With automated workflows, digital document storage and access, and a system that moves and grows with your company, Datamation provides the best solution customized especially to your needs and wants. Recognize, reward, and leverage the talent within your company to boost your company’s performance as a whole by focusing on the parts.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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Use Data to Create Momentum In Your Business

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This post is part of The Datamation Guide to Human Resources Records.

Your company’s human resources department is the touch point for the entire organization, managing and storing a huge percentage of the documents that come through your door: employee records, payroll, evaluations, reports, and more.

If your company is still working using paper-based processes, then you know that locating, storing, and using the important information that crosses your desk is messy and difficult. Scanning all of these important documents with Datamation not only makes storing and accessing your documents easier, but it also gives your company the ability to take that gathered data and form useful reports to foster data-driven decision making.

Just a few of the daily tasks encountered by HR departments are dealing with payroll, employee onboarding and offboarding, training, and hiring. An automated workflow implemented by Datamation makes those processes infinitely easier using E-forms to update documents, the digital cloud to store and access files, and automated routing to get the right information to the right people. One of the best features of Datamation’s system, however, is that it can use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract data from your documents and compile that data into comprehensive reports that can be faxed, printed, and shared.

The data from these reports is invaluable in developing strategies and assessing your company’s performance. With this window into productivity, payroll, onboarding, training, and more, your company gets a comprehensive look into what employee should be promoted, given a raise, or even demoted. It allows you to leverage pinpointed talent, helping the entire company perform better as a whole.

Having a report on recruiting processes can also give you insight into success rates between departments and offices, allowing you to see what is working and what isn’t working. When it comes time to make a decision, your company will always have hard, practical data to back up whatever decision you make.

Because HR processes touch every department, automating HR processes serves to provide momentum that carries over into other departments. With comprehensive reports on all processes, it becomes easy to target a certain area that may need some work, or an area that has been particularly successful that could serve as a model for other departments.

Document-driven processes will never give your company the same visibility into your processes that automatic workflow will. Getting rid of paper processing gives your HR department the time to focus on the people in your company—not the processes.

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2018-04-20 00:00:00

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