Ah, the C-suite. The choices these champions make help guide their companies to success.
With the right tools in the hands of their employees and HR, executives have plenty of reasons to celebrate. But some leaders don’t see how great HR tech helps them.
Debunking this lingering myth may be a matter of perspective. By understanding how an enhanced and streamlined employee experience allows HR professionals to shift their focus, the edge it gives leadership becomes crystal clear.
The process crunch
When HR teams are weighed down by outdated tech and paper-based processes, it might be hard for them to see how they help the C-suite, too. After all, HR’s role is about far more than just keeping the lights on and plugging in data.
A late 2021 survey from HR Daily Advisor asked HR professionals to identify how they perceive themselves. In the process-oriented camp, we’ll find 43% of respondents who say time-consuming data entry and other manual tasks are their focus. However, for the 57% of pros who claim they’re initiative-oriented, providing valuable input to the C-suite and rolling out high-level strategies is where they shine.
The thing is, every HR professional has the potential to deliver accurate data and provide leadership with much-needed insight. But when outdated tech keeps them locked in a dungeon of manual data entry, it’s understandably hard to see just how impactful they can be.
When HR has the proper chance to inform the C-suite, the advantages they bring with them are overwhelming. According to the study, 86% of HR professionals find executives value their strategic input, and nearly all (94%) of them say their focus benefits the entire company. If executives are responsible for steering their business, the right self-service tech lets HR serve as not just a compass, but a beacon.
C-suite companions
Here’s a little extra credit myth for us to bust: Initiative-focused HR professionals don’t care about the tech they use.
While it’s true they tend to be less concerned with getting into the weeds of routine processes, they’re still using tech to leverage their higher-level strategies.
According to the survey, HR professionals who identified as initiative-oriented spent less time maintaining payroll and timecard software than their process-driven counterparts. Instead, they claim they spend more time in tech focused on efficiency and long-term goals, such as self-service, recruiting, reporting and analytical software.
It’s not that they stopped caring about processes like payroll and time tracking. But when their employees are empowered by something like an intuitive self-service payroll tool, HR doesn’t have to spend as much time ensuring accuracy and making last-minute adjustments.
And while employees are driving efficiency with the self-service tech they need, HR can use powerful reporting and analytic software to identify usage trends in their organization. This translates to more they can bring to the C-suite, which gives executives necessary agility and perspective in their crucial decision-making.
Think of it this way: The right HR tech empowers employees, which then empowers HR professionals, who then empower whom? That’s right: leadership!
As tech elevates HR teams to more impactful roles, they begin to see their influence pay off in the form of heightened engagement, an enhanced workplace culture and a more valuable voice with executives. In fact, 44% of initiative-focused HR professionals say they have a true seat at the table alongside the C-suite. With the right tech in their hands, a more influential and insightful HR department won’t just be a possibility; it could become the norm.
And as for the C-suite, effective and impactful HR translates to more informed decisions and greater ROI fueled by a truly self-sufficient workforce. Now that’s something to C-elebrate.
View our YouTube series to debunk even more HR myths. And explore Paycom’s single easy-to-use app to see how it empowers HR to help the C-suite.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided herein does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional legal, tax, accounting or other professional advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation and for your particular state(s) of operation.
