Where You’re Wasting Time and How To Fix It

Each year HR professionals waste precious time dealing with problems that aren’t part of their job description. Sometimes they’re time is used planning parties or dealing with legal issues, when it could be used for more productive things.

Here is a list of the top 3 where HR is spending their time.

1. Managing Employee Data – This includes anything from answering questions, resolving issues, employee recognition, or employee discipline.
2. Updating Policies and Compliance – HR professionals spend time learning and explaining HR benefits laws, 401(k), unemployment insurance and workers compensation.
3. Recruiting – This includes anything and everything between job fairs, listings and postings, reviewing resumes, references and background checks, and interviewing candidates.

Two out of three HR professionals spend an hour or more time a week to educate themselves on policies, procedures, and updates. You can transition from planning company parties to improving the company’s bottom line. One way to spend less time managing employee data is implementing an HRIS system. An HRIS system allows you to ditch the hundreds of spreadsheets you have and consolidate them into one centralized location. You can also cut down on recruiting time by installing an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). An ATS will sift through the unqualified applicants and leave you the cream of the crop.

What HR professionals wish they could spend more time on:

1. Professional Development – HR would love to spend more time helping employees improve the quality of their work and continue to progress in the company. Sixty-nine percent of HR professionals feel that they know the needs of employees better than management does and would like to help those employees improve.
2. Conducting Trainings – This one is pretty high up on the list for most HR people. It’s easier to train people and take preventive measures instead of putting out fires.
3. Improving Company Culture – A quality company culture improves employee productivity and company stability. You won’t have to spend time interviewing new people to replace the employee that just quit, because nobody will want to leave! Once you’ve created a good company culture it is also easier to maintain that than building it from the bottom-up.

It’s time to start focusing on the things that matter in the company. The top reason that employees leave their current job is because of the inability to advance within the company. As HR pro’s it’s time that we ditch the party hats and improve our employees development and career opportunities.

Hayden Beck is a freelance writer who contributes content for multiple online publications. Recently, he has worked with Bamboo HR. Hayden’s focus includes writing about technology and business.