Human resource systems entail very many aspects that need to be tracked, and reliance on manual methods such as record keeping can prove cumbersome. Issues like employee records, their pay, training track record and skills gained can be filed under each employee but in need of such information say in a different location needs an online system like an HRIS to ease access. A human resource information system (HRIS), also known as a human resource management system is a software used by the human resources (HR) department to manage aspects about employees like accounting, management, and payroll (Perucci, 2020). Therefore, an HRIS is an intersection between information technology and human resources through HR software. The industry has numerous HRIS systems in the market, and it is up to the organization to decide what works for them depending on their individual needs and size of the organization. However, there are many other intricate aspects that an organization would consider when going for an HRIS. Affordability is one of the main attributes an organization would go for. Some HRIS are expensive and are meant for multinational corporations such as Coca Cola Company and may not be affordable for a small organization. A company like Coca Cola would require a system that is accessible from anywhere in the world and also one that can be supported by a larger database because the number of employees employed by the organization is massive. Other aspects that can be considered is the security under the software because it holds vital information about staff and the organization. On a more advanced scale, some of the best attributes of an HRIS system is that it should be accessible to a centralized database and should include payroll although many organizations are already in use of an independent system to manage their workforce’s payroll and may not be eager to switch to an HRIS. The system should also be employee self-service enabled, have time and absence management, handle recruitment, talent management, training and some form of employee integration. Therefore, to understand more about HRIS systems, it is vital to compare about three such systems existing in the market. Three of the most common in the industry are APS Payroll and HR, SyncHR, and ADP Workforce.
APS Payroll is the company behind the APS Payroll and HR HRIS. They created the system to bring scalability and innovation to current human resource management, including features like ACA compliance and recruitment applicant tracking. SyncHR is a cloud-based comprehensive human capital management platform that delivers benefits, payroll and other core HR capabilities for mid-market organizations. ADP Workforce is also a cloud-based HR management tool with streamlined processes when compared to other HRIS. It is meant for mid-sized organizations and is quite instrumental in providing real-time insights on different metrics like actual vs. scheduled hours, among other distinct key performance indicators. Formulating a table is the easiest way to list key features of each of the HRIS to enable easier comparison.
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| Attributes | APS Payroll and HR | SyncHR | ADP Now Workforce |
| Distinguishing Features and Advantages | Provides users with both card and direct deposit pay options | Uses a central system of record where the HRIS stores all information under one database, which helps in eliminating aspects of dual entry, produces accurate data and streamlines data management. It is cloud-based, therefore great for the storage of data. | Now has made critical features like onboarding, employee status change and recording keeping automatic. The system also facilitates tracking of licenses and certificates, thus streamlining the process of workforce management. It is cloud-based, therefore, effective in terms of security. |
| Users can enroll in training courses as individuals or groups, and management will receive a notification on the same and when the employee completes the training. | Tool in the system allows the user to build dashboards with tables, ad-hoc reports and charts to help view real-time insights. | The system offers employee self-service capabilities where they can access time and benefits information or ask for time off. | |
| Employee searchers can be filter enabled to search by name, number or social security numbers. | The system has to learn management capabilities to enable organizations to propagate eLearning, therefore, developing a skilled workforce | Some of the systems that the HRIS can integrate with are ERP, time and attendance, recruiting and onboarding, and learning platforms among others | |
| Offers consistent branding meaning the organization’s values can be projected on potential recruits through LinkedIn, Indeed or Glassdoor. | Entails a performance management component that offers tools for employee motivation and empowerment, therefore, facilitating performance. | Just like most HRIS systems, it provides real-time insights by the use of data analysis tools to shed light on key organization metrics like overtime, labor cost and turnover rate among other KPIs. | |
| It has an interactive employee performance management where the evaluation feature allows managers to set the bar for employees and measure them along the lines of different competencies. | Its intuitive interface motivates both employees and administration to use it | Their App on Android and iOS enables accessibility to the platform from anywhere in the world, provided there is access to the internet. | |
| Has a variety of easy to use templates that are customizable to help managers in reporting insights? | |||
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Key Features |
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| Self Service | Access is got to the system as administrators and other users. These two portals provide users with different levels of access and dashboard capabilities depending on their position in the organization. | Equipped with data management features for compliance reporting. Has a dynamic organization chart, document storage, designation management and employee self-service portal? | Self-service enabled to allow employees access and download their information on payment statements, work schedules and even put in a request for leave of absence or time off |
| Payroll | Leadership can manage and track all benefits plan types such as medical, insurance, dental and disability. During open enrolment times, the HRIS can automatically assign deduction amounts to employees via mass update. | Management can run date-based payroll for performing calculations in the past, present and future with the ability to make adjustments even in the middle of periods, which is essential when hiring new staff. The payroll feature supports automatic tax configurations, retro-pay and mass pay calculations |
Information on the payroll is accessed under a central location It comprises automated deductions for benefits and can manage tax filings. The system can also prorate pay during a payroll cycle or apply it to previous payroll cycles. A unique feature is that ADP can view historical payroll data and identify errors via warning notifications. |
| Multiple Carrier Compatibility | The APS Online is compatible with all types of benefits providers while employees can ensure exposure under any plan. Also, the APS HRIS ensures organizational compliance with all relevant paperwork being automatically sent to the required organization. | Data in the system can also be sent to different carriers inclusive all benefit changes, annual enrolments, life events and new hires to the organization | The system is also compatible with multiple carriers like insurance which helps in saving time and information accuracy when relaying employee information to other information carriers |
| Integration | Integrates with over 100 third party applications hence great for organizations with additional needs | Integration is inevitable because the goal for the system is to put all information under one database hence the centralized core system of record | Standard API used in the system allows for ADP Workforce to integrate with numerous kinds of management systems |
| Reporting | Has more than 80 pre-built reporting templates for the organization of data metrics thus providing insight into workforce efficiency. | Users can quickly create and manipulate their reports using an ad hoc report editor with customizable pre-built templates. | Has a powerful and intelligent data analysis tool that enables the management to make quick and informed decisions, run reports quickly and effectively, access and integrate data as well as benchmark data against market data. |
| Affordable Care Act (ACA) Reports | Has a guided interface to create 1094-C and 1095-C forms which the system automatically checks for discrepancies before filing with the IRS | Supports both 1094 and 1095 forms and integrates with a carrier to support seamless data updates as well as Evidence of Insurability (EOI) automation | The system has helped organizations with the compliance of ACA compliance through the acquisition of relevant information for the system to be fully functional (ADP, 2018). |
After comparisons of APS Payroll and HR, SyncHR, and ADP Workforce, it is apparent that most systems are quite similar, and the difference is little; however, it is that difference that marks the reason why one HRIS is preferred to the other.
APS Payroll and HR
The effectiveness of an HRIS is being able to capture everything about an employee from the time they are joining the organization to the time they retire or the time they opt out of the organizations. Information captured will then range from recruitment, insurance, payroll taxes, benefits, training, deductions, compensation, job description, skills and many more other aspects entailing, which is anything in the lifecycle of an organization’s employee (Balance Point Team, 2016). The first point of contact with a potential employee is recruitment. The APS system enables the organization to build a better recruiting reputation through a standard process where applicants can be asked important standard questions while creating a great application experience for applicants. The system is centralized and enables management to track applicants progress through the different recruitment levels before analytics helps the organization decide which successful applicants can be considered for the onboarding process. This nature makes the process of recruiting and onboarding easier, therefore, helping the organization focus on more important issues. Information on the entire lifecycle including processes, is captured and kept under a central system., the information is confidential and can only be accessed by personnel cleared to do so. This abides by privacy data security regulations as applied for in the industry (Kavanagh & Johnson, 2018). The APS system is instrumental in offering training programs for employees who need to or wish to advance their skills to fit in or advance their position in the organization. The HRIS helps management or admin track the performance of each employee through the various key performance indicators as designed by the organization. Using analytical tools and the captured performance of staff, the management can determine and track the performance of employees and determine whether they need training and development or whether they qualify for certain training. Training and development is an important aspect of managing employee skill and talent development towards achieving organizational goals and objectives (Schiemann, 2009). With APS monitoring performance, it becomes easier for the organization’s leadership to make decisions on whether to retain or terminate an employee, a decision which is normally based on performance that is difficult to capture centrally without the use of an HRIS system such as APS.
Payroll and taxes are one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks that and organization has to go through every month, traditionally the process took time and was hectic because organizations relied on people to affect the process. But with APS and other HRIS systems, the process is automated, facilitating organizations to accurately pay its staff on time, which also acts as a key motivator for performance (Rynes et al., 2004). Also, with performance being monitored, the pay can be effected according to the performance where people who work overtime get paid more while those who work less probably because of absenteeism get paid less. The aspect of tax calculation for every employee is a tedious endeavor, but the system is capable of making all the calculations simultaneously and effecting all deductions necessary when such data is generated. Some of the aspects of attendance in terms of sickness, absenteeism, vacation days and holidays are easier to track and award based on the system standards as prescribed by the organization when installing the system. It would enable the identification of the number of people out on vacation, holiday, those absent and those on sick leave. Having such an overview allows the organization to plan and schedule with its available workforce. Through the self-service portal for employees, they can view their schedule with any effected changes during the week, thus making them more effective. Through the self-service portal, management can delegate tasks to employees and managers. Delegation of duties and retrospect of job descriptions is a form of accountability that the APS HRIS provides because it is easy to track what an employee’s responsibilities are, what tasks have been assigned to them and whether they completed those tasks (Belludi, 2014). A different problem affecting most organizations is compliance, especially on the part of human resources to the Affordable Care Act and insurance. These are records and information that the organization should have readily available to the concerned authorities. Being able to filter such information out of the centralized database is a capability that APS Payroll and HR can populate.
The APS system is a tool that can be used for communication as everyone in the organization is connected by it. Management can make critical announcements to employees through the system; employees can make individual requests or respond to the HR department through the system. An added advantage for the APS system is that it can be used to make branded job postings on career sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed. Customizable branded messages can help include organizational values that potential recruits can read and understand. For instance, if an organization’s value is diversity in employment, then the system allows the organization to include their logo and the value statement when posting for a job listing. The phenomenon is also economical because it is cheaper than having to run an ad on print media. Since the system has secure and confidential channels for communication, it is a great system for employee assistance programs, especially in scenarios where the employee does not want to be seen walking in the HR department. These issues entail matters to do with sexual harassment or anything to do with the well being of an employee. The well being of an employee is tantamount to their performance in the organization. If the well-being of employees in the organization sparks excellent performance, then it is capable of achieving its goals and objectives within the set time. Therefore an HRIS system is instrumental in consolidating data in one location, accessible data analytics through generation and manipulative to assist the organization in making informed speedy decisions.
References
ADP. (2018, June 29). New ADP Workforce Now® Enhancements Help Midsized Businesses Manage Health Care Reform Requirements . PR Newswire: news distribution, targeting and monitoring. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-adp-workforce-now-enhancements-help-midsized-businesses-manage-health-care-reform-requirements-223116661.html.
Balance Point Team . (2016, May 24). 5 Stages Of Employee Life Cycle Management . Balance Point. https://balancepointhcm.com/5-stages-of-employee-life-cycle-management/ .
Belludi, N. (2014, October 21). Delegation: Accountability vs. Responsibility . Right Attitudes. https://www.rightattitudes.com/2007/08/13/delegation-accountability-responsibility/.
Kavanagh, M. J., & Johnson, R. D. (2018). Human resource information systems: Basics, applications, and future directions . SAGE.
Perucci, D. (2020, April 11). What Exactly is an HRIS? The Complete Breakdown - BambooHR Blog . https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/what-is-an-hris/.
Rynes, S. L., Gerhart, B., & Minette, K. A. (2004). The importance of pay in employee motivation: Discrepancies between what people say and what they do. Human Resource Management , 43 (4), 381–394. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20031
Schiemann, W. A. (2009). Reinventing talent management: how to maximize performance in the new marketplace . John Wiley and Sons.
