HR software is not just an organised, tidier version of spreadsheets. It manages every employee鈥檚 lifecycle while at the company right from the initial job offer to their exit interview. Without it, especially in bigger organisations, it would be nearly impossible to manage that much paperwork manually and chaos would undoubtedly ensue.
But as necessary and handy as it is to have, HR software is usually the workplace version of the game hot potato. No one is certain for sure whose responsibility it is to manage.
If your payslip was delayed or your leave tracking was incorrect, your manager would probably tell you to speak to HR. HR could then say it鈥檚 a system issue and IT needs to resolve it. Who is really in charge then?
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Who Is Actually Responsible For Managing HR Software?
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It鈥檚 not solely on HR or IT alone. In most cases, it will require a team effort. It鈥檚 more of a shared responsibility. But since every business is different, it depends on what software you use, how big your company is and your particular way of structuring things.
With that said, here is a general overview of how the responsibility could be broken down.
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HR Runs It Daily
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Generally, the HR team will use the software the most. This is because they are tasked with updating employee information as employees come and go. They also use it to manage leave requests, attendance and time tracking sheets if those are used.
HR software also plays a big role in managing payroll slips and benefits. Since the software is designed to support HR-related functions, it does make sense that HR takes ownership of it on a daily basis.
For the most part, they will understand how it integrates with company workflows and employee experiences better than anyone else.
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IT Manages The Technical Side
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IT also has a role to play in software management but more from behind-the-scenes. They become the technical backbone, making sure that the system is running as it should and that it鈥檚 also secure.
In most cases, the IT department will manage setting up new user accounts, updating the system and be on call to troubleshoot in case an issue arises that HR can鈥檛 fix.
Basically, HR knows what needs to be done with the software but IT ensures that it can do it.
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The Software Provider Is An External Partner
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Today, most HR software is cloud-based and comes with vendor support. While they鈥檙e not as involved as HR or IT, they are responsible for rolling out new features, fixing bugs and software training.
It鈥檚 also common for some companies to actually outsource some of the HR tasks to the vendor themselves. This is often the case for things like payroll processing.
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Managers Are On-The-Ground
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Line managers will also contribute to managing HR software even if it鈥檚 indirectly. They often need to do things like approve leave requests, update team structures as they change and upload performance reviews.
These managers aren鈥檛 in control of the software itself but they do need to keep it updated and double check that the data is actually correct.
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Employees Use It As Self-Service
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Company employees don鈥檛 manage the software but they do use it, usually on a day-to-day basis. This is for general things like applying for leave and updating personal information such as contact numbers or payment information if any of that had to change.
They can also use it to view their payslips and tax documentation.
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Why Clarity Matters For HR Software Management
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If it鈥檚 not clearly defined who needs to manage which aspect of the HR software, it would be just as chaotic as not having one at all. If different teams or departments don鈥檛 have clarity on what they need to do, it鈥檚 easy for mistakes to happen. Not to mention important data slipping through the cracks.
Employee records could become outdated and inaccurate which means companies could run into compliance issues. Moreover, if the software isn鈥檛 updated, it becomes more vulnerable to security risks and cyber threats.
It鈥檚 essential to define ownership right from day one, ideally during the implementation of the software. That way, everyone is up to speed on what their responsibilities are and the software can support operations as it鈥檚 meant to.
