Talent management is the number one priority for most CEOs today, with 75% citing talent acquisition and retention as their biggest short-term concern.1 To attract and retain top talent, HR teams handle an array of complex, time-consuming processes including payroll, onboarding, offboarding, and more. This massive workload leads to missed SLAs, errors, and lack of focus on strategic initiatives.
Workload automation (WLA) offers immense potential to transform HR operations by automating repetitive, manual workflows. Leading companies have achieved up to 90% reduction in process handle times and over 50% improvement in workforce productivity using WLA.2
This comprehensive guide examines the top use cases and best practices of workload automation for maximizing value across HR functions.
A Primer on Workload Automation
Before diving into applications, let‘s briefly review what workload automation entails.
Categories of Workload Automation Tools
There are three main classes of workload automation solutions:
Batch workflow automation handles high-volume, repetitive back-office processes like payroll. It schedules and executes batch workflow steps across applications.
Real-time automation immediately triggers actions in response to events like employee onboarding. It eliminates manual intervention.
General task automation automates ad hoc, standalone tasks like report generation. It fills gaps between core automation tools.
Key Capabilities
Leading workload automation platforms share several key capabilities:
- Connector framework to easily integrate disparate systems like HCM, ERP, CRM.
- Central console for managing, monitoring, and scheduling automated workflows.
- Load balancing to optimize job allocation across resources.
- Scalability to handle increasing workloads across the enterprise.
- Failure management with built-in retries, alerts, and escalation.
- Audit trails for tracking processes and resolving issues.
Tangible Benefits
Research shows implementing workload automation delivers quantifiable improvements including:
- 50-90% faster process handle times.3
- 20-50% higher workforce productivity.4
- 80% reduction in payroll cycle times.5
- 60% faster financial close and reporting.6
- 55% lower compliance-related costs.7
With those fundamentals covered, let‘s explore key HR applications of WLA.
Top 5 Use Cases of Workload Automation in HR
Workload automation enables HR teams to focus on high-value responsibilities by automating repetitious tasks. Major use cases include:
1. Payroll Management
Payroll processing involves numerous manual, repetitive steps including:
- Timesheet approvals
- Overtime calculation
- Tax computations
- Paycheck generation
- Direct deposit setup
This complexity leads to delayed paychecks, non-compliance, and errors impacting employee retention.
WLA tools like ActiveBatch streamline payroll by automatically orchestrating key workflows across HR and payroll systems:
Figure 1 – Workload automation tools like ActiveBatch optimize complex payroll workflows. Image source: ActiveBatch
This accelerates processing while reducing compliance risks and employee impact of any errors.
Large retailers like Dollar General use WLA to reduce payroll cycle times by 80% while cutting manual work hours by 95%.8
2. HCM Platform Integration
Organizations employ a multitude of HCM applications like SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, ADP, and more. Manually connecting these disjointed systems to exchange data is hugely cumbersome, often resulting in errors.
Workload automation seamlessly automates interfaces between HCM tools for functions like:
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User provisioning – Automatically create/update user profiles across systems when employees join/leave.
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Payroll integration – Transfer payroll data between HCM and payroll software.
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Access management – Grant/revoke access to employee portals and tools per status.
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Compliance reporting – Aggregate data from HCM suites to generate compliance reports.
This "system of automation" boosts productivity by eliminating swivel-chair workflows. One leading bank used WLA to reduce the time spent on reconciling HR data by over 80%.9
Figure 2 – Workload automation connects HCM systems like SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, ADP. Image source: Stonebranch
3. Employee Onboarding and Offboarding
The employee onboarding process spans various systems and applications, with numerous manual tasks:
- Entering personal and job data in HCM tools
- Provisioning accounts and access
- Scheduling training
- Etc.
Similarly, offboarding requires collecting devices, disabling access, completing paperwork, and more.
WLA tools automate huge portions of these workflows with real-time triggers:
Onboarding
- Create employee record in HCM when hire confirmed
- Assign hardware assets
- Generate offer letter with HR data
- Launch onboarding checklist tasks
Offboarding
- Disable access when termination processed
- Trigger exit interview workflow
- Archive employee documents
- Notify security to collect assets
This reduces onboarding from weeks to just days, while ensuring 100% compliance with offboarding control procedures.
4. Recruiting and Hiring
Recruiting involves numerous repetitive tasks that distract from strategic talent acquisition:
- Posting to job boards
- Scheduling interviews
- Sending rejection/offer emails
- Managing applicant pipeline
Workload automation handles these mundane chores to let recruiters focus on top talent:
- Automatically post approved reqs to selected job boards
- Use HR data to generate and send rejection/offer letters
- Schedule interviews based on recruiter calendars
- Advance applicants to next stage after defined delays
Leading enterprises have improved hiring manager satisfaction by over 50% using WLA-driven automation.10
5. Auditing and Compliance Reporting
HR teams must generate various periodic compliance reports which is highly cumbersome without automation:
- Reconciling employee data across HCM platforms
- Compiling policy audit documents
- Producing regulatory filings
WLA is ideal for automating such repetitive compliance processes:
- Aggregate HR data from various systems into compliance database
- Programmatically audit policies like time tracking, expenses
- Filter compliance data to populate regulatory filings
- Schedule reports to be generated and distributed automatically
This results in 100% compliance without days wasted on manual reporting.
6 Best Practices for Maximizing WLA Value in HR
Follow these proven guidelines to drive a high-impact workload automation program for HR:
Define objectives – Outline specific goals for automation like improved payroll accuracy or hiring speed. This drives ROI focus.
Map workflows – Catalog existing manual workflows to identify automation opportunities. Include HRIS integrations.
Start small – Begin with high-value but straightforward workflows like employee onboarding. This builds program momentum.
Measure KPIs – Define metrics for success based on goals, like payroll error rate, and track them continuously.
Allow modification – Give HR teams flexibility to modify automated workflows over time rather than enforcing rigid rules.
Smooth adoption – Phase automation changes via extensive communication and field personnel training.
Challenges of WLA in HR to Consider
While workload automation unlocks huge productivity gains, it also poses some challenges to address:
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Reluctance to change – Long-time employees may resist modifying existing manual workflows.
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IT reluctance – IT teams may push back due to low appetite for introducing new platforms.
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Unexpected errors – Automated processes involving multiple systems can fail in unpredictable ways.
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Integration complexity – Connecting some niche HR apps may require custom integration work.
Proper change management and staged rollouts can help overcome these adoption hurdles.
The Bottom Line
Workload automation offers immense potential for enhancing productivity, compliance, and strategic focus across HR groups. By automatically handling repetitious tasks, WLA enables HR staff to dedicate time to high-value initiatives that drive retention and talent acquisition.
Leading companies have optimized everything from payroll processing to audits and reporting using workload automation. To maximize benefits, HR leaders should carefully define use cases, follow change management best practices, and track progress through defined KPIs.
The benefits of transforming HR operations through workload automation are too big to ignore. To learn how WLA can impact your organization, reach out to our experts.
1. Deloitte, "The Great Reimagination: Making hybrid work happen" ↩
2. Deloitte, "Making the future of work work: How can we overcome workforce automation anxieties?" ↩
3. Forbes, "The Impact of Automation on the HR Department" ↩
4. BusinessWire, "Automation is Critical to Productivity" ↩
5. SuccessFactors, "Why Automate HR Processes?" ↩
6. PwC, "Workload Automation Can Drive Finance Efficiency" ↩
7. Blue Prism, "Compliance Automation in Banking and Financial Services" ↩
8. ActiveBatch, "Dollar General Optimizes Payroll with Automation" ↩
9. Stonebranch, "Global Bank Automates HR/Payroll Processes" ↩
10. Pega, "Automating Recruiting Workflows at Leading Hospital" ↩