HRIS and HRMS can be very beneficial but don’t always provide a practical way to manage employee files. Consider including a hybrid filing system in your HRM strategy.
Human Resource departments have a lot going on. There is a ton of data that needs to be tracked and aggregated. Most companies will utilize a variety of systems to help them do this. Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) and Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) are popular choices. Unfortunately, many do not include a practical solution for employee file management.
The Problem With Paper
Although most companies already utilize some sort of HRIS or HRMS, many still rely on a traditional paper-based filing system to manage their employee files. However, as anyone who has worked in HR can tell you, dealing with paper files can be frustrating. To maintain compliance, each employee typically has 3 – 5 separate files. This causes information to be duplicated across the organization, making finding what you’re looking for a complete nightmare. Distributing documentation becomes a serious chore, and information security becomes nonexistent. Working with paper is inherently tricky, but you can only go paperless to a certain extent. Employees will inevitably deliver applications, onboarding forms, PTO requests, and the like to your office in paper format, no matter how hard you try to avoid it.
A Hybrid Filing Solution
Human Resource departments have been increasingly looking towards hybrid filing systems to help them manage their employee files easier. A hybrid filing system combines a couple of key components:
- Document Management System
- Stores employee files in electronic format
- Instant document retrieval for authorized staff
- Allows for safe distribution of information
- 24×7 secure access from anywhere
- Ability to control access to specific sections of employee files for groups of staff
- Scanning Automation Tools
- Automates conversion of paper files to digital
- It makes it easy to get misc. paper documents into the system on an ongoing basis
- Online Forms & e-signatures
- Allows for paperless onboarding
- Replaces any pen and paper process where forms need to be filled out and signed
With a hybrid filing system, you no longer waste time rummaging through filing cabinets. Sign in to your digital filing cabinet and do a quick search to bring back exactly what you’re looking for in seconds.
Benefits of a Hybrid Filing System
The benefits of a hybrid system are huge! Your department will realize the value instantly with hours saved and costs reduced. Here are just a few of the ways a hybrid filing system can benefit your organization:
- Significantly reduce the time it takes to file/retrieve documents from employee folders
- Consolidate employee information into one folder per employee
- Control access to specific sections of employee files for different groups of staff
- Run internal audits and exception reports on the fly to ensure employee documentation is up to date
- Provide external auditors limited access to individual employee files or specific sections of employee folders
- Share information safely and much more efficiently between different offices
- Use paperless onboarding to get new hires “papered up” without a single sheet (use the same process for PTO requests, pay grade increases, benefits enrollment, and more)
- Free up valuable office space by eliminating the need for bulky filing cabinets
- Save on costs associated with paper, folders, filing cabinets, printers, copiers, postage, etc
The list goes on and on. Going paperless in your Human Resources department makes a lot of sense, but be sure you have a quick and straightforward solution to get your paper files into electronic format in the first place. And, on an ongoing basis, a practical way to deal with the miscellaneous paper coming in. A hybrid filing system makes this easy and lets you replace pen and paper forms with a completely digital process so you stop generating paper in the first place.
Our hybrid filing solution has been helping HR go paperless and manage employee files more efficiently for over 15 years. Scanning automation tools help you quickly convert your current paper files to electronic format and then securely manage your employee documentation from the cloud. Integrated online forms and e-signatures allow for a simple and effective employee onboarding process that is entirely digital.
Schedule a demo today and learn how to upgrade your filing system with DynaFile.
