The employer/employee relationship doesn’t stand still. It’s a process, the employee lifecycle, with different stages and they all need specialized attention from HR. If we think in terms of the whole lifecycle, from the very first “hello” to the last goodbye, engagement, productivity, even company reputation benefit from this approach. * Let’s explore each stage.

Attraction and Hires: Setting the Tone

The cycle of life starts before the day you get to work. The modern candidate is an educated one; they do their homework, read testimonials and look for employer brand.

HR Function: Develop stronger employer branding statements, facilitate easier applications, and be more open during the recruitment process.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• ATS (Application Tracking Systems): Integrate candidate data, streamline the hiring process, and automate communications.
• Recruitment Marketing Tools: Increase employer brand awareness on social media and job boards.
• Background Check Technology: Use technology to make background checks faster and easier which makes for a better, smoother candidate experience and compliance for your business.

Onboarding: More Than Just Paperwork

First impressions last. It’s a time to bring people into the company, define expectations, and offer them whatever resources they may require to thrive during onboarding.

The HR Function: Build onboarding processes, set up mentors/buddy roles, and solicit input so that the process gets better.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• Onboarding Software & PeopleHQ APIs: Automate paperwork, send training modules, monitor progress. Look for a platform or integration that can help you with onboarding by automating aspects of the state forms, I-9 and ACA onboarding process.

Not only does this make recruiting easier, but you also can mitigate regulatory risk in your company. PeopleHQ APIs connect to some of your existing HR systems to exchange candidate data and help you with the recruiting. This makes it easier to have the same candidate experience and avoid having to do all of the data entry for your team.

• Chat/Online Forums: Create more connection among new recruits.

Development and Engagement

The workers deserve to be treated well and push back.

The HR Job: Provide training, clearer career lines, reward achievement. Check in on employees’ wellbeing regularly and collect feedback.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• Learning Management Systems (LMS): Provide trainings, track completions, and provide skill development.
• Goal Setting, Performance Monitoring, and Feedback Software: Automate goal setting, performance tracking, and review.
• Pulse Surveys and Engagement Platforms: Collect anonymous reviews of employees to see where the company can be better.

Retention: The Ongoing Effort

Hiring is about more than the pay packet. You know, where employees are valued, cared for, and supported.

The HR Function: Build a better culture in the company, foster growth and rewards, make people feel welcome, and get to the root of issues immediately.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• Self-Service Portals for Employees: Help employees control benefits, vacation and personal data.
• Media: Encourage collaboration, openness and community.
• Offers perks you choose: such as identity theft protection, money health, etc – prove that you are serious about employee safety and financial stability.

Offboarding: Here We Go: Let’s Go!

Offboarding is underrated but it’s an effective way to get feedback, learn the reasons employees quit and stay connected with alumni.

The HR Job: Conduct exit interviews, reduce the offboarding process, and maybe even alumni programs to keep employees involved with the company. Reputation issues might limit a business’s access to high-value new employees and boomerang talent, driving up costs per hire by $4,723.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• Offboarding Software: Automate exit forms such as separation forms, custom forms and reemployment forms, gather reviews and make it easier to leave. More integrated offboarding tools will enable you to stay on top of your regulatory obligations, help streamline, and ensure that departing employees leave with a better offboarding experience.
• Unemployment Cost Management (UCM) Support: UCM support ensures that you can process unemployment claims less hassle, less risk to the bottom line and rising chance of fraud, and make the transition of employees who are leaving easier. That may translate into greater online reviews, referrals and even “boomerang” workers who may come back to the company in the future.
• Reemployment Services: Reemployment services will prolong the time that your departing workers are out of work and in turn decrease the overall cost of a claim.

Beyond the Traditional Lifecycle: Power of Alumni

The employee lifecycle doesn’t end at offboarding. Former employees can be powerful brand ambassadors, referral sources, or even potential boomerang hires.

The HR Position: Keep up with alumni in newsletters, conferences, or social media channels.

Tech Help to the Rescue:

• Alumni Channels: Establish closed communities on the web for ex-employees to network, meet and stay abreast of company announcements.

The Payoff of a Holistic Mindset and PeopleHQ.

Not only is investing in the full employee lifecycle an ethical priority – it’s a good business idea. PeopleHQ is unifying your Equifax Workforce Solutions employer services under one portal, offering a more people-centric experience and world-class security. Through its built-in tool set, PeopleHQ can deliver the ROI you want by:

• Reduced Turnover: When an employee experience is positive, the company is likely to be at higher retention rates and therefore will not have to spend time hiring and training.
• More Productivity: Engaged and enthusiastic employees are often more productive and creative.
• Strengthened Employer Brand: The brand of value you have to offer your employees can bring in the best talent and offer you an edge.

What HR Needs to Do in the New Digital Era

Technology doesn’t substitute for the human. It is a tool that enables HR leaders to work more effectively, get more insight and focus on making connections with employees at every point of their journey. If you adopt HR technology such as PeopleHQ, then you can make the workplace more human so that we can all work better.