It can be tempting when choosing a way to manage employee records to go for the least expensive or the best-known option available. That isn’t always the wisest choice and can leave your employees frustrated and your company holding the bag.
That was the case for CEO and founder of non-profit Whole Whale, George Weiner. He learned that lesson the hard way a year ago and now he wishes that he had examined things a bit closer before signing up for the well-known, cloud-based service that he declined to name.
Because of the provider’s mistakes, Weiner alleges that it caused his organization to miss making several months of workers compensation payments on time which cost the organization a fine of $500!
Further errors caused Weiner to go with a smaller payroll company startup that had a far better user interface and the added benefit of customer service.
In a recent article in PC Magazine (http://in.pcmag.com/google-drive-for-work/105592/feature/6-factors-to-consider-when-upgrading-your-hr-tech), there are six things that managers and business owners should consider before going with any type of payroll, applicant tracking, or HR management service, whether they opt for a network or cloud-based service.
- Price – For nearly every type of business, price is a consideration, but it should not be the only factor in the mix. Look at what options are being offered by each potential vendor. Ask if they charge a flat fee or if their pricing is based on the number of employees that are within the system. Some vendors will offer volume discounts while others base pricing on features available to users. Consider what functions you will need and use and expand over time if need be.
Demos and Trial Accounts – Most vendors of ATS or HR management systems will offer a trial period for potential customers to see what the company can offer them. Demos are good for getting a feel for what’s under the hood, so to speak.
- Updates – Find out if the vendor you are interested in is planning on keeping the system you are trying first or if a major overhaul is in the works a short distance down the road. Ask how often the UI and other changers are done to the system. Is it daily, weekly, monthly or once a year? The time to find out is during the vetting process.
- Employee Files – Ask the vendor about file conversions from your current system to their platform. Most vendors offer a fairly straightforward and painless way to enter current information rather than having it entirely rekeyed into the new one.
The rest of the article can be read here.
Managing employee payroll, HR and other records is something that every company takes seriously. Having the know-how and the necessary experience and care for your organization’s HR records is just part of what we do at EinsteinHR.
We are human resource professionals and we work with small to medium size companies to help them find the best fit for their company for their HR needs.
Whether you need to fill an open position, or need advice on how to make your HR department more efficient, working with our Alliance Partner, we can offer sound advice for you and your organization.
Contact us today to find out how and get a quote. You can reach us toll-free at 770-962-1700 (EMC2).