Exploring the Benefits - HR Case Management

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In this post we'll be exploring the benefits of implementing an HR Case Management solution. Before diving in lets recall that the fundamental purpose of HR Case Management is to track, manage, and monitor all interaction that occurs between employees and Human Resource representatives. Remembering this will help us better understand why we can expect to experience the benefits discussed below.  

Benefit: Reduced overall cost to deliver HR services

Historically, HR organizations have operated in a reactive and manual fashion with minimal insight into key business drivers and metrics. HR Case Management is designed to change this by providing timely reporting capabilities that are critical to enabling strategic decision-making and proactive business management.   Establishing KPI reporting and detailed dashboards can help the HR organization uncover underlying trends and respond to employee needs faster.   This kind of timely information can lead to several cost saving activities, including: identification of process bottlenecks, reduction of calls into HR, freeing up of resources for more strategic work, and an overall decrease in average resolution times.    

Benefit: Increased transparency and customer satisfaction in the delivery of HR services

While reducing overall cost to deliver services is always important in the enterprise, it cannot come at the expense of customer experience.   To remain competitive in todays corporate landscape organizations must identify opportunities to reduce cost and improve customer satisfaction, at the same time.   A well-implemented HR Case Management solution can help the HR team align to these strategic expectations.  

Lets use Self-Service functionality as an example. Self-Service functionality, part of ServiceNow's HR Service Automation Application, is designed to deliver important information to customers of HR on a 24x7 basis.   Self-Service enables employees to request the things or information they need without having to contact HR via phone or email.   Automated task based workflow is then used to speed fulfillment and delivery of these services.   Most organizations supplement Self-Service functionality with a knowledge base.   In a knowledge base employees can view on-demand articles and information made available to them by HR.   Common article examples include information on employee benefits, corporate calendars, and other popular HR communications.

Benefit: Consistent adherence to company policies and procedures

All information and communication regarding steps taken to resolve employee cases become archived and accessible at anytime in the future.   The practice of consistently tracking and reviewing HR cases and resolution processes will inherently drive procedural accountability within the HR organization. It also provides a mechanism for reviewing HR team member contribution and helps to identify potential coaching and mentoring opportunities.      

Benefit: Increased efficiency and accuracy in services delivered

HR Case Management should dramatically increase the efficiency and accuracy of services delivered.   Task based workflow is used to automate and standardize re-occurring and manual fulfillment processes.   Approval and fulfillment tasks are tracked in a single system and become much easier to manage throughout the lifecycle of a case.   No more long email chains, no more lost paper trails, and most importantly…no more lost employee cases.   Automated emails, notifications, and SLA's can be implemented within workflow tasks to help improve process metrics and ensure high levels of quality in services delivered.        

In conclusion

  In conclusion, its fairly obvious that HR Case Management can provide a number of strategic benefits to the HR organization.   However simply investing in an HR Case Management solution does not guarantee success.   I repeat, does not guarantee success.   Developing an execution strategy and planning for success early in the adoption of HR Case Management is equally, if not more important.   To learn more about how to set your HR organization up for success check out my follow on post titled, Planning for Success with HR Case Management.