Employee Relations Trends and Technology for 2021

I think it goes without saying, 2020 presented some of the biggest challenges to HR and HR management that have been seen in years. And, while we are hopeful, the first half of 2021 isn’t going to be much different.  COVID-19 is expected to continue to be a major disruption to “business as usual”, and with it will be other continuing trends such as having large portions of the workforce attempting to be productive at home.

HR departments need tools which can keep up with these challenges.  Fortunately, labor and employee relations software has been evolving and improving as well.  If 2020 had you on the brink, it may be time to rethink your HR technology to help you keep pace with the changing times, and maintain the flexibility you need in an otherwise unpredictable landscape.

5 Must-Have Features For Your HR Labor and Employee Management Software In 2021

1 - Cloud-based access

Hopefully your HR software is already cloud-enabled, but if not, that should be one of your top priorities for your software upgrade.  Dispersed workforces require connected (and collaborative) applications if they have any hope of meeting deadlines, remaining up to speed on projects and tasks, or report of productivity in real time.  Critical business software needs to be accessible from anywhere, at any time, to ensure it's always available and employee relations software is no exception – if this isn’t the case, you’re already behind the times.

2 - Easy tracking of incidents, accommodations, FMLA, and similar matters

As government adds more regulations and protections for workers, you need software capable of recording and tracking each individual incident.  This is vital both for basic employee data analysis, but also for attaching solutions or resolutions to each incident.  If something shows a need for more training or augmented responsibilities, for example, you should be able to 'attach' that training to the incident so that the effectiveness of the solution can be tracked going forward. This is also vital record-keeping to ensure you're always able to demonstrate adherence to regulations like FMLA or track absences and leaves. This not only provides the coverage needed but the historical data can prove valuable when predicting trends for forecasting.

3 - Remote performance monitoring and management

One of the biggest fears shared by every company expanding its use of a remote workforce is that telecommuting will impact productivity.  Does your current labor relations software even have the capability to track where employees are working from, and whether that's having an impact on their productivity?

Modern HR software can track when and how employees are working, along with the more basic metrics.  This allows you to analyze and refine work-at-home policies to minimize their impact on operations.

4 - Collaboration tools

Another challenge when a workforce is geographically distributed is keeping everyone on the same page.  This is vital for training, but also for matters such as maintaining key deadlines for union activities or regulatory filings.  Your HR software should include employee document repositories and expanded methods for collaboration between teams and HR, so that nothing slips through the cracks due to broken lines of communication.

Along the same lines, you also need to be able to easily communicate changes in workplace status to workers.  If - for example - a particular employee came down with COVID-19, you'd need to be able to instantly track and notify other workers they'd come into contact with.

5 - Robust analytics

Finally, it's not enough to collect employee data - you need to be able to work with it!  The best employee relations software includes robust HR analytics and dashboards which will allow you to get quick at-a-glance overviews of your labor management situation, while also allowing you to dig deep into problem areas.  And it’s not enough to have an out-of-the-box solution, these dashboards should be configurable to meet your specific business challenges.

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LaborSoft’s innovative technology is one of many integral solutions that keep your business, in business. Our analytics, case management workflows, and our central repository of documentation streamlines case management to mitigate risk of operational bottlenecks, costly lawsuits, and legal ramifications stemming from HR issues and complaints. This sensitive data requires that maximum security protocols are in place and that your information is protected at all times.

Contact us for a customized demonstration and learn how LaborSoft can help you improve communications, build a more collaborative, safe, and supportive workplace, while reducing the likelihood of costly litigation.