Leveraging HR Shared Services via Mobile Devices

Securely Accessing HR Information, Processes & Services – Anytime, Anywhere

The proliferation of mobile devices today means that service providers had better ensure that their offerings work with this technology – or possibly be left behind by the competition whose products embrace mobile functionality. The pace of evolution and adoption of this technology has been incredibly fast, going from a relatively simple mode of communication, to an application-laden purveyor of capabilities including navigation device, handheld game console, and web browser in just the past few years.

Another technological area of great growth continues to be HR Shared Services – delivering comprehensive human resources information, processes and services – accessible via Personalized Portals – delivered through server-based Cloud Integration. Shared Services Enterprise Portals provide employees, managers, HR professionals and others with secure access to personnel records anywhere, anytime – from virtually any Internet-enabled device – including smartphones and tablets. The information presented is uniquely personalized upon login, drawing and presenting data relevant to the individual accessing it – for a highly engaging employee experience.

While a great many HR Shared Services users access their portal via mobile devices at times; the use of the technology by HR professionals in general remains a small minority. But that is changing as Eric Friedman, CEO of eSkill Corporation, an online HR skills assessment firm, explains in his column ‘Human Resources Goes Mobile’ – “Through cloud computing or “software as a service” (SaaS), both of which let you log in using any number of devices, including mobile phones, HR departments are finding the technology solutions that work best for their busy organizations.”

Users and providers of human resources services benefit in many ways through the use of mobile technology – from real-time communications and data access – to analytics and planning resources available at the touch of a button. “Mobile applications for HR are now available to approve or deny salary changes, manage time off requests or manage employee training schedules – all from a mobile device,” from Mobile Applications for Human Resources by Humair Ghauri Senior Director of HCM Product Strategy at Oracle as posted on HR Matters.

Adoption and usage rates of HR services through mobile devices continues to rise as the technology becomes ever more ubiquitous. These factors, combined with the global nature of business today, necessitates the early-adopter status of human resources organizations as regards the latest technology –that is if they hope to recruit, engage and retain world-class talent – and not have their best (prospective & current) employees defect to the competition.