Ah, spring! It may be more welcome than ever this year. You made it through the end of 2021 and the start of 2022, and while this transition is always busy for HR teams, this time around, it’s likely been unusually challenging. There’s an entirely new talent market picture, and HR teams everywhere are stretched thinner than ever as they try to improve HR processes to keep up with it all.

What better time to let go of the old and outdated and usher in a new era of efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness?

Sounds great, right? But how do you even begin? Here are five ideas for turning yours into a top-performing HR team that’s ready to take on whatever the future brings.

Think paperless.

You’re required to keep employee files for certain lengths of time. Store as many as possible electronically, and scrap those you no longer need. Be sure to take proper security precautions and dispose of them in appropriate ways.

• Virtually all HR data can now be stored without paper files. While literally cleaning up the department, you also make it much easier to organize and retrieve data.

Reassess your payroll process.

Time is money, and with the right payroll methods and technology in place, you can save both.

• A third of all U.S. employers have been charged for a payroll mistake, with total penalties reaching into the billions of dollars. Tax laws change constantly, leaving even the most experience professionals vulnerable to error. It’s not surprising that 87 percent of successful business owners outsource their payroll; you might want to do the same.

Update your employee handbook.

If you haven’t done so lately, review your employee handbook and make any necessary changes. For new hires, your handbook is a needed introduction to company policies and procedures. For employees and managers, it’s a basis for understanding and adhering to organizational practices. And for you, it’s legal evidence that all policies are consistent with and adhere to employment laws.

Evaluate your HR compliance.

HR laws are highly complex and can vary between countries, states and municipalities. In addition to keeping up with the details of each and every law, there are likely posters, forms, reports, and numerous employee communication messages to be handled. Labor relations acts, OSHA, ADA, FMLA, immigration reform and control, HIPAA, wage and hour laws, EEOC regulations … and the list goes on. Make sure you’re current in meeting all these requirements.

Prepare for summer – and time-off requests year-round.

Next up on the seasonal calendar is summer, and if you haven’t already been dealing with myriad time off requests, you soon will be. Make sure you have all the steps in place for keeping your workforce intact when planned and unplanned absences come up all year round.

Trust KeyHR to Help You Optimize and Streamline Your HR Processes

For an increasing number of businesses, a smart solution to keeping their talent management function consistently on track is partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) or other provider organization. Key HR offers a number of options, including the one that’s right for you. We’ll work with you to relieve the headaches and stress – and help you reduce costs, save time, optimize your workforce, build revenue and minimize risk. Contact us today to learn more.