6 Pitfalls of Traditional HR Mindset Your HR Must Avoid In 2021

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What keeps a business going? A common thought would be the revenue generated by the product or the service the business provides, which is true to an extent. However, the day-to-day operations of a business are kept up thanks in large part to the employees.

The best way to keep employees happy in their position and willing to stick around is through a well-functioning Human Resources department, willing to listen to their concerns and resolve any issues they might have. 

HR departments are not a new thing in the workplace. That means, just like other departments need to be digitalised to keep up with the latest advancements in technology, so does the HR department.

Letting yourself get stuck in the old ways can do more than just hold back an HR department - it can actually be detrimental to your business growth.

Here are a few reasons to consider updating your HR mindset and processes. 

Lagging Behind the Times

A pervasive problem with traditional HR processes is the amount of paperwork for the many transactions that are necessary for each and every employee. On top of all the transactions with the endless amounts of paperwork, traditional HR departments are fighting against slower approval processes.

By providing your HR team with better, digital HR software, not only does it cut down on transactions and paperwork, it’ll speed up those approval timelines, along with allowing employees to access the information they need instantaneously. 

Data Security

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Thanks to the mountain of paperwork that traditional HR practices entail, the likelihood of some crucial document or form being lost due to human error is an almost guarantee.

Traditional HR document handling through spreadsheets pushed us a little further from having those physical documents, however, productivity is still not maximised as it is stored in a singular employee’s laptop/desktop with no ability to track changes easily.

Instead, using a cloud-based software allows for consistent maintenance of documents and forms, provides the ability to collaborate efficiently on top of increased overall security for storing employee data. 

Ineffective Decision Making

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One of the biggest issues with traditional HR practices is that you do not have real-time data easily and readily at your fingertips. When making a decision about an employee or a department, having immediate, up-to-date data analytics and benchmarks can save precious time and boost productivity. 

Losing Previous Talents

Another reason to renew your outdated workplace practices: developing your people. With so much time wasted on lengthy, time-consuming processes and paperwork, there aren’t enough hours to dedicate to training, motivating, fostering inclusivity, and more, among your staff of employees.

This is what top notch employees look for, the opportunity to develop personally and professionally. If they aren’t getting that support, they will leave, leading to a higher turnover rate and cost, ultimately driving lower profitability for the company. 

Lack of Growth Mindset

A common phrase is “playing not to lose” is the mindset of traditional HR practitioners. It focuses on an execution-driven mindset, rather than being proactive and adaptable. Without that agility, how can employees and an HR department be expected to come together to deliver the crucial information and tasks asked of them?

Too Focused on the Traditional Functions of HR

Because so much time is spent in traditional HR practices shuffling paperwork and trudging through these slower processes, it leaves less time for engaging with employees and opening a line of communication.

Additionally, lengthy, manual employee onboarding processes take up too much time that could be better spent introducing a new employee to their team and getting them set up to work in their new position. 

What can you do about it?

The solution to these potential pitfalls is here - altHR is the best solution for Malaysian businesses to update their outdated processes into a more strategic HR management system. 

With altHR, those mundane tasks that waste time are automated, leaving more hours in the day to actually connect with employees using our employee engagement features to increase employee satisfaction.

Your employees and your HR department have better things to do than drudge through the old ways. Update them to altHR for an HR solution meant for today’s workplace.