You’re in this for the long run. Otherwise you wouldn’t have invested all that money and managed to convince people to believe your concept could make them more money than the initial capital put in. To ensure the long-term success of your franchise, you need to find and keep the right people with the right qualifications.
Your franchisees and their employees need to reflect the brand and represent the company’s core values, otherwise you’re not really running a franchise. Your franchisees need to realise that hiring the right cultural fit is a crucial element to the success of their business and the brand as a whole. The trouble is that it’s also one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks of running a franchise.
Enter digital HR. With 73% of business and HR leaders regarding digital HR an important trend, even as a small business owner, you could benefit highly from HR software. “HR tasks have evolved from paper-based processes to desktop software to Cloud-based applications,” says Jaime Lizotte, HR Solutions Manager at HRdirect.
“This progression has made it easier for businesses of all sizes to manage everyday HR functions.”
Here’s why you should digitalise your franchise’s HR process, and stop sifting through hundreds of CVs and application – today:
HR processes will be simpler, faster and cheaper
While moving away from legacy HR systems signals progression for both you and your franchisees, you’ll only reap the benefits if technology is seen as an advancement, and is therefore readily embraced. If it’s approached as being disruptive to productivity, implementing digital HR will be challenging.
These, according to Lizotte, are the three specific directives that determine the complexity and convenience of any software you’re planning to implement:
- It doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg.
- It’s not complicated to understand and deploy.
- It doesn’t take me away from what matters most – running my business and serving my customers.
Your goal is simple, she says. “Find HR software that creates efficiencies for you personally and drives measurable results for the business overall.”
You’ll engage and empower employees
Digitalising your HR systems won’t only make your lives easier, but once they understand how it works and why it’s being implemented, both your franchisees and staff will quickly realise the benefits.
“Small businesses that have embraced digital technology show faster growth than companies that have not,” according to Thriving in the Digital Economy, a 2016 IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by SAP. Online and Cloud-based applications provide the added benefit of employee engagement and empowerment.
Fully-integrated and automated platforms scan data from CVs and pre-fills information for you, meaning any missing information is entered only once by an employee, through their self-service profile page. With some programmes, this page is accessible from their mobile, completely eliminates your HR admin workload.
Four additional ways HR software helps you manage your business better include: More effective decision-making, productivity improvement, measurable ROI and risk reduction.
Identifying your business-specific needs will be easier
“Before attempting a deep-dive into the software research pool, it’s best to step back and evaluate what you already have and what you require,” suggests Lizotte.
“Once you understand what’s most important to your business, you’ll be better prepared to identify the HR software programs that best fit your needs.”
According to SHRM’s Report on Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement, “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels” and “trust between employees and senior management” were the top two contributors to satisfaction.
Managing it all your franchise’s HR through a single platform ensures consistency across key operational aspects including franchisee compliance, employee training and service standards.
