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Note: The article was updated on April 29, 2024, with HR workflow automation examples: performance management workflow automation and performance appraisal workflow automation.
In today's modern business world, automation is everyone's best friend. Workflow automation saves time and reduces errors, allowing people to focus on activities that bring real business value.
Process automation can apply to any department, but here, we'll focus on HR workflow automation. HR teams are responsible for many internal business processes, so depending on where you want to leverage technology, you can implement HR workflows for onboarding, performance management, feedback, offboarding, time off, and much more.
This article covers everything there is to know about performance management workflows and includes tutorials on how to do it with Mirro.
What is an HR workflow?
An HR workflow is a series of steps and actions to achieve one or more goals over time. The structure of this process assures the company that it is on the right track through small but safe steps and efficient teamwork. The best part is that every employee benefits from it.
Traditionally, these steps are handled manually through spreadsheets, emails, group chats, or other outdated tools. This method is error-prone and can significantly impact productivity and efficiency. On the other hand, HR workflows streamline HR processes, enhance accuracy, and improve employee experience, contributing to efficient operations and organizational success.
When you choose automated workflow solutions, there are a few features to look for:
- An intuitive user interface. An HR workflow system aims to automate HR processes, reduce time lost on redundant tasks, and improve productivity, especially for remote employees. The platform on which your team works must have a customizable and easy-to-navigate user interface.
- Centralized data. Quick access to various reports and documents is one of the significant benefits of using HR workflow automation. This will be useful for solving specific issues and keeping track of your team's work.
- Insights. Managers and team leaders need to be constantly updated regarding time-off or salary insights—with a workflow system, they can have more control over company performance.
- Notifications. A system that allows notifications by email, phone, or directly on the platform can substantially improve the employee experience. With a personalized employee profile, team members can easily keep track of meetings, deadlines, and new projects through a simple reminder on their email.
Digitizing data and automated workflows provide the support your team members need for the best work experience. This allows your people to focus on the essential aspects of the business and, therefore, make a more valuable contribution to the organization's development.
Benefits of having an HR workflow
When companies use an HR workflow automation platform, a simple question such as: "How many days off do I have left this year?" can be answered quickly by accessing the program and identifying the information in just a few clicks. So, how can HR workflow automation help your team grow and improve?
Here are a few workflow benefits to consider:
- Better communication. Through automated HR processes, you ensure that your team has all the necessary means to communicate and stay up to date with all the projects they are working on. They can have their own personalized profile, through which they can share details about work, holidays, and birthdays with other colleagues—all these tools will help your people have an excellent employee experience.
- Fewer errors. Making mistakes is human, but identifying potential errors and preventing them is something you can work on—with well-developed HR software, errors are much less likely to occur. If the mistake could not be prevented on time, our easy performance management can quickly pinpoint it in the system.
- Ongoing feedback. The most productive teams are those in which people communicate effectively and receive constant feedback. Organizational communication is essential when you want to maintain a balance in the team. With Mirro's feedback tools, you can motivate your team members and help them grow within the company.
- Better performance. A performance management workflow can help your people develop in engaging ways. It is based on total transparency, so each employee knows the project's stage, objectives, and key results. Team members can access certain information or documents with a click when needed. Thus, everything is done quickly and smoothly.
HR workflow automation examples to simplify your job
Below are two examples of HR workflows that every company should have and can easily be automated with the help of performance management software:
Performance management workflow
In recent years, traditional annual performance reviews have become outdated. Modern companies need agile and continuous performance management processes to stay ahead of their competition and win the retention battle. Imagine waiting a year to measure and optimize performance – it simply doesn't align with modern business needs.
Continuous performance management adapts to the pace of business, providing timely feedback and fostering growth. Managers can experience streamlined evaluations, gather real-time feedback, and improve employee development by automating this HR process through a performance management workflow.
👉 Suggested reading: The Importance of Performance Management
Because we understood this need for agility and wanted to offer a suite of HR tools to support it, we built Mirro. Performance management becomes a natural part of the workday by seamlessly integrating feedback, recognition, 1-on-1 meetings, and OKR features into daily workflows.
Here’s how a performance management workflow automation looks like in Mirro:
Action 1: Get adjusted to our user-friendly platform’s Performance module.
Action 2: Use the available filters to sort check-ins based on various criteria such as the time frame, alphabetical order, or duration since the last completed check-in.
Action 3: Click on the current check-in time frame to view the details of your mentee's most recent check-in. You'll find information on feedback received, OKRs, team memberships, and the last finalized check-in.
Action 4: To begin the performance review, you'll be directed to a form where you can provide feedback and insights on your mentee's performance. You can discuss results, accomplishments, and areas for improvement.
Action 5: Share your feedback with your mentee. They can view your answers and provide their own if they haven't already.
Action 6: After discussing the feedback with your mentee, complete the summary and note the overall performance. We recommend having a face-to-face or online meeting before finalizing the check-in.
Action 7: Access Mirro's Performance Insights to measure completion, process, and results all in one place. This holistic approach provides valuable insights into performance trends and areas for improvement.
Case study: Tazz
Tazz sought a comprehensive solution to streamline and automate the performance management process. Before adopting Mirro, Tazz needed an extensive performance management framework. The team revamped the performance management workflow with Mirro's automated tools by including self-assessments and continuous feedback.
Two pivotal elements of Tazz's performance management strategy are recognition and feedback:
- To promote a culture of recognition, the HR team gamified the kudos system, encouraging employees to participate in giving and receiving recognition throughout the year actively. Monthly raffles with non-financial incentives incentivize employees to exchange kudos among peers.
- The feedback feature is crucial for managers to gather diverse perspectives for informed decision-making. They can seek input from their team members' collaborators, enriching the evaluation process and ensuring a holistic approach to performance assessment.
Performance appraisal workflow
Modern performance appraisal workflows are shifting towards a more inclusive and employee-centric approach. Gone are the days of top-down evaluations—today's appraisals are driven by individuals, not just management. Everyone should be able to showcase their achievements, whether quantifiable metrics or qualitative successes.
Timeliness and mindfulness are key aspects of this digital transformation, ensuring that recognition happens promptly and seamlessly. Moreover, automating this HR workflow provides a safe space for open dialogue between employees and managers. Continuous availability throughout the recognition period encourages ongoing feedback and discussion, fostering a culture of transparency and trust.
By aligning individual goals with company values and involving external stakeholders like customers in the feedback process, organizations create holistic appraisal systems that drive employee engagement and contribute to overall organizational success.
Here’s how you can automate the performance appraisal digital workflow with Mirro's performance review software:
Action 1: Navigate to the My Mirro module within the Mirro platform. Click the "Give Kudos" option to start the digital appraisal workflow.
Action 2: Choose one or more colleagues you wish to recognize by typing their names and selecting them from the list.
Action 3: Write down the specific reasons for offering the appraisal, highlighting your colleagues' positive impact on you or the team.
Action 4: Choose which company values your colleagues demonstrated through their actions. You can select one to three values from the list provided.
Action 5: Optionally, tag specific skills and behaviors you appreciate in your colleagues. You can choose from a list of pre-existing tags or create your own.
Action 6: Review your appraisal and choose whether to delete it, save it for later editing, or share it immediately.
Case study: DWF
DWF needed to automate the performance appraisal process since the team has worked remotely for the past few years. Mirro supported DWF in building a culture of appreciation and fostering a collaborative atmosphere. Our platform's automated tools help DWF colleagues recognize each other's work in just a few clicks. As such, acknowledging achievements and expressing gratitude became a habit within the organization.
Ready to switch to HR workflow automation?
Every organization can save time and money by automating HR workflows. Modern HR departments are embracing digitalization, and automating HR processes is crucial for maximizing efficiency and productivity. If you haven't started on this path yet, I recommend you give it a try. Eliminating repetitive tasks will not only save your HR team a lot of time but also offer an excellent employee experience.
