Human resources management has been undergoing a transformation in recent years, thanks to the rise of software as a service (SaaS) solutions. With the increasing trend of remote work and the need for efficient and effective workforce management, more and more businesses are turning to SaaS for HR to streamline their processes and improve their bottom line.

But what exactly is SaaS for HR, and how is it revolutionizing the industry? 

From automating repetitive tasks to real-time data insights, SaaS for HR is providing businesses with the tools they need to succeed in today's competitive market.

Let's dive in and explore how SaaS for HR and SaaS HRMS are transforming the industry.

An overview of HR SaaS software

The human resources SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) industry has grown rapidly. The needs of organizations with small HR departments and limited budgets are driving this growth.

SaaS is an online software application accessed on any device with an internet connection. Its market is developing rapidly. 

According to Statista, it will reach $208 billion in 2023. Some of the most popular SaaS offerings include customer support, payroll, time tracking, and, of course, HR management software.

When managing people resources and processes connected to it, SaaS for HR helps companies save time and money, as a result. With these cost savings, companies can focus more on growing their business than managing their human resources department.

Understanding the different types of SaaS for HR solutions

HR SaaS is a rapidly growing market. While there are many options, SaaS for HR can generally be broken down into two categories:

• "Pure-play" specialized HR SaaS tools: These are typically standalone products (they are also called vertical SaaS tools) that focus on one specific function or set of functions related to HR and staffing management. Examples include applicant tracking systems (ATS), recruiting crm software, time and attendance tracking software, payroll and benefits systems, recruiting tools, etc.
• All-in-one HR SaaS solutions: This solution combines multiple modules or functions under one umbrella platform. For example, an all-in-one HR cloud platform may include everything from ATS functionality to payroll and benefits administration, employee self-service portals, and more.

The future of HR management

With the rise of SaaS solutions for HR, companies are embracing new ways to streamline their recruitment and hiring processes. 

From automating applicant tracking systems to improving employee engagement through gamification, these innovative solutions are revolutionizing how we manage our workforce.

The PwC HR Tech Study 2022 reveals that many businesses want to transfer their human resources management to the cloud. Very pleased with the following outcomes are businesses that have already put such an endeavor into practice:

• 89% of respondents mention improved HR management.
• 86% mention a rise in productivity.
• Employee involvement has increased, according to 84%.
• 82% reported lower costs.

Here are some examples of how SaaS solutions are leading the way in HR management:

Streamlining recruitment and hiring processes

Applicant tracking systems have been around for decades, but now they’re also gaining popularity in small businesses. These cloud-based software platforms help you manage and track candidate information from start to finish, including applications, interviews, and offers. 

They also allow you to perform background checks and drug tests on applicants before bringing them into the fold.

Enhancing employee engagement and retention

Gamification is another popular trend among employers to enhance employee engagement and retention. The idea behind gamification is that if you can make your employees feel like they’re playing a game and collecting bonus points to compete with their peers instead of working a job, they’ll be more engaged in their work environment and less likely to leave the company early on in their careers.

Improve performance management

Performance management is about giving employees feedback and helping them improve. The first step in this process is knowing what’s happening in the organization. 

With a performance management solution, you can track employee turnover rates and sales growth — not just at an individual level but across departments and teams. 

This will give you valuable insights into what’s working, what isn’t, and how everyone can do better together.

Automate time tracking

Time tracking has traditionally been a manual process: Employees must log in manually when they start their shifts or clock out for lunch breaks. 

With automated time tracking software, you can automate this process so that employees clock in when they arrive for work and out when they leave — without having to remember to do it themselves.

Enabling self-service HR for employees

One of the biggest benefits of using SaaS software is that it allows employees to engage with their HR information in real time. By removing barriers like time zones and communication restrictions, HR managers can empower employees with greater flexibility in accessing their data. 

This empowers them to make better decisions when needed—such as during onboarding or when dealing with issues like pay discrepancies or terminations.

Reducing costs and improving ROI

With a full suite of tools available in one place, it's easier than ever to track employees' progress, streamline onboarding processes, manage employee training records, and much more. This has allowed companies to save money on hardware costs while reducing hiring times.

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts

Cloud-based HR management software gives your company more control over its diversity efforts by providing real-time data about the makeup of your workforce. 

This data can help you identify any disparities among genders or ethnicities so that you can take steps toward correcting them. SaaS solutions also allow for increased collaboration across teams so that everyone is working toward the same goals.

Facilitating remote work

With remote work on the rise, many companies hire employees worldwide. For example, a company like ours, with offices in Poland, the UK, and the US, needs a way to keep everyone connected and working together as one team.

That's where SaaS comes into play. It allows instant team communication by providing video conferencing, collaboration tools, and file-sharing solutions that allow you to stay connected no matter where your employees are located.

This helps foster collaboration between teams from different locations worldwide and ensures that everyone's voice is heard during meetings or conversations. Everything gets noticed in translation when communicating across time zones or countries.

Key considerations for implementing SaaS HR solutions

If you're considering implementing an HR software solution, there’re a few things you should consider first:

Ensuring user adoption and engagement

While an HR SaaS solution can help streamline many aspects of employee management and onboarding, there's no guarantee that employees will use it. Only if users are engaged with the system enough and see its value will they use it.

Managing change and resistance to change

Change management is always difficult — even more so when it involves technology adoption by employees who may not be familiar with how it works or how much time they'll need to learn new processes or systems.

Addressing customization and scalability needs

A good HR SaaS software should be flexible enough to meet your needs. This is especially important if you want to implement a customized solution that fits well with your organization's unique requirements.

A good provider will take the time to understand your business model and offer recommendations based on this information. It's also important that they can provide customization options so that you can tweak the software according to your changing needs in the future.

Managing costs and budgeting appropriately

As with any software project, managing costs and budgets appropriately is important. This means understanding how much cash you will allocate toward your SaaS HR solutions implementation and how many resources you must dedicate to the project.

Staying up-to-date with regulatory and compliance requirements

Compliance requirements are constantly changing, so HR SaaS software providers must stay up-to-date with these changes and make sure their software is compliant. If your provider doesn't have this functionality built into their platform, ask them about adding it or consider switching providers to those that offer it.

Lack of integration with other applications

Suppose you're using a SaaS HR system that doesn't integrate well with other applications like payroll, benefits management, or time-tracking tools. You may run into issues when trying to integrate both platforms — especially if you need more than one integration point between the two systems.

Pricing structures of HR software

The pricing structure of HR software is critical to a successful HRIS implementation. It needs to be easy to understand and flexible enough to accommodate the varying needs of different businesses.

The following are some of the popular pricing structures used by HR software vendors:

Subscription-based pricing

This is one of the most common pricing structures for HR software. It requires businesses to pay an annual subscription fee for running the system and receiving updates. This model requires no upfront capital expenditure, but it comes with certain limitations, such as restricted access to certain modules or services depending on your subscription plan.

A one-time license fee

This model involves paying a one-time license fee for using an application for as long as your company needs it. While this system can work well for small businesses that don't have large budgets and aren't expected to grow rapidly, it isn't suitable for organizations that need scalability and growth potential flexibility.

Pay-per-use pricing

In the pay-per-use model, you pay a set fee each time you use the software. The cost varies depending on how often you use it and how much time each use takes. This is a good option if you only need to use the software once every couple of months for a few minutes. But if you use it every day or several times per day, there may be better choices than this because it could get expensive fast!

Subscription-based according to module access

The subscription-based model is similar to pay-per-use in that there is no upfront cost or license fee — instead, you pay according to how much time you use the software in a given month (or year). However, unlike pay-per-use models, there is no limit on how much time can be spent using the product.

How SaaS for HR is revolutionizing the industry

SaaS for HR is revolutionizing the industry by streamlining HR processes and increasing efficiency. With cloud-based technology, HR professionals can access and manage employee data from anywhere worldwide, eliminating the need for physical paperwork and reducing the risk of errors.

The software's ability to automate repetitive tasks also frees time for HR staff to focus on strategic initiatives and employee engagement.

Ready to revolutionize your HR processes with SaaS technology? Contact Apptension today to learn how our custom software solutions can help transform your HR operations.