HR Systems Integration: A Complete Guide

Have you ever thought about the intricacies behind the different HR processes in an organization?

It's like a complex dance where all steps must synchronize perfectly, and that's where HR systems integration comes into play.

What Is HR Systems Integration?

HR systems integration means connecting different HR systems, allowing them to communicate with each other and function harmoniously. Imagine a series of interconnected cogs in a massive machine. When one cog turns, the others follow suit.

The Benefits Of Integrating HR Systems

In today's digital age, it's never been easier to connect systems across your organization and let data flow where it needs to.

Streamlined Processes

When information is added, removed, or altered in one system the updates are available elsewhere, removing the need for manually updating multiple information in multiple programs.

Enhanced Data Accuracy

Remember the childhood game of "telephone"? Without integration, data can get lost or misconstrued as it's passed along. Integration ensures that information stays consistent and accurate and makes it easy to pool data and glean valuable insights.

Improved Employee Experience

With all your systems nicely streamlined then existing employees, new hires, and those going through your recruitment process will also benefit from more efficient processes and improvements made off the back of data analysis.

For example, once someone accepts a job offer, their details are transferred from your ATS into your onboarding software and/or HRIS where they’re sent the relevant next steps.

Steps To Achieve Successful HR Systems Integration

1. Scoping

Just as a chef needs to know the ingredients before cooking, first review the systems you have in place and ask yourself which would benefit from being integrated and what your options are for achieving that.

Perhaps the vendors you’ve chosen already have integrations set up, or, if not, you could ask them to put it in their product roadmap. Note this might incur a monthly cost or one-time setup fee.

If the juice is really worth the squeeze, you could consider building an API to connect two disparate applications.

Alternatively, you might consider purchasing a new piece of HR software with multi-functionality and thus avoid having to integrate systems created by two different vendors.

Some questions to ask here:

• What do you want it (the new system) to do?
• What might you want it to be able to do in 5 years?
• How organized is your HR dept and company as a whole with their current data management?
• How much buy-in can your HR dept get from the other departments?
• Are the expectations for visible ROI managed appropriately with all stakeholders?

2. Implementation

Once you’ve decided which applications you’d like to integrate, or which new piece of software you’d like to introduce, then it’s going through whichever steps are necessary to implement the integrations or purchase and set up the new software.

This will likely be a between various stakeholders, including the vendors themselves, so prepare to get your project management hat on and manage some stakeholders and timelines.

3. Maintenance

Depending on the complexity of your system, it might require a little maintenance from time to time. 

This will likely be undertaken vendor side, but may require some internal resource if you go down the custom API route.

Hopefully, everything goes smoothly and your new integrated system delivers on its promises.

Further resources:

• How To Make A Business Case For HR Software
• 10 Best Business Management Software