Life is hectic enough for today’s HR practitioners without having to work with frustrating and unintuitive HR technology. Professionals have come to expect the same ease of use from their work software as they experience in their personal lives. The key is creating a user experience – or UX – that is smooth and intuitive.
What is UX?
UX is how a person – or “user” – interacts with software, whether that’s a product like Microsoft Word, or web-based experiences. We’ve all encountered websites that were so frustrating it was easier to just leave. Good UX design prevents this. The goal is to create intuitive, people-first user experiences by making software easier, faster and seamless.
Is Your HR Software UX-friendly?
Let’s face it. You didn't go into HR to learn how to maneuver your way through complex, confusing software programs. Your HR technology should make your job easier. The past two years have created enough stress for HR professionals – the pandemic, talent shortages, mass resignations, compliance changes, employee mobility and more.
"In a world where everything is variable, HR professionals should have something constant and updated to help them adapt during times of change. Why not let that be their HR software?" says Joe Kleinwaechter, vice president of UX design systems at ADP. "Why not take that off the list of things they have to worry about tonight?"
HR Software That is Holistic
Historically, HR software has focused on capabilities like payroll processing, time tracking, benefits management, and more, but not in a holistic way. HR technology has evolved so rapidly via acquisitions that the “product” ends up mirroring the organizational structure. There’s a benefits section, a talent area and a payroll function, for instance, but they don’t “talk” together to form an easy user experience. However, from a user's perspective, talent, time, pay, and benefits are all intertwined. This applies to employees as well as HR professionals. Employees don’t want to figure out which screen to go to find out if their hours are correct, or if they can afford more in benefits. It needs to be an intuitive, seamless experience, one that reduces stress instead of creating more.
Where design comes in is creating tools and user experiences that focus on getting work done. But it’s more than improving productivity. “Good design removes unnecessary and excessive work or thinking," says Kleinwaechter. "It's about not putting such a load on your brain to think about, 'How do I use this system?' The goal is to minimize that cognitive work. Instead of going to seven different screens to get information about an employee, just go to one."
What Does Intuitive HR Software Look Like?
With all the challenges organizations are facing today, many HR professionals are re-evaluating their technology. A good UX experience may seem like a luxury, but it’s really at the heart of equation. If you’re looking to improve your HR software, ask these questions:
- Will the product support grow with you? Some HR software is fine for companies of a certain size. But when the company grows, the user experience can dramatically change, popping you into a new product and user interface. Best in practice HR technology should move seamlessly as you grow and add functionality.
- Does the product match the way you want to work? The right HR software will map intuitively to the way you work and think, not force you to change to fit its internal logic.
- Does Monday feel like Sunday? The software you use at work should not be ten years behind the software you use in your personal life. For one, it reflects poorly on both your internal and external brand. Your employees expect better.
- Do you have the information you need at your fingertips? Let’s say you’re in a meeting with executives and the topic of attrition comes up. Instead of, “I’ll get back to you with some numbers,” what if you could pull that information up immediately on your mobile device? Your HR software should have that ability.
Ultimately, HR technology should provide a user experience that gets the job done without any “thinking” involved. That way you can spend your time and thought on the bigger picture.
