A couple of years ago when SaaS based HR systems started their journey, many doubted their success in a market which was governed by 3 C’s – Complexities, Compliance and Control. Especially in a geography like India, where the employee practices were still governed by the laws set in the early 20th century, SaaS based HR systems were considered as another “Fad” from the “West” which would die its own death with them.
Hardly 5 years have passed, but the HR story is completely changed today. “Cloud” or “SaaS HR” which was ignored in those days is the new entrant to every CHRO’s to do list. According to the latest PwC HR Technology Survey report, every two out three companies have HR-related processes in the cloud using Software as a Service (SaaS). Another survey by People Matters, states that 64% of the organisation’s CEOs are serious about buying decisions on cloud based HR technology.
This change can no doubt be attributed to the speed of innovation SaaS HR has brought in, but that’s not all. The most important factor is the benefit which organisations of all shapes and sizes have experienced or have seen others experiencing. This is mostly true for the high growth segments like internet business, where Saas HR has become a true partner in their journey of scaling up. It has helped them in completing the HR transformation journey in less than a year, which traditional organisations took a decade to complete.
As these organisations compete with established ones in their own turfs not only for their customers, but also for their talent, they do not want to wait for years to provide an at-par HR experience. And SaaS HR is making it all possible. Take for example, India’s leading consumer health platform with over 6M downloads, launched in 2014. It is an initiative taken to empower Indian consumers and caregivers to select the most appropriate healthcare service at the best possible price.
The company is just 2 years old and reached a milestone of 200+ employees early. But despite the organization’s age, it has recognized the vital role of employee experience management in accomplishing its aggressive business goals for the next decade.
Perhaps that is why when they planned for scaling up, HR systems were part of their agenda. When we met them, almost all their systems were manual. Fit for a one-year-old startup, but surely not for an organization which planned to grow its revenue at 20 to 30 percent month-over-month. They needed a strong backbone which could support their existing employee base, but also scale up with them. SaaS HR came up to their rescue. Here are a few highlights of this journey:
- Quick and easy implementation: Since there were no existing systems, the HR needed a system and they needed it now. Through PeopleStrong Alt’s pre-configured App setting, this was done in a matter of 1 week at a pace of 88% faster implementation than any other ERP system setup. Migration of entire data from current systems was shifted to PeopleStrong Alt within 48 hours. Employee’s information with more than 100 fields were enabled with a customized creation of organisational hierarchy. The access to module wise reports along with report designer and scheduler were given.
- Better employee experience– Not only the HR system got live within a week, but all their employees were given access to a mobile app right from Day 1. They can easily manage HR Transactions on the go like record attendance, apply, approve leave anytime and many more.
- Access to a system that is always updated: SaaS works on a single line of code, which means that all the users have access to the latest features and that too automatically. For an organization that is on a crazy growth path, it is a big relief. We make sure that the organization stays ahead, especially when it comes to HR processes with our monthly release plans and quarterly updates.
- Cost effective: SaaS brings up to 1.7 times more ROI and 84 % reduction in application cost with no capex, infrastructure of security cost. Also, as an organization grows in terms of employee numbers every day, the effective investment is reduced and returns are more. Another benefit which this growing organization experienced.
- An exceptional employee experience: This was one of the most important benefits which SaaS HR implementation brought in this case. With mobile APP access right from day 1 and a web application which is designed with APP like simplicity, the employees experienced HR the same way, their users experienced their products.
With all the above benefits, it is needless to say that SaaS HRMS platforms are affirming to be key enablers for the changing face of HR, both in growing and established Industries alike. They are helping organizations to stay more focused on business objectives and strategies by providing a strong backbone support. This case is one of the many stories SaaSified HR is created every single day. While it’s comfortable to continue using the existing frameworks, the true business impact is delivered only when you go out in the middle and adopt the change with open arms. SaaS HR is one such change that you just can’t afford to miss. Clouds are waiting for your HR SaaS story, hope to see you there soon.
