Recent research from Deloitte found 84 percent of UK businesses are seeking to review their HR processes, and most of them are moving to cloud based software. With the choice of provider often falling to the HR team to make, how can HR Managers select the best provider to meet their needs?

IT professionals often get it wrong when talking to HR people about the latest developments in HR software.  ‘Talking tech’ often sends HR professionals running back to the security of their old, familiar spreadsheets. However, there are success stories too, with no shortage of enthusiastic HR Managers raving about the benefits of software they've put in place.  HR Manager Michael Arkins of Fleetmatics recently praised his provider, saying “data enables us to spot issues across our workforce and take steps to address them before they escalate,” he adds. “It also means we have the metrics to support our business case and, by continuing to monitor the data, demonstrate the return on investment.”

Cloud-based software has many advantages: accessible anywhere, often anytime, quick to deploy, even across multiple sites, cheaper than traditional on-site solutions, with the right provider, extremely secure and with the right solution, scalable if your business grows.

1. Do your research
Decide exactly what you want from your provider.  Explore all the options and do your research thoroughly. Being assertive in what your business wants from new software can save you time and money in the long run.

Carsten Staehr, CEO of HR and payroll provider Cintra, explained: “We have a long standing relationship with our MSP another key factor in our decision was the guarantee that the solution was, and always would be, hosted in the UK.”

Questions to ask: Does it do everything you need? How long have they been trading? How many customers do they have? Can they provide testimonials from customers in your industry? Do they offer a live demonstration and a free trial so you can see it for yourself?
 
2. Security and compliance is key
Security, compliance and regulations should always be high on your list of priorities. In HR you deal with highly sensitive information – and failing to protect it can be disastrous.  Data breaches are costly, supermarket chain Morrisons was recently forced to spend £2M on additional data protection when an employee deliberately leaked sensitive data – leaving them facing a law suit and adverse publicity. Do extra standards or rules apply to your industry?  Public sector employers, for example, can source providers on the G-Cloud framework, which ensures that potential suppliers are deemed sufficiently secure and trustworthy to deal with the extra security required by public sector organisations.

Just because it’s an ‘IT issue’, HR people should not assume that software providers are secure. Today’s cheap deal could be tomorrow’s costly nightmare, so ask questions. Reputable providers will appreciate you asking. Adrian Lewis, of cloud based absence management provider Activ Absence, said: “There are a lot of newcomers to the HR market, who throw together software for next to nothing. We’ve been supplying HR solutions for over 10 years and we are competitive rather than cheap. The safety nets that reputable companies provide, such as through testing, security, software support, UK hosting, liability & indemnity insurance and getting accreditation are expensive processes – and a contract means little if a software company has gone out of business – for a start, how would you get your data back?”

Questions to ask: Where will they host your data? Is the supplier likely to stay in business? Do they have any accreditations or special security clearances? Do they have a disaster recovery plan? How often will your data be backed up?

3. Access
The ability to have regular and controlled access to your software tools is crucial when selecting the right cloud provider for you. Many cloud service providers offer access 24/7.  For example, 6DG hosts ‘Cintra iQ’ in a centralised cloud platform, providing them and their clients with a SaaS solution that has 24/7 accessibility.

Questions to ask: Is your provider’s accessibility appropriate for today’s business needs? Can it meet your future needs?  Is there provision for overseas, remote and flexible workers? Can the provider extend access times if your needs change?
 
4. Training and Support
Cloud based software providers usually include training and support as part of the package, but you need to make sure that your provider’s idea of ‘same day support’ is compatible with yours! If you are struggling to get a report done in the UK for a 10 o’clock meeting, there is nothing more frustrating than waiting for a US based company’s support desk to open.  A reputable provider will not object to you exploring support and training options.  Again, it’s ok to ask and keep asking until you are happy.

Questions to ask: What are your support hours? What (if any) training is included? Is training online or face to face? If we wanted more training or longer support hours, would it be possible? While selecting software can seem intimidating for HR professionals, by asking the right questions, you can confidently make the right choice and ultimately improve your HR processes substantially.