Digital transformation has become a key goal for HR departments. But for many HR leaders, achieving a paper-free state still seems as difficult as reaching nirvana. In many organizations, HR remains one of the biggest generators of paper documents. Additionally, some HR departments make the leap but fail to recognize the efficiency and security gains that digitization promises for HR document management. No wonder HR departments often lag behind other parts of the organization in eliminating inefficient systems.

Digital document management systems can help to liberate your HR organization from paper purgatory, making your department more efficient, compliant and effective. To create a scalable and successful plan that works for documents no matter where they originate, be sure to have these crucial foundational elements in place.

Key Elements for HR Document Management

  1. Establish your HR documents as a part of your comprehensive records information management program

Managing HR records gets more complicated every day. Your organization must comply with constantly changing privacy and security regulations. To ensure compliance and reduce legal risks, you must retain records for set time periods while securing both paper and digital documents. Yet documents must be stored and classified so your HR department can quickly access the information they need to do their jobs. A written records information management (RIM) program ensures that your organization achieves compliance goals.

  1. Analyze and commit to automating routine tasks for managing digital and physical documents

Your HR department can gain back time through automation and workflows. This is essential as an Access survey found nearly three-quarters (74%) still store their employee documents in both paper and electronic form. Making matters worse, these diverse documents are often scattered across multiple physical locations and electronic systems.

In this abyss of records, accessing the documents you need is arduous and ensuring data security is difficult—if a consistent file location and taxonomy is not established. Your HR team wastes time and effort searching for files, while your organization faces risk from noncompliance, litigation or exposure of personally identifiable information (PII). The result: Damage to both the organization’s bottom line and its reputation.

Utilizing routine workflows will make your team more efficient and limit organizational risk by ensuring adherence to policy.

  1. Engage with an HR document management partner who can help maintain compliance and best practices

Implementing technology is one step on the road to scalable document management, but simply digitizing your documents isn’t enough to bring about utopia. In fact, HR departments often discover that implementing cloud Human Capital Management (HCM) systems doesn’t solve their problems.

You need a partner who complements your organizational expertise with general records and information management best practices. The partner should understand these principles and how best to apply them to your document management solution.

Comprehensive Information Management for Human Resources

A best-in-class HR document management solution offers much more than mere digitization. The right partner can also help you automate records classification and management, enhance employee efficiency and implement information governance systems that meet regulatory requirements. By leveraging a state-of-the-art document management solution as part of a comprehensive RIM program, you can finally escape the bottomless pit of paper and reach document nirvana.

Download our guide, HR Document Management: Closing the Gap in Your Digital Transformation Strategy, to discover how you can eliminate paper and digitize key processes for greater efficiency, security and compliance.