Human resource professionals are responsible for helping all employees in an organization to feel welcome and motivated to do their best work. These professionals also help develop and educate workers about policies regarding codes of conduct and cultural goals, priorities and values. It also is common for human resource professionals to participate in recruiting processes, collect and organize employee data and perform employee negotiations. Some of the most common types of human resource management software are programs that enable professionals to track hours that employees have worked for payroll purposes, to organize applications and special needs or requests of workers and to track employee performance and development. Some kinds of human resource management software are suites that contain multiple functions, and other programs are focused on specific operations.
When human resource management software is used for payroll purposes, it often contains an interface that all employees use. For instance, one common model might include an interface into which employees record the time when they come into work and the time when they leave. After they enter this information, it is uploaded to a human resource database. When it is time for human resource professionals to submit payroll data, they can access information from the software or upload information from a database directly to the company's payroll department.
Some human resource management software is used for recruitment purposes. In some cases, professionals might choose software that includes an online user interface that job candidates can use to fill out and submit applications that are uploaded directly into a human resource database. Many programs have functions on the human resource end that allow professionals to sort applications based on position and levels of promise.
In many instances, human resource professionals require more than just applications. This software might also enable applicants to submit résumés, cover letters and letters of reference. Programs also might allow candidates to record special needs, such as disabilities, which human resource professionals can record for future reference.
Employee evaluation is a common function of human resource professionals. They might use human resource management software that enables them to record all data regarding employee performance. For example, each time a worker is reprimanded for tardiness, a human resource professional might record this information in his or her program. Likewise, he or she might also record all awards and honors that employees receive. This information might be useful when employees are up for promotions or raises.