The challenge with any solution is identifying return on investment. This is especially true in Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions where savings is workflow improvements or document accessibility are often difficult to quantify. This has been the case for Human Resources departments trying to move to electronic Employee File Management (EFM) systems. When HR went looking for ways to cut costs, they found a bigger content management problem with real Return on Investment (ROI) in On Boarding.
Organizations know that there are a lot of costs associated in hiring on a new employee. Most of these are in the first few days. Depending on the organization, an individual can spend days dealing with human resources administration and reviewing company policy before training even starts. On Boarding solutions look to minimize these costs by moving much of the work to before the hire date.
On Boarding and ECM
On Boarding solutions tie four key Enterprise Content Management technologies into a solution with an easy to quantify ROI. It adds electronic forms, workflow, and policy file management to the typical EFM solution. These tasks are presented through a web portal that guides the employee through the entire process.
A new employee accesses the On Boarding portal to start the application process. Electronic forms are often used to collect all of the information that will be needed to complete or prepare all of the various corporate forms and government documents. Often the documents generated are electronically signed before submitting them into the EFM component.
Some On Boarding solutions add Policy Administration functionality. After the new hire has completed her document, she is asked to review standard corporate policies. The system tracks which policy the user has reviewed, captures acknowledgement, and can even administer tests to verify the individual actually read the policy.
All of this is tasks processed using workflow. Many systems will also include workflows to notify other parts of the organization about the new hire for their related tasks, like assigning a workspace or issuing a computer.
The ROI on On Boarding
The biggest reason that companies are deploying On Boarding solution is the return on investment. Even by just simplifying the document process using forms, half of the first day can be saved. The real ROI comes in when organizations require new hires complete all forms and has them review policies before their first day. This can be a savings of a few days per individual. When implemented in a fast growing or high turnover organization, that savings can be huge.
While many traditional ECM vendors are looking at Employee Files, an entire ecosystem has emerged around On Boarding. I’ve already identified 21 vendors that offer out of the box On Boarding solutions. I will be sharing what I’ve learned over the coming weeks.