HR professionals who want to increase productivity have plenty of digital tools that can help out.
This list will help you find new tools for:
- Onboarding and training
- Project management and change management
- Improving your own workflow
- HR functions
And much more.
7 Digital Tools to Increase Productivity in HR
Without further ado, let’s get started:
1. HR Software Suites
The first place to look when increasing productivity in HR is, of course, HR software suites.
They can help with:
- Employee time tracking
- Reporting
- Employee records and data
- Payroll
- Attendance
And many other important HR functions.
Examples of these tools include:
There are countless other tools out there, so be sure to do your research.
A search for “HR software” should reveal the top choices.
2. Task Management Tools
Task management tools are catch-all apps that help you manage any task-based workflow.
A characteristic feature of these tools is their ease of use – you should be able to start using and benefiting from them in minutes.
Common task management tools include:
- Trello – A kanban-style task management tool that lets you easily create boards, add team members, and more
- Asana – Similar to Trello, but with added features, such as conversations, calendars, and portfolios
- Monday.com – This tool uses color-coding and visual cues to help users quickly grasp the status of projects
These are just a few of the many task management tools out there.
3. Project Management Software
What’s the difference between task management and project management?
Task management is useful for ongoing pipelines – work without a beginning or an end. If you regularly perform the same tasks every day, week, or month, then task management is the way to go.
If your project has a beginning, a middle, and an end, then consider project management tools, such as:
- Wrike – Wrike is a project management tool with an attractive, easy-to-use interface
- Freedcamp – Freedcamp offers affordable, straightforward pricing, without some of the limitations imposed by other applications
- Teamwork Projects – Teamwork Projects offers all the great features you’d expect from a project management tool, such as kanban boards, goals, milestones, collaboration tools, and more
If you find task management software too limiting, then try project management tools.
4. Workflow Automation Tools
How much time do you waste repeating the same tasks, over and over?
Workflow automation apps may be able to help.
These tools integrates your web apps for you, using triggers and actions to automate everyday tasks.
For instance:
- Every time a file is updated, post a notification to Slack
- When you receive an email matching certain criteria, send a notification to your phone
- Whenever you get an attachment in Gmail, copy the file to Dropbox
These are just a few examples of the countless ways you can automate your own workflows.
Zapier is one of the most popular options out there. It allows you to create long workflows with many steps.
IFTTT is another. It is simpler and only allows a single trigger plus a single action. Unlike Zapier, though, it is completely free.
5. Chat Tools
Chances are, your workplace uses some form of chat app or collaboration tool.
If not, it’s time to start using one.
These chat apps make it much easier to communicate with coworkers about work projects.
Even better, they can usually be integrated with many of the other apps listed here.
Examples include:
- Slack – Currently the most popular option, it offers chat, file sharing, notifications and more
- Chanty – Chanty dubs itself a strong, AI-powered alternative to Slack, with a more straightforward UI and better pricing
- Flock – Another Slack competitor, Flock offers better pricing, a different UI, and better features in its free plan
- Microsoft Teams – This chat app integrates with Office365, offering low prices and a Slack-like interface
Clearly, Slack has inspired a host of competitors in the workplace chat space.
However, that does not mean Slack is the best option. Some find it overly complex or too pricey.
What’s most important is whether your coworkers will adopt the software or not. Consider
6. There’s An Extension for That
Web browsers aren’t just web browsers.
They’re plug-and-play platforms for countless apps.
Whether you use Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox, you can certainly find an extension to increase productivity.
For instance:
- Many of the apps listed here offer browser extensions to integrate with the web
- Distraction blocking extensions can help free you from the lure of social media
- Note clippers, such as Google Keep, can grab text, images, web addresses, and store them for later use
Regardless of how much you use the web, there are certainly ways to make your web experience more productive.
Simply look under the Productivity category at your browser’s extension store.
7. Digital Learning Tools
Career development has become a permanent fixture in many organizations.
The right learning tools can assist with:
- Orientation
- Employee Onboarding
- Software Training
And much more.
They can generate extraordinary ROI, save many hours, and improve learning curves drastically.
Examples include:
- Digital Adoption Platforms – Digital adoption platforms, such as WalkMe, offer in-app teaching, delivering exactly the right information at exactly the right time. They integrate with your existing platform.
- Learning Management Systems – These platforms are designed to help you create customized digital courses. Features include online course builders, assessments, reporting, classroom training features, and more.
- Knowledge Bases – Similar to content management systems, these allow you to create searchable repositories of online information. They are useful as supplements to other online training solutions.
To find the right tool for you, start with a needs assessment.
Afterwards, web research can help you compare potential solutions.
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WalkMe Team
WalkMe spearheaded the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for associations to use the maximum capacity of their advanced resources. Utilizing man-made consciousness, AI, and context-oriented direction, WalkMe adds a powerful UI layer to raise the computerized proficiency, everything being equal.