Employee Self Service (ESS) and Manager Self Service (MSS) are effective tools used to help businesses handle the intricacies of Human Resource management. In today's business they should form the foundation of a successful HR management strategy.

This is the view of HR and people management specialists at Accsys, a national supplier of management solutions within HR, payroll administration, time & attendance and access control. Accsys is a member of the Business Connexion Group.

Self Service enables employees to view and change their personal information on-line via a company's Intranet. This means they can initiate procedures such as applying for leave and training as well as viewing payslips, tax certificates and personal trend dashboards. Managers are able to perform tasks at an operational level such as approving leave, commission, and training as well as authorising overtime.

The workflow that controls manager, and employee self service creates a structure cascading responsibility for updated information to the employee and authorisation to the line manager, allowing HR to "rubber stamp" employee data. The impact is manifold, reducing paper usage, ensuring that the correct authority is given and freeing the HR practitioner to be more strategic.

This means a significant reduction of risk to the organisation when fulfilling the requirements of HR management, including key aspects such as time & attendance.

Accsys makes use of a single database system, an ESS and Manager's Dashboard, with ESS and MSS accessing the same database information as the integrated payroll, HR and Time & Attendance solution, while maintaining full user security.

This system design reduces data points of contact, resulting in a saving of time, money and other resources. Minimal training is required for management level users.

The requirements behind effective human resource management have evolved, driven by various market dynamics and economic conditions. This means that resources like ESS and MSS have become that much more relevant, useful and practical, that it begs the question – how can any business manage their HR without ESS and MSS.

The business case for computerised time & attendance systems is based on the fact that these systems allow businesses to use resources more effectively, increase levels of productivity and save money.
Experts in the field of business management solutions and application believe it is important for companies to use advanced systems in order to free up the time of decision makers and allow them to focus on client service.
The rationale is that automated T&A keeps the chain of command machine in business well lubricated.
Instead of having to worry about the technical intricacies of traditional systems and related maintenance, a computerised system will allow line managers to oversee staff and equip them to produce more and improve service.
Businesses want proficiency and efficiency in a time and attendance system and they also require the system to help them save on overheads.
Accsys is behind the rollout of new generation time & attendance technology that adds practical value to the workplace.
These systems provide the line manager with up-to-date real-time information about employees which impact on the daily operation of a business. This includes details about who is on duty, where employees are located (on-site or off-site) and who has not reported for duty.
From an overhead cost point of view, advanced T&A systems introduce an element of objectivity into payroll. In practice, this means employees are paid for the exact amount of hours worked, there is no unauthorised overtime and because there is no requirement for lengthy manual calculations, HR can be more effectively utilised.
Feedback from HR and Payroll Administrators and Management clearly indicates that extensive time is spent on checking and confirming attendance, leave and productivity levels. This time could be spent more strategically by offering analytics, business intelligence, trending and retention plans all of which empower management to be more effective.
HR specialists at Accsys believe that T&A systems being introduced into the market are designed to serve as an extension of a manager's portfolio, enabling them to concentrate on their core responsibilities.

An HR policy and procedure document is an active, ‘living’ resource without which businesses would struggle to ensure balance and productivity in the workplace.

This is the view of HR and people management specialists at Accsys, a member of the Business Connexion Group (BCX) and a national supplier of people management software and hardware solutions within the HR, payroll and time & attendance space.

Formal policy and procedure documents contain the rules and regulations governing people in business. They are dynamic reference guides that set out and explain what the company’s policies are and the steps that need to be taken to ensure compliance. They also outline disciplinary procedures and enforcement.

While in an ideal work environment, all management and staff would have common goals and objectives, it is a reality that documented processes are integral to HR management strategy and businesses wishing to compete across any industry or sector today.

It is the dynamism of the HR policy framework that makes it important. The information should not be simply drafted, saved and then left to stagnate warns management at Accsys – it must be constantly reviewed and revised.  
To help ensure that the organisation runs to optimum levels of efficiency, documents can be centralised and made accessible from a central repository. Information is exchanged with each worker and this data is continuously developed to support the growth of a business.

One of the main objectives is to keep this information relevant. This document is critical to management and entrenched to the culture of the company. It must be reinforced from the top down in order to keep the human resource component of the business on track. It is about the company maintaining direction and not losing focus.
These documents are very important in helping to ensure that everyone in the organisation is aware of changes to policy that are applied as the business grows or expands.

According to executive management it is a waste of time to try to apply policies that are out of date or are contrary to the culture or direction of the business.

The role of management in a business is not only to oversee and ratify HR policy, it is to thoroughly understand the details in order to pass on the knowledge accurately to staff.

This means that decision makers have to consistently review the information and understand updates and developments. This clarity and dedication to consistency will give the policy framework even greater meaning and value when applied.

The South African market is keeping up with innovation and global best practices that impact on HR development. To focused, established service providers like Accsys, it bodes well for the country’s socio-economic growth.