As a company grows, it becomes increasingly important to have accurate records of employee data in a centralized location for ease of access. Employee portals, also called employee self-service portals provide a secure and organized way for managing employee information.

With the onset of COVID19, a lot of organizations have come to the realization that employee portals are crucial in keeping employees working remotely updated about the organization and saving HR professionals the effort required for conveying information individually to every employee. Employee portals effectively streamline employee information and automate all manual tasks which makes employee management easier. 

Employee portals also provide employees a reliable source of detailed payroll information which eliminates the need to reach out to their HRs for any clarifications. Employees can easily update their personal information on the portals from anywhere which provides HR professionals too, a consolidated platform to manage huge amounts of employee details proficiently.

Here’s how you can create an engaging and productive employee self-service portal:

• Understand and prioritize your needs:

In order to design an effective portal that empowers employees, it is important to identify what exactly is the purpose of the portal for your organization. What exactly do you want it to accomplish? Understand your organization-specific needs and list them out.

Once you know your needs, you can prioritize the most crucial ones to create a portal that best aligns with these needs. For instance, an organization aiming at reducing HR work needs to automate manual tasks and must include features that provide employees an easy way to apply for leaves through the portal.

• Focus on accessibility in the design: 

One of the most important reasons an organization quotes for having an employee portal is easier management of employee records. But for employees to conveniently and accurately upload information, an employee portal should be easy to navigate and accessible from anywhere.

Companies providing digital tools like a payroll app make it easier for employees to access confidential payroll information easily from their mobile phone. Accessibility in design ensures a seamless experience and creates transparency in processes.

• Make sure it is scalable:

When creating an employee portal, it is crucial to keep in mind the growth of your organization. Most companies forget to take into account that their needs will grow with time and the portal must be able to accommodate it. 

An employee portal that works fine for a small number of employees with limited amounts of data may not be able to process information well as the company grows. Alternatively, you might want to add new features to the design. This is why your design plan must include scalability prospects.

• Include organizational policies:

An employee self-service portal must include the organization’s HR policies and important procedures so employees have well-documented information. Specially for new hires, this is important so as to keep them abreast about the company culture.

For instance: instead of reaching out to the HR for understanding the procedure for a reimbursement or to apply for a medical leave, employees can access the section of company policies and procedures directly.

• Educate employees about the purpose of the tool:

A lot of organizations provide employee portals but fail to communicate the purpose of the tool. Employees have all the information they need at the click of a button, but are not aware of what all they can achieve with the portal.

It is important to educate employees about how the portal can help them quickly find information which saves them the hassle of reaching out to their managers or HRs for every small issue. Knowing its entire features and functionality ensures they make the most of it.

Conclusion

The best employee self-service portal is the one that provides an engaging experience while requiring the least amount of management. Keeping in mind the above-mentioned features, you can find a solution that aids employees and saves the company a lot of valuable time.