HR and Payroll software are odd bedfellows when it comes to technology and the software that people use to manage these functions.

Payroll is fundamentally a back office function that is controlled and operated by specialist staff, and the software is necessarily complex to allow it to perform all of the functions that are required - the interface to others is often restricted to payslips (be they paper or electronic).

Up until recently, HR software has performed in a similar manner, initially being a back office function as well, and fundamentally looking after simple personnel information. However, with the rush into full human resource and human capital management, software has had to adapt and grow to handle offer more functionality.

Many of these functions mandate more interaction with the end user – employees. Employees now expect to be able to see and interact with personal details, be able to request and manage training and even claim expenses without leaving the desk, be that in the office or at home. Equally, Managers need active help from HR systems to make sure that all crucial trigger points are met in relations to absence, leave and training.

However, the functionality and user friendliness of a system should not be confused with ease of implementation and deployment. Most businesses have fairly complex rules, regulations and policies in relation to HR and Payroll, and this means that any solution may need specific customisation.

Although the installation of new technology into the HR and Payroll process can offer a great opportunity to revisit past practices and improve business processes, the real win is in moulding the technology to suit the way your business works, not in changing your business to match the software.

So when you are considering a new HR and Payroll solution, the advice is to start by looking at your business and the problems you want to solve; don’t start with technology and how easy it is to install or support.

At Selima, we try not to talk about software; we try to talk about business processes and business needs. The solutions we supply are designed to improve business processes and meet those needs. Yes, the solutions still guarantee that basic compliance rules are followed and maintained, but above everything else, the software is there to make your business perform more efficiently.