For years HR and legal teams have often worked in separate silos – with the former contacting the latter on an ad-hoc basis for, primarily, complex matters, all of which takes place while they are ‘on-the-clock’.
This has not only led to an inefficient, costly, and fragmented way of working, but it also means the employment lawyer handling the case does not really get chance to build a strong bond with the company, at a time when trust is of paramount importance.
That is why forward-thinking, agile organisations are challenging the status quo. They know that not only does the HR and legal team relationship need to work collaboratively if a company is to operate seamlessly, but together they can become a powerful force to be reckoned with.
And the vital piece of the overall jigsaw puzzle that can effectively bridge that gap and ensure a smooth approach when tackling overwhelming caseloads? ER technology.
The ER case management software advantages for HR leaders
Speak to any busy HR department and they will tell you that it can be a constant battle to keep on top of cases. For too long they have understood the progress of each matter by using outdated legacy HR systems and/or manually intensive spreadsheets – both of which cannot possibly cope with modern-day pressures in a digital-first world.
However, when they are armed with an intuitive ER case management solution, that workload can soon seem manageable and not as daunting. That is because, with their savvy tool, they are able to log every single ER matter in real-time and therefore track, analyse, and report on each issue as swiftly as it is raised.
It is that level of efficiency that HR and legal advisory teams have craved for so long, and the organisations that are firmly focused on their ER strategy appear to be in a stronger position when it comes to getting the balance just right.
Why employment lawyers are embracing ER technology
For an employment lawyer, the relationship they have with ER software is just as important as the HR team itself. That’s because when they have a complete view of how escalated cases are progressing, they know exactly when they are required to provide critical advice. Not only that, but they are able to access confidential documents, CCTV footage and vital information that will all help when determining their legal findings and making commercial suggestions to the customer.
There are additional advantages too. For example, a log of how each case has been dealt with between the HR team and the legal team can further educate and upskill the HR professional’s ER capabilities and broaden their employment law knowledge.
Additionally, HR teams can seek support from their legal advisors to ensure all their documents are legally-compliant and tailored to their organisation, as well as help to keep relevant policies up to date – driving forward the business’s internal ER strategy.
From a legal point of view too, getting these elements right means a company is less likely to step foot in an Employment Tribunal or battle costly and brand damaging cases.
Overall, businesses become better equipped to handle complex ER cases themselves, drive key process and productivity improvements, enable real-time visibility on all cases for every key stakeholder and transform reporting of each ER case across the entire workforce. All this, whilst significantly bolstering key data security requirements when handling personal and sensitive information.
