Kent County Council, which has 9,500 non-school employees, decided to squeeze more value out of its existing Oracle HR software by offering self-service functionality for pay-related issues.
For the employer, this automated a process that previously required dedicated staff to input information manually into a system and distribute paper forms and payslips by hand. But the advantages went much further.
Collin Miller, people strategy adviser at the local authority, says giving employees the opportunity to manage their own pay details was not only motivating but raised accuracy levels.
“It increases the likelihood of people getting something like their bank details right as it affects them directly,” he says. “They have more skin in the game. And they can make changes in a much simpler way.”
The system “empowers” employees, according to Miller, and can be a vital tool in creating inclusive workplaces by treating those working different hours and in different locations equally with access to critical services. “[We] give people more control of what they need to do and when they can do it. With agile and flexible working patterns, giving people information when they need it can be more inclusive. People can do some training or deal with a pay issue at any time of their choosing.”
Employees can use Kent’s digital self-service pay system for a range of actions, including reporting in real time that they are on sick leave and to see how their next pay packet will be made up. The system can be accessed via an icon on the council’s online portal.
“[We] are using technology to deliver what the organisation needs to do for its employees,” says Miller. “The individual is more motivated to get their own pay matters sorted quickly and accurately. It costs more not to do this than to do it, especially when [we] already have a system with the capability.”