What are administrators and employees looking for in their Human Capital Management (HCM) system in the upcoming year? Administrators might be looking for simplicity and more data at their fingertips. Perhaps employees are looking for self-service that is easy to use on mobile devices. Let’s investigate the most popular features we expect from the top HCM systems in 2025.
HCM Features Your Employees Expect and Enjoy.
Employees expect their HCM software to prioritize strong employee self-service features and easy access – with a mobile-centric approach. Now, most employees log into their HCM system on their mobile devices rather than desktops or laptops. Implementing a system with either a mobile-centric design or a system that is agnostic to the device the employee uses is something employees have come to expect in apps they use. Employees want to manage their schedules, time off requests, and benefit enrollments independently and preferably on mobile devices.
Your remote workforce needs collaboration tools, time tracking and location flexibility. Systems that allow employees to ‘clock in from anywhere’ (or at least within a large pre-defined area) are crucial. Overall, employees are looking for ease of use, flexibility and software that supports their growth in the organization. If you do not have these features available or configured in your HCM, let 2025 be the year you provide them to your employees. Perhaps these items were tabled as post-go-live items and should be considered now, or maybe it’s time to evaluate your current system against the availability of these popular features.
HCM Features Administrators are Excited About.
Administrators seek solutions that deliver reporting, scalability and insight into their workforce. They are looking for more and more automation to simplify and create efficiencies in their day-to-day tasks. Complex or repetitive payroll and HR tasks are key targets for automation. Flexibility is a key need as well. With hybrid and remote work widespread, administrators need tools to manage an ever-changing workforce. Geo-location tools are critical not just for employees but for administrators as well. In 2025, we expect more full-suite software platforms to offer these features. Scalability and integration are also important. In 2025, many HCM software platforms will make it easier to integrate with third-party ERPs and vendors. Overall, system administrators are looking for HCM software that streamlines, empowers and adapts to a dynamic workforce, and software developers are creating these efficiencies in future versions of HCM systems. Assessing your business needs against your current processes will help you find efficiencies that you may not be taking advantage of currently.
Selecting the Best HCM Features for your Organization
In 2025, there is quite a bit of overlap between what an employee and an administrator want from their HCM software. Features should be easy to use, adaptable, and fulfill a business need. Employees are looking for tools that make their experience easier, foster engagement and support their career growth. At the same time, administrators want efficiency, scalability and automation of their most repetitive tasks. Your ideal HCM system balances the needs of the employees and the needs of your administrators, combining both user-friendly interfaces and robust functionality. Automation and personalization empower both employees and administrators. This alignment is critical to organizational success and fosters a future-ready workforce that is engaged and efficient.
Take the steps today to review your business needs against your organizational HCM processes. Are there efficiencies that will assist the administration of your HCM functions? Are there ways you can take advantage of features that will put the tools in the hands of your employees?
HRchitect can help you transform operational gaps into wins through a People, Process and Operational Assessment. We have services that fit all your HR technology consulting needs, from assisting with the evaluation of a new system to concierge post-go-live support to fine-tune your current HCM system.
Contact us today to find out more.
About the Author
James Lieck is an Implementation Manager at HRchitect with over eight years of experience in payroll and HCM consulting. James excels in strategic consulting HCM project implementations. He also brings strong functional expertise in Payroll, Performance Management, Attendance and Leave modules.
Outside of work, James enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He also practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and heads to the gym whenever possible.
To learn more about James, check out his profile on LinkedIn.