What is human resource workflow, how to standardize it, why do you need automation, what role should the IT department play in it — and everything else you wanted to know
“The things you own end up owning you,“ — says Tyler Durden in the Fight Club movie. Just following this prophecy, at work the things that we’re supposed to own — operational routine — end up owning us. Repetitive tasks, constant emails, endless approvals — they can consume valuable time and energy, pulling focus away from what matters most. Smart companies have found a different way to look at it. If we stop seeing these tasks as routine and call them “workflows,” it turns out there are practical and well-explored ways to deal with them. Because workflows are standard procedures, they can — and should — be automated.
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What are Human Resources Workflows and Why Are They Gaining Importance?
Workflows are the step-by-step processes through which tasks are completed within an organization. In Human resources, workflows encompass everything from onboarding a new employee to tracking leave requests. As organizations grow, so does the complexity of these workflows, making them harder to manage manually. This is where workflow automation comes in: it enables HR teams to offload repetitive tasks and ensures that processes are efficient, consistent, and scalable.
Why Companies are Turning to Automation and Who Leads the Charge
The push for automation is fueled by the desire to save time, reduce errors, and enhance employee experience. When HR processes run seamlessly, everyone from new hires to seasoned employees benefits. However, implementing automation isn’t just an HR project. IT departments play a pivotal role in selecting and deploying the right automation platform, as they’re tasked with ensuring compatibility, security, and scalability. For organizations using Google Workspace, IT leaders often look to platforms that integrate natively with Google’s ecosystem — like Zenphi — which helps them in building an automated HR system and avoid data streams disruption, ensuring maximum security and compliance.
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Which Human Resources Workflows are Ripe for Automation?
Once IT and HR are aligned, the next step is deciding which HR workflows to automate. Processes such as leave requests, onboarding, CV screening, feedback collection, and document approvals are prime candidates. These tasks follow a predictable, repetitive pattern, making them ideal for automation.
Let’s see how to create an automated workflows for some of them.
Automated Workflow for Leave Request Approvals
“Thank you for reaching out. I am currently out of the office from [Start Date] to [End Date] and will respond upon my return. For urgent matters, please contact [Alternative Contact’s Name and Email].”
In Zenphi, this whole automation can be set up in a couple of minutes and save your HR and IT team, as well as the employee requesting an approval, hours of manual work.
Automated Workflow for Document Approval and Policy Management
With Zenphi, you can build a detailed custom approval workflow automation for your human resource workflow.
The #1 Google Workspace workflow automation platform
We’ve already helped hundreds of companies to build an automated HR system: from approval workflow automations to employee onboarding. Book a call to learn the best practices from your peers and listen to their honest experience with Zenphi.
Automating employee onboarding
From setting up email accounts to assigning tasks and sharing welcome documents, automation can streamline every step, ensuring a consistent and welcoming experience for new hires. Discover how to automate your employee onboarding process using your HRIS and Google Workspace environment by reading this tutorial.
Automating CV screening in recruitment
Automation can transform a wide range of HR workflows, making processes faster, more accurate, and less labor-intensive. Key areas where automation can deliver high value include CV screening and employee onboarding. For example, with automated CV screening powered by AI, HR teams can quickly identify top candidates based on predefined criteria, saving time on manual resume reviews. To learn more about implementing automated CV screening with AI, check out this detailed guide.
Workflows Better Suited for Human Interaction
While many processes can be automated end-to-end, there’s still room for a human touch in certain HR workflows.Some aspects of HR require emotional intelligence, strategic insight, and personal connection — qualities that only people can provide. Here are a few key workflows where human involvement remains essential:
• Leadership and Development Planning
Emotional intelligence is key in conflict resolution, making this task better suited for HR professionals who can read context and respond empathetically.
• Conflict Resolution and Employee Relations
While automation can track completion of leadership programs, personalized development plans require understanding each individual’s strengths and aspirations, best handled by HR
• Strategic Workforce Planning
Strategic roles involving workforce planning, succession planning, and skills gap analysis benefit from a human touch to align business goals with HR planning.
Achieving Maximum Efficiency in Human Resources Workflows
Incorporating automation into HR workflows opens up new possibilities for efficiency and accuracy, allowing HR teams to focus on the aspects of their roles that truly require a human touch. By automating repetitive, structured processes like leave requests, onboarding, and document approvals, organizations can streamline operations and enhance consistency, ultimately improving the employee experience.
At the same time, certain HR functions, like conflict resolution, development planning, and strategic workforce management, continue to rely on the insight and empathy only people can provide. The balance between automation and human involvement empowers HR teams to operate more effectively, achieving a seamless blend of efficiency and personal connection that drives both productivity and a positive workplace culture.
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