Why you need a mobile self-service payroll and HR system in 2024

Self-service payroll and HR are all about accessibility, explains Simon Lobb, Customer Success Operations Manager at Zellis. If employees can’t easily interact with your solution, then they won’t be able to receive and send vital information.

That’s why Zellis invests in a consumer-grade, mobile first self-service platform that benefits millions of employees across the UK and Ireland, both now and into the future.

Let’s look at why employers today need to offer HR and payroll via a mobile app. We’ll also explain how Zellis actively supports its customers to maximise their use of our MyView app.

Why mobile self-service payroll and HR is a must

Smartphone apps expand accessibility for all

In the UK, Ofcom found that 21% of the population can only access the internet via a smartphone. For women, the figure was 24% and for the most financially vulnerable households, 31%. The situation is similar in Ireland. There, the Central Statistics Office reports that laptop ownership is associated with more affluent areas.

Smartphone access, by contrast, is very widespread. In the UK, 98% of people aged 16-54 own at least one device, while in Ireland 19 in 20 adults have one.

This means that a smartphone app offers the best chance of reaching everybody. It empowers your least economically advantaged employees to view and manage their HR and payroll matters.

People prefer to do things on their phone

Smartphone users have a clear preference for doing some activities on their phone rather than on a laptop or desktop.”

Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes (Ofcom)

There is also evidence that many people prefer to use their smartphone for activities, including those related to money and finance.

Ofcom found that 53% of smartphone users prefer to do banking on their phone rather than on a desktop or laptop (28%). Online banking activities such as reviewing a statement are very similar to the process of checking a payslip.

Meanwhile, technologies like biometrics and single sign-on (SSO) have reduced the need to remember passwords, improving the user experience.

Insights: How employees use self-service payroll and HR

Zellis MyView is our modern, intuitive employee self-service portal for payroll and HR, accessible anytime, on any device. Employees control their own information, while managers can easily oversee their teams’ activities.

When do people access the app?

Employees at the companies who use Zellis MyView access the smartphone app most often at evenings and weekends to check their online payslip, submit expense claims, and request leave. This reflects the convenience that smartphones offer, compared to corporate devices that may be out of easy reach or switched off for the day.

What are the rates of usage like?

When you’ve invested in a self-service solution, you want to know you’re getting a return on your investment. Helping employees unlock the choice and freedom of an App is a great way to increase engagement and enhance the employee experience.

We see variations in app adoption among mobile device users at Zellis HCM Cloud customers. The highest adopters see over 98% of mobile device users accessing MyView via the app.

Our recommendation is to set a target for app use among mobile and tablet users of at least 90%. That figure has been achieved by Zellis customers across ten sectors that we monitor, including manufacturing, finance and retail. We believe this could be achieved at every organisation, resulting in higher employee satisfaction and less time spent by HR and payroll teams answering queries.

6 top tips to boost self-service payroll and HR adoption

Customers that have achieved a rate of mobile app use of over 90% have proactively communicated the benefits on an ongoing basis.

Here are our top 6 tips for achieving high adoption:

• Internal communications. Collaborate with your company communications specialists well in advance of launching the app. They will know the best ways to inform colleagues and promote ongoing awareness. They can also help you boost use if it’s currently low.
• Registration code. Every customer has a unique registration code that employees need to use when they first access the MyView App. Make that code as accessible as possible to your employees to streamline their first login.
• Use QR codes. Including QR codes in all your communications makes it easier for colleagues to access the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download MyView.
• New starter processes. Ensure that onboarders are made aware of the mobile app and what it will enable them to do. If you use the Zellis Onboarding module, include a task to download and login to the MyView app.
• Physical presence and 1-1 support. During your launch phase or when you want to boost app use, we recommend setting up a stand in high-traffic areas or at internal events. Use this to generate awareness and encourage first time logins. You can also offer 1-1 support to any employees who need help in logging in to the app for the first time.
• Use internal influencers. Managers and employee representatives have an important role to play in making sure colleagues are aware of the app and advocating the benefits. It’s good practice to encourage them to download and use the app. Influencers can be particularly effective at reaching employees based at smaller sites or working from home.

How we can help you boost adoption of your MyView app

Our Customer Success Managers are always on hand to advise and guide customers with ways to improve MyView mobile app adoption. For example:

• Messaging within MyView. Messages are targeted at MyView users who haven’t used the mobile app. This year, 30,000+ MyView users downloaded the app after seeing the message (Jan-Aug 2023)
• Collateral for customers. We have recently launched an engagement page for our customers with content to help drive higher mobile use. Video, email, and poster templates – which can be adapted to suit company brand, tone and style – make it quicker and easier for customers to communicate the benefits to their employees.

Let’s talk

Have you used any other methods to increase adoption of your self-service solution? Would you like to know more or discuss any of the ideas shared in this blog post? Just get in touch with us here, or speak to your Customer Success Manager or Account Manager.

Find out more about Zellis MyView, our self-service HR and payroll platform.