Employee Relations Case Management: Using HR Automation in Real-Time

Employee relations issues range from the simple to the complex. From administering employee benefits to dealing with cases of employee misconduct, human resources teams need to make prompt, informed decisions about a variety of issues.

Employee relations case management tools help HR teams automate and standardize the case management process, leading to faster case resolution, increased employee satisfaction, and a better work environment overall.

Here’s how to use HR case management software to streamline your workflows, store case data securely, and maintain an audit trail to ensure HR compliance.

What Is Employee Relations Case Management?

Employee relations case management is a structured way to respond to employee relations issues, usually in the form of a ticketing system or HR case management solution. Each employee request generates a “case” that’s assigned to a specific member of your HR team or added to your ticketing queue.

Employee relations case management offers several advantages over traditional employee relations systems:

• Cases can be routed to the most appropriate team member, resulting in faster case resolution and prompt ticket escalation.
• Case details are attached to the case file, so employees don’t have to restate their issue each time — especially in the case of recurring issues.
• HR departments can use workflow automation to speed up key aspects of case management, including routing, decision-making, and escalation.
• Employees can get real-time notifications when their case is updated, or access a knowledge base or self-service portal to resolve cases on their own.

The best HR case management systems come with key features like a dashboard that HR professionals can use to track employee metrics and improve HR processes. For example, Pulpstream’s employee relations platform features built-in reporting, event tracking, and a self-service portal to empower employees and HR teams alike.

Examples of Case Management in Action

Some employee relations issues have straightforward resolutions that can be handled by a single team member in one attempt. But others involve multiple parties or require attention over a longer period of time. That’s when an HR case management system shows off its true strengths. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Workplace injuries

Workplace injuries often result in a lengthy HR process that may involve a workplace investigation and workers’ compensation claim. You may need to report the incident to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and deal with other third parties such as an insurance company or the employee’s healthcare provider.

Managing the case from a single case management platform allows you to track each element of the case and streamline communication with multiple stakeholders. With a platform like Pulpstream, you can track workplace safety incidents, manage workers’ comp claims, and even streamline the return-to-work process all in one place.

Interpersonal conflict

Interpersonal conflict can have a major impact on the work environment and the overall employee experience. Sometimes, these matters don’t rise to the level of open conflict, but are tied to performance issues or concerns around favoritism in the workplace.

With a robust HR case management platform, you can track employee performance and attendance and standardize performance reviews to reduce interpersonal conflict. Use a performance improvement plan (PIP) template to coach underperforming employees, or provide employee counseling to address behavioral issues.

Abuse or harassment

When workplace issues involve abuse or harassment between colleagues, there are additional factors to consider. Employees may not feel comfortable bringing up their concerns in front of their coworkers, or you may struggle to get to the bottom of an incident after too much time has elapsed.

Pulpstream’s complaint and investigation tools empower HR teams to address issues in real-time, using mobile devices to capture and store sensitive information securely. Our case management tools even allow for the submission of anonymous complaints so employees don’t have to fear harassment or retaliation.

Key Benefits of Employee Relations Case Management

Employee relations case management can get issues resolved faster and improve HR service delivery, but what else can it do? Here are a few more reasons to incorporate HR case management into your workflows and business processes.

Streamlined documentation

Paperwork is almost synonymous with “HR” in the minds of many employees. But good documentation doesn’t have to be a chore. HR case management tools can digitize the majority of documents, allowing employees to fill out forms on their desktop and mobile devices instead of carrying around printed documents to fill out and sign.

Cloud-based document management tools allow you to do away with email threads and clunky spreadsheets and consolidate employee complaints, leave of absence requests, and other employee relations issues into a single ticketing and messaging system.

Data protection and confidentiality

Fostering trust with your employees is central to employee satisfaction, but traditional HR practices can pose a security risk, especially in an age of remote work and digital identity theft. Modern HR case management tools ensure that sensitive case details, such as employee medical records, are secure from prying eyes.

Pulpstream’s data security practices adhere to the latest HIPAA and GDPR standards, and comply with laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Plus, employees can submit complaints anonymously, allowing you to act on workplace issues without compromising employee confidentiality and privacy.

Regulatory compliance

Regulatory compliance doesn’t end at data protection. Your HR department also needs to stay up-to-date on employment laws that affect everything from leaves of absence to employee benefits. Choose an employee relations case management platform that can automatically assess employee eligibility for leave and track their leave balances accurately.

By documenting each leave request in a centralized case management system, you’ll keep a digital paper trail to demonstrate your compliance with FMLA, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and any other regulations that apply.

24/7 responsiveness

Employees increasingly expect instant access to HR teams — just as they might expect from a customer service department at a bank. This can be especially challenging if you have a remote work policy that allows employees to work from various time zones.

With a cloud-based HR management system, you can automatically route cases to the most appropriate agent in real-time. And if no one is available, you can at least let them know that the request has been received and point employees toward your knowledge base or FAQs so they can take the initiative to resolve the issue themselves.

Foster Better Employee Relations with HR Case Management

From the onboarding process to exit interviews, maintaining good employee relations is a must for any HR team. But outdated processes, old-school paperwork, and inefficient workflows can get in the way of real-time responses and prompt case resolution.

Employee relations case management is a way of working through employee relations issues in a methodical way, usually with the help of a cloud-based ticketing system. A case management system allows you to store case details securely, assign cases to individual team members, and automate ticket routing and escalation.

Pulpstream’s comprehensive HR automation platform supports employee relations case management, claims management, leave of absence management, and more. Our self-service portal empowers employees to resolve cases on their own, while our built-in messaging tools provide real-time notifications via email or SMS.

Most importantly, it’s compliant with the most relevant employment laws and privacy regulations so you can rest assured that you’re checking all the boxes.

Request a demo today to see how Pulpstream can improve your HR practices!