How Instant Document Processing is shaping the future of work in people operations 

Human resource management technology (HR), Human resource manager touching human resource network structure and checks the CV online to choose the perfect employee for company, Effective recruitment.

A transformative automation tool can streamline onboarding processes, save time, reduce costs and improve accuracy – Gaurav Sharma tells us more 

Working in the people profession means a constant bombardment of tedious tasks, like sifting through countless applications and verifying documents. The job is time-consuming and labour-intensive, even if HR and L&D caters to small to mid-sized companies. 

The following 2024 onboarding statistics illustrate the importance of this experience for a new hire: 

  • Only 12% of employees state companies have good onboarding procedures. 
  • Almost 70% of employees who rate their onboarding experience as exceptional are likely to stay with the company for at least three years. 
  • Employees are 18 times more dedicated to their companies if they have a good welcoming experience. 

Cleary, outdated onboarding practices negatively affect HR departments and the new hires, which begs the question: What if the process could be more straightforward and effective for everyone? 

Not only does Instant Document Processing significantly improve the HR department’s onboarding procedure, it also increases the team’s overall efficiency 

With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, employee relations personnel can significantly reduce the time it takes to complete time-consuming tasks with Instant Document Processing (IDP), also known as Intelligent Document Processing. This automation tool streamlines onboarding processes to eliminate delays, human errors and high costs.  

The headaches of traditional onboarding  

Traditional onboarding processes are becoming more antiquated with each new hire, from hiring delays to inaccurate data entries. First impressions are crucial in reducing turnover rates and retaining quality employees, making the onboarding process a ‘sneak peek’ of what new hires can expect from their new employer. Before examining the benefits of IDP, it’s worth considering the pain points that IDP addresses. 

Manual data entry: Manually typing data from a candidate’s resume, tax forms, contact information documents and other onboarding paperwork into an HR system can take more administrative time (and energy) than expected.  

Onboarding delays: After manually updating the HR system, new employees must await the next steps. Depending on the HR team’s entire process, this waiting period could take weeks or months. These delays could infringe on candidates’ availability or early progress within the company.

Inaccuracies and errors: Relying solely on the people operations staff to correctly input a candidate’s information isn’t a foolproof solution. Even minor typos, like adding the wrong house number or incorrectly inputting a candidate’s graduation year, can snowball into unnecessary issues. Inaccuracies will exacerbate an already slow onboarding process.

Increased costs: An HR department can suffer from the cost of lost productivity by spending so much time onboarding new hires. With a more efficient process, the staff could focus on other initiatives rather than the burden of completing essential yet laborious tasks that could be automated.  

Now, let’s see how IDP can solve these challenges.  

Using Instant Document Processing for onboarding 

Leveraging IDP for onboarding can be a gamechanger for an HR department, from interpreting and extracting data to providing insightful analytics. 

Once IDP software is seamlessly integrated with an HR management system, staff can automate the onboarding process. According to Microsoft, IDP uses AI deep-learning (DL) models to scan and classify documents accordingly. It can screen and process employees’ resumes, certifications, surveys and personal information quickly and effectively. 

Then, the IDP software extracts, validates, verifies and organises a new employee’s data.  

A major advantage of AI-powered IDP software is its ability to constantly learn and improve. The more it’s used, the better it becomes at tailoring its skills to meet an HR department’s specific needs. Thanks to AI technology like Natural Language Processing (NLP), an ML tool designed to analyse, interpret and comprehend languages, IDP will understand different sentence structures, grammar and colloquialisms, enhancing its accuracy over time. The IDP system can adjust and remain effective even if an HR department’s structure and document types can change. 

Benefits of IDP for HR departments 

Not only does IDP significantly improve the HR department’s onboarding procedure, it also increases the team’s overall efficiency. Here are four key advantages to consider when deciding to upgrade onboarding: 

Reduced time-to-hire: Faster onboarding processes with IDP enable companies to hire new employees more quickly, and effectively fill critical roles – ensuring that staff shortages don’t hinder daily operations. It will also provide new hires with a smoother transition into their role.

Improved compliance: By accurately automating data extraction, validation and organisation, HR teams can easily ensure that a new employee’s credentials are compliant with industry-specific regulations. Adhering to such requirements can mitigate potential problems down the road.

Increased efficiency and productivity: IDP automation allows HR personnel to eliminate tedious administrative tasks and focus on more strategic initiatives. Leveraging IDP software’s optimal organisational capabilities also makes searching for data simpler and less time-consuming.  

Cost savings: In the same vein as increased productivity, IDP can decrease operational costs associated with manual data entry, paper handling and storage. If the HR department isn’t preoccupied with stacks of paperwork, it can spend working hours on other vital projects.  

The future of Instant Document Processing 

AI-based technologies are constantly evolving. Continuous advancements in AI technology will allow IDP software to evolve with an HR department. As with AI technology, companies must make sure the system is trained on high-quality data that is free from bias. 

It’s also important to note that automation doesn’t have to stop with onboarding. IDP can streamline recruiting, background screening, contracting and decision-making processes. Exploring IDP integrations with other HR platforms, such as Talent Management Systems and training modules, could create a more comprehensive workflow for staff and newcomers. 

Integrating these advancements into HR departments as soon as possible enables companies to save money, improve operations and update staff on industry standards, rather than being buried beneath paperwork. 


Gaurav Sharma is a Director of Operations at Chetu 

Gaurav Sharma

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