We recently spoke with an HR professional who watched an automation project spiral into chaos. His organization skipped the hard work of process improvement and simply dropped automation into the existing HR process environment. The result was a confusing tangle of duplicative workflows, inconsistent practices and new forms of waste that didn’t exist before. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. The history of automation in HR and in organizations more broadly is littered with these stories.
Mature HR teams know that you shouldn’t automate a broken process. Doing so will only accelerate problems that already exist or even add new ones.
When we surveyed HR leaders about the initiatives they are undertaking to support HR process automation, standardizing and optimizing HR processes was the most common response (Figure 1, see above right). HR functions are also working to shift HR staff to more valuable tasks after automation and developing a change management strategy.
Process management provides the structure to ensure that your processes are consistent, efficient and ready for automation. While we can’t deliver a crash course on process management here, this article offers a five-step framework rooted in process management to help you plan your automation journey.
1. Document the process as it exists today
You can’t improve or standardize what you don’t understand. Mature HR functions begin their process improvement work by documenting processes as they currently exist, often through workshops with the teams that execute them. Doing so allows HR teams to step back, look at the big picture and find opportunities for improvement.
Process mapping, which creates a graphical representation or flowchart depicting the steps and tasks in a process, is one of the most common ways that HR functions document a current-state process. Process maps can help you identify errors, inefficiencies and redundancies in the process so you can address them before you implement automation.
Regardless of whether you are using a pen and paper or an off-the-shelf process mapping product, we recommend starting with the simplest features of a process, including key steps, decision points, stakeholders and handoffs.
2. Identify opportunities for improvement
Before you jump to redesign, take time to analyze the process for pain points and inefficiencies. The goal is to understand which steps add value and which create delays, errors or frustration. Prioritize improvements for any business rules or steps that are poorly executed or unnecessary.
There are four common techniques to guide this analysis:
- Lean principles help organizations spot and eliminate waste such as redundant approvals, duplicate data entry or unnecessary handoffs.
- Cycle-time analysis measures how long each process takes from start to finish. Long cycle times often reveal bottlenecks or excessive handoffs.
- Risk analysis shows steps where errors, compliance issues or security risks could occur. Address any high-risk areas before you automate.
- Customer journey mapping creates a view of the process from the customer’s perspective (for example, employees using HR services) to uncover points of confusion, repeated requests or delays.
With these insights in hand, you can move to redesigning the process to make it leaner, less risky and more employee-friendly.
See also: 3 critical lessons from HR Tech 2025 that predict coming trends
3. Design the new process
Designing a future state process creates a clear blueprint for how people, data and technology will interact to ensure that automation supports a process that is already efficient and sustainable. Two common tools help provide clarity and accountability for this work:
- SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) diagrams provide a high-level view of what goes into and comes out of a process. For HR, this means mapping upstream dependencies (e.g., payroll data) and downstream impacts (e.g., employee experience) so nothing critical is overlooked.
- RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) charts clarify roles and responsibilities for each step. This prevents confusion during execution and ensures accountability when the process goes live.
A well-designed future state sets the foundation for successful automation. But first, you’ll need to select the right technology and make sure people are ready for change.
4. Align automation with improved processes
As you consider different automation tools and technology, the goal is to ensure that automation reinforces the improvements you’ve made rather than introducing new inefficiencies. Start by evaluating whether the tools you’re considering truly fit your workflows. A solution that looks great on paper can create friction if it forces workarounds or doesn’t integrate with existing systems. Partner with IT for this assessment to strike the right balance between functionality, security and user experience.
Automation isn’t a “set it and forget it” exercise. Build a continuous improvement loop by monitoring performance, gathering feedback and refining configurations as your needs evolve. Continuous improvement keeps your processes aligned with business goals and prevents technology from becoming a barrier over time.
You should also establish process governance by assigning clear ownership over the process and setting up structures for oversight. Assigning an owner for each process ensures accountability for maintaining process quality and adapting as business needs change.
5. Engage stakeholders and manage change
Process improvement often means changing the way a team works, and change can be difficult for many reasons. Change management provides a structured approach to guide people through the transition by communicating why change is important, addressing concerns and creating feedback loops so employees feel heard.
Training is an essential part of change management. People not only need to know how to carry out the new process but also understand how to use new automation tools and shift to more value-added forms of work once automation takes over manual tasks like data entry. Create a plan for how you will provide this training and close any skills gaps as part of your change management strategy.
From framework to action
Leaders expect automation to deliver value that exceeds the costs involved, but this won’t happen if automation is only accelerating a broken process. Create a roadmap for HR automation that includes all five of the steps above to make sure you’re not just adding technology but building a foundation for long-term value.
Partner with your business process management function, if one exists in your organization, or connect with colleagues who have expertise in process management to plan and execute these steps. They can help you make sure that your documentation and mapping are consistent both internally and with what other groups in the business might already be doing.
Don’t reinvent the wheel as you do this work. Process frameworks like APQC’s PCF provide an inventory of the most common business processes that you can adopt and customize for your own purposes. Working with a process framework and the other resources we discussed above will give you a running start so you can focus on the core work of process improvement.
Data in this content was accurate at the time of publication. For the most current data, visit www.apqc.org.
