Don't Sleep on These Time-Saving HR Software Features

You’re handling sales, putting out fires, and chasing down payments. Somewhere in the chaos, HR tasks creep up and eat whatever time you have left. Hiring gets bottlenecked. Timecards are a mess. Payroll runs late. Training slides to "someday."

The truth is, most small and mid-sized businesses are fighting uphill battles they don’t have to fight anymore. Modern HR software can automate, organize, and flat-out eliminate a lot of the busywork that’s draining your team.

In this blog, we’ll walk through some of the best time-saving HR software features you should be leaning on.

First up: how an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can turn your hiring process from a disorganized scramble into a smooth, fast-moving machine.

Streamline Hiring with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

Hiring shouldn’t feel like you’re herding cats, but for a lot of small businesses, that’s exactly what it turns into. You post a job on three different boards. Resumes flood your inbox. You’re juggling interviews over email, text, and maybe a few random phone calls. By the time you finally choose a candidate, you’re already behind on onboarding, payroll setup, and ten other fires you had to ignore just to make the hire.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) fixes that mess.

A good ATS does three things really well:

1. Gets your job posting in front of more candidates
2. Keeps all your applicants organized in one place
3. Shaves days (or weeks) off your hiring process

Here’s what you should be looking for:

• One-click job board posting. No more copy-pasting the same listing across Indeed, LinkedIn, and wherever else you’re fishing for talent. One post, everywhere it needs to be.
• Centralized applicant tracking. Every resume, interview note, and hiring status update, visible at a glance.
• Automated interview scheduling and communication. Let the system handle the back-and-forth. Candidates get instant updates, and you stay focused on who’s actually a fit.
• Direct integration with onboarding and payroll. When you finally pick your new hire, you shouldn’t have to retype their name into five different systems. A smart ATS flows their info straight into HR and payroll tools.

The result? You hire faster, with fewer mistakes, and way less drama.

Optimize Workforce Management with HR Software Timekeeping Tools

Nothing kills momentum faster than bad timekeeping. Missed punches, "buddy clock-ins," and sketchy overtime claims add up. If you’re still using paper timesheets or a basic punch clock, you’re basically asking mistakes (or worse) to happen.

Modern HR software can lock down your time tracking without making it a second full-time job.

Here’s what to look for:

• Biometric clock-ins. Facial recognition, fingerprints, even iris scans. No more “Hey, can you clock me in real quick?” nonsense.
• Geofenced punch-ins. Set it so employees can only clock in at approved locations. Not from their couch.
• Real-time dashboards. Instantly see who's on the clock, who's late, and who’s pulling overtime you didn’t authorize.
• Direct payroll integration. Hours flow straight into payroll. No manual entry, no errors, no headaches.

A good system makes the whole thing invisible. Employees clock in and out, data updates automatically, and you get clean, reliable reports at the end of the pay period.

Empower Employees (and Save Your HR Team's Time) with Self-Service Portals

HR teams spend up to 40% of their time answering basic employee questions.

•  "Can I get a copy of my pay stub?"
•  "When does my PTO reset?"
•  "How do I sign up for benefits?"

It’s death by a thousand interruptions. But it’s also avoidable.

A solid self-service portal cuts all of that off at the pass. Give your team access to the info they need, and they’ll stop bothering you for it.

What should a good portal include?

• 24/7 access to paystubs, PTO, and benefits info. No need to wait on HR. It’s all there, on their phone or computer.
• Digital onboarding. New hires can fill out forms, upload documents, and get up to speed before they even walk in the door.
• Role-based dashboards. Managers get tools to approve time off, review performance, or monitor hours without needing a PDF from HR.

For owners and execs, this means fewer small fires to put out. For employees, it builds a sense of autonomy. For HR? Actual breathing room.

The best part: these systems scale. Whether you’ve got 10 people or 200, self-service cuts down noise, boosts transparency, and keeps your HR team focused on real strategy instead of chasing down paperwork.

Strengthen Compliance and Upskill Your Team with Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Training gets pushed to the back burner in a lot of small businesses. It’s an understandable decision, but one that comes with its own risks.

Skipping compliance training can open you up to lawsuits. Skipping professional development can stall your team’s growth (and your business with it). Either way, you pay for it eventually.

An HR software with a built-in Learning Management System (LMS) fixes that without chewing up your calendar.

Key features to look for:

• Compliance training catalogs. Cover the essentials: anti-harassment, data privacy, workplace safety, all without hosting boring all-hands meetings.
• Professional development tracks. Look for courses on sales skills, leadership training, and customer service, so you can upskill your people without sending them off to expensive seminars.
• Customizable learning paths. Assign courses by role, department, or seniority to make the training more relevant.

New hires can get compliance training immediately. Existing employees can keep sharpening their skills year-round. You get digital records showing who's completed what, which is perfect for audits and performance reviews.

Bottom line: A good LMS turns training from a chore into a system. And it keeps your business protected while making your team stronger.

Automate and Simplify Payroll with HR Software Integration

Payroll is one of those things you have to get right, but it’s also one of the easiest places to waste hours doing manual work you shouldn't have to touch. Smart HR software changes the game.

Features that matter:

• Batch payroll processing. Pay large groups of employees in just a few clicks, rather than cutting individual checks or triple-checking spreadsheets.
• Direct timekeeping integration. Time clock data flows straight into payroll. PTO deductions, overtime, and compliance tracking are all handled automatically.
• Mobile-friendly access. Employees can check pay history, download tax forms, or verify deductions without bugging your HR team.

Automation saves time, cuts down errors, reduces compliance risks, and builds trust with your employees when their pay is always accurate and on time.

Get the Most Out of Your HR Software with BBSI

Post on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and even Instagram. They’re looking for growth, flexibility, and purpose. Highlight career development, work-life balance, and a culture that values input from all levels.

Time is one of the few things you can’t buy more of, but you can waste less of it. Smart HR software isn’t just a nice-to-have. Features like applicant tracking, biometric timekeeping, self-service portals, learning management systems, and integrated payroll are the new standard for running an efficient, competitive business.

The good news is, if you're partnered with BBSI, you already have access to all of these tools and more. From our applicant tracking system to our myBBSI payroll and HR platform, everything is built to save you time, protect your business, and give you room to grow.

Reach out to your local BBSI representative today and find out how to start putting these time-saving features to work for you.