Did you know that globally, the average employee spends nearly 28% of their workday either responding to, creating or reading through emails? That's a lot of wasted time that could be better spent. WhatsApp offers a refreshing alternative, modernising and streamlining HR communication for your whole team. It’s also predicted that by 2025, 80% of organisations will have adopted messaging for better communication. In this blog, we’re going to help your organisation adopt WhatsApp internally and meet your employees where they already spend their time.

Why WhatsApp for HR?

Your employees already use WhatsApp daily to stay connected. Imagine extending that ease and familiarity to their HR needs—instant answers, convenient access, and a sense of genuine support. 

Please don’t bombard your teams with messages on WhatsApp. No one likes a chatty Betty. 

HR automation is a good strategy for streamlining everyday tasks like leave management, payslip enquiry and speaking with HR.

Here’s why WhatsApp works for HR:

The familiarity factor: Your employees already use WhatsApp daily to communicate with friends and family. That means no onboarding hassle or confusing new portals; it's a familiar, intuitive experience right from the start.

Accessibility is key: WhatsApp empowers employees to handle HR needs on the go and at their convenience. Requesting leave while riding in an Uber? Need to submit a sick note right after a doctor’s appointment? It's all possible with WhatsApp.

Break down silos: Forget email chains disappearing into the void – WhatsApp connects employees directly with HR and management, creating a sense of support and connectivity.

Better efficiency:  WhatsApp is a fast, real-time platform. That means quicker query resolutions, less back-and-forth, and overall time savings for both employees and HR teams.

Data-driven insights: Cue makes it possible to track important metrics so you can figure out where to improve. WhatsApp chats reveal valuable trends like common questions or pain points, allowing you to proactively improve HR processes.

Automate HR with WhatsApp

WhatsApp lets you take your HR processes to the next level. With chatbots, live chats and broadcasts, you can save your team time and boost employee satisfaction. Here's how to automate common HR tasks with WhatsApp:

Chatbots: Your tireless HR assistant 

Chatbots aren't just for simple questions. They can answer FAQs, collect employee information for requests, provide policy summaries, help with leave applications, and even facilitate onboarding processes for new hires. A few benefits include:

• Instant responses: Employees receive immediate answers to common inquiries when they message the business number, reducing wait times and frustration.

• 24/7 availability: HR support is available around the clock, even outside of regular business hours.

• Consistency: Provides uniform answers to employee questions, ensuring internal consistency.

• Reduced HR workload: WhatsApp chatbots for HR automate repetitive tasks, allowing HR staff to focus on other issues.

• Data collection: Allows HR teams and management to gather data from interactions, offering insights into common employee concerns and behaviours.

Example

When a new employee wants to hit the ground running and get started with famialirsing themselves with the company, they can interact with the internal WhatsApp chatbot and access onboarding documents. The chatbot guides them step-by-step, answering relevant questions and routing them easily. At the end of their first month, the same employee can request their payslip directly via WhatsApp.  

WhatsApp live chat: The human connection

Some queries require a human. WhatsApp live chat connects employees to HR reps for complex queries, providing personalised and empathetic support. When a chatbot can't solve it, businesses can instantly route the conversation to a live HR rep within WhatsApp. A few benefits include:

• Improved employee experience: Offers a more personalised interaction, increasing employee satisfaction and engagement.

• Real-time problem solving: Facilitates immediate resolution of complex issues, boosting efficiency.

• Builds trust: Direct interaction with HR helps build trust and rapport among employees.

• Flexibility: With WhatsApp live chat, agents can handle increasing query volumes without additional resource allocation. WhatsApp makes it easy for teams to route queries effectively.

• Feedback opportunity: Businesses can use it as a chance to get feedback from employees, allowing continuous improvement in HR services.

Example

If an employee needs to discuss a sensitive workplace issue like harassment, discrimination, or a personal matter that needs empathy and discretion, WhatsApp live chat allows them to connect directly with an HR representative.

 WhatsApp Broadcasts: Targeted communication

You can use WhatsApp broadcasts to deliver company-wide announcements, HR policy changes, enrolment reminders, wellness initiatives, and team-building event invitations straight to employees' phones. Use Cue to create different segments and send tailored broadcasts to different departments. A few WhatsApp broadcast benefits for HR include:

• Immediate information sharing: Quickly share important updates and information with the entire workforce at once.

• Reach everyone: WhatsApp broadcasts ensure important messages reach all employees simultaneously, no matter where they are.

• Employee engagement: Regular company updates can help keep employees informed, interested and engaged.

• Customisable messages and templates: Businesses can create different messages and templates for different departments and types of messages (eg company catch up, onboarding, etc).

Get started with WhatsApp for HR

The future of HR is conversational, and WhatsApp is leading the way. It's a win-win: your employees get a smooth, familiar experience, and your HR team gains efficiency and meaningful insights. Cue helps you make the most of WhatsApp for your HR needs. Schedule a demo, and our team will call you within 15 minutes to kick things off!