As HR departments increasingly manage large volumes of sensitive data, the move to cloud data storage offers various benefits. Explore how cloud storage is setting new standards and empowering HR practices with cutting-edge efficiency and security!

In 2023, cloud storage has become a key player in the world of online data management. Exploding Topics resource reports that an impressive 60% of corporate data globally is now stored in the cloud. This shift has dramatically grown the sector, leading to cloud infrastructure services generating a whopping $178 billion in annual revenue.

The reach of cloud technology extends to various online services. It’s not just about email providers, major media platforms like Netflix and YouTube also rely on it. When it comes to businesses, particularly in HR processes, the advantages of transitioning to cloud storage are especially noteworthy.

This article describes how cloud storage is revolutionising HR departments. We cover improvements in daily operations, enhanced security measures, easy accessibility, better collaboration opportunities, scalable storage capacity, and potential cost savings. Join us as we explore the transformative impact of cloud storage on HR practices!

7 Advantages Of Cloud Data Storage For The HR Industry

1. Enhanced Employee Satisfaction and Business Efficiency 

Cloud-based HR storage systems are changing the way businesses manage employee data, offering a more efficient and automated approach that boosts both employee satisfaction and overall business efficiency. 

Think of cloud storage services as a virtual hard disk for your system. When you store a file in the cloud, it doesn’t disrupt any ongoing tasks. Multiple users can use the cloud storage service simultaneously, and what one user is doing won’t affect others. This is all efficiently managed and automated by the cloud service provider.

Cloud-based HR solutions can also play a significant role in reducing employee turnover rates. Regarding costs, while there is an initial investment in maintaining cloud storage, the long-term savings and return on investment (ROI) are substantial. 

2. Synchronisation

Cloud storage provides another advantage for HR departments: seamless synchronisation. Every cloud storage provider comes with a sync feature, allowing HR teams to effortlessly synchronise their data stored in the cloud with any device. This capability is great for the dynamic nature of HR work, where having access to data from any location and device is very important

With synchronisation, an HR professional can access all their stored data from different devices, granted they have the correct credentials. This reduces the need for manual data transfers between devices, a significant time-saver. 

This feature transforms how HR departments handle employee records, policies, and other critical documents, making cloud storage an invaluable tool in modern HR practices.

3. Data security and backup

Facing data loss can be incredibly distressing, especially when it involves important employee records or personal information. This is even more critical for HR-related papers, which contain sensitive data like demographics and financial details. 

Cloud storage adds an extra layer of security by automatically backing up your files to remote servers. These servers are usually spread across multiple data centres, ensuring redundancy, and reducing the risk of data loss due to hardware failures or accidents.

Moreover, trustworthy cloud storage providers use encryption protocols to protect your data from unauthorised access. With cloud storage, you can have confidence that your valuable files are secure and can be easily recovered if the need arises.

4. Improve the recruiting function

The introduction of cloud-based HR solutions allows for universal access to recruitment-related processes from various devices. This means that tasks like applicant tracking, resume processing, screening, and job offer issuance can all be efficiently managed through a centralised system in the cloud.

The advantages extend further with cloud data storage enabling HR departments to harness data analytics. For instance, salary data can be used for in-depth pay benchmarking analyses, providing insights into compensation strategies. Additionally, information about a candidate’s previous employer and educational background can be analysed to gain insights into the correlation between their background and job retention rates.

In the realm of HR analytics, driven by the capabilities of cloud data storage, the possibilities are vast and transformative and unlock the potential for sophisticated decision-making within HR departments.

5. Keeping up with compliance

HR departments increasingly rely on cloud data storage to navigate complex data privacy and compliance laws. As technology brings risks of misuse, evolving legislation creates a maze of regulations, especially for larger and global organisations.

Handling personal data adds complexity, with regulations varying across states, countries, and regions. These rules may even require specific global data storage locations, posing challenges for international companies that prefer local solutions.

Cloud storage providers play a key role by staying informed about regulations and providing tools for customers, like HR departments, to comply effectively, solving paper document storage problems. To stay competitive, these providers must demonstrate high compliance standards through regular and rigorous auditing. This ensures HR departments using cloud data storage can manage their data securely in line with complex legal requirements.

6. Convenient sharing of files

Cloud storage enables seamless sharing and editing of files, whether among colleagues within the department or with external partners. HR teams can now collaborate on the same document simultaneously, effectively reducing version control issues and significantly enhancing productivity.

Additionally, cloud storage platforms provide user-friendly sharing options. HR professionals can set specific access permissions, determining who can view or edit the shared files. This feature is highly beneficial in various scenarios, such as coordinating group projects, organising company events, or facilitating smooth collaboration with remote team members. 

7. Scalability

Scalability is an important feature of cloud storage providers, allowing them to efficiently meet customer demands. These providers often have contracts with equipment suppliers or even develop their own facilities, ensuring quick scalability with minimal delay. 

For HR departments relying on smaller, intermittent purchases for local storage needs, expanding capacity is constrained by longer lead times. Cloud storage provides HR with a more flexible and scalable solution, enabling quick adaptation to changing storage requirements without the burden of managing physical infrastructure.