As Human Resources teams seek to improve efficiency, companies are increasingly transitioning to a Shared Services approach. Shared Services models can yield process improvements by centralizing certain organization-wide functions.  

Under the HR Shared Services model, companies can separate HR operations tasks from strategic initiatives. Routine HR tasks—such as payroll and benefits administration—are often handled by a dedicated team or department that serves the entire organization. This creates more consistent and efficient processes across the enterprise. 

With the right technology in place, companies can also centralize employee offboarding. Offboarding compliance software, like Onwards HR, can provide the efficiency and standardization needed to manage severance, reductions in force (RIFs), and compliance-related documentation. 

In this article, we’ll discuss how employee offboarding can be integrated into HR Shared Services. 

What are the Benefits of HR Shared Services? 

The HR Shared Services approach can have many benefits.  

• Reduce Costs and Improve Efficiency: By centralizing HR services, companies can minimize duplication of effort, reduce overhead, and optimize resource use. 

• Build Consistent and Standardized Processes: Using an HR Shared Services model, companies can systematize processes so they are easy to replicate. This streamlines operations while promoting equitable treatment of employees.  

• Mitigate Risk with Improved Compliance: Centralized HR functions help maintain compliance with labor laws and regulations. 

• Resolve Employee Issues Faster: Self-service options empower employees to resolve certain issues without assistance, such as updating personal information or submitting time-off requests.  

• Greater Focus on Strategic HR: By freeing up time spent on administrative tasks, HR departments can focus more on strategic areas like talent development, leadership, and employee engagement.   

What HR Functions Can be Managed Using an HR Shared Services Model? 

Many functions can be managed using HR Shared Services. Here are some of the most common ways organizations leverage a Shared Services model: 

• Hiring: Posting available positions, evaluating prospective employees, and managing the interview process  

• Onboarding: Completing new-hire paperwork, managing orientation, and training employees on relevant tasks and technologies 

• Employee Files: Updating employee information and handling requests for records 

• Benefits: Administering insurance programs, retirement plans, and other company perks 

• Payroll: Processing employee paychecks 

• Time and Attendance: Tracking employee timekeeping and attendance 

• Time Off and Leaves: Managing requests for time off and other leaves  

Although some companies manage parts of the offboarding process using HR Shared Services, it can be fully centralized with the right systems and technology in place. 

Can Offboarding be Managed Using HR Shared Services? 

Absolutely! Offboarding is one of the most sensitive HR-related tasks, and it’s important that companies develop consistent processes across the organization.  With specialized technology in place, employee offboarding can be managed—and improved—via HR Shared Services. 

Centralized offboarding yields many benefits. 

Standardized Offboarding Processes 

Standardized offboarding procedures help organizations maintain consistency across all locations while promoting equitable employee treatment. This is especially pertinent when it comes to consistent notification and communication practices. In today’s landscape—where social media has made it easier than ever for frustrated employees to broadcast their negative separation experiences—organizations must be thoughtful and deliberate in their communications. If, for example, managers deliver different messages and explanations, this can quickly lead to employee confusion and frustration.     

Legal Compliance 

Offboarding technology simplifies adherence with federal, state, and local employment laws. Onwards HR has several built-in legal tools to evaluate for federal and local WARN Act applicability and compliance with equal employment opportunity laws. By centralizing data related to employee separations, companies can better analyze offboarding trends and get a comprehensive view of what’s happening across the organization. 

Risk Mitigation 

In addition to the risk mitigation that comes with adopting compliant practices, offboarding technology can help minimize data-related errors and ensure uniformity and accuracy in severance calculations. For example, Onwards HR can be configured according to corporate policy, ensuring that severance practices are consistently applied across the organization.  

Time and Cost Savings 

By centralizing employee offboarding, HR professionals can focus on more strategic initiatives—a key feature of the HR Shared Services model. This leads to process efficiencies and increases employee bandwidth. Companies who have adopted offboarding compliance technology have found considerable time and cost savings, as evidenced in this case study.   

What are the benefits of Offboarding Compliance Software? 

Onwards HR’s offboarding compliance software simplifies the many complexities associated with employee separations. Together, these benefits help maintain brand reputation and prevent potential legal disputes. 

• Automated Severance Calculations 

• Ensure accurate severance pay based on tenure, position, and company policies 

• Minimize manual calculations and reduce human error 

• Easily recalculate severance amounts if termination dates change 
   

• Compliance and Regulatory Adherence 

• Stay up to date with various federal and state labor laws, including state separation notice requirements  

• Analyze mass layoffs for consistency with the WARN Act 

• Evaluate offboarding practices for potential discrimination 

• Automatically generate legally compliant separation agreements 
   

• Centralized Data Management 

• Securely store and access employee termination data  

• Enable cross-department collaboration between HR, finance, and legal teams 
   

• Seamless Document Generation and Distribution 

• Automate separation-related documentation and collect e-signature 

• Provide employees with a streamlined, transparent offboarding experience 

Centralize Offboarding with Onwards HR 

Onwards HR’s offboarding compliance software enables companies to seamlessly manage employee separations using the HR Shared Services model. This approach to offboarding empowers organizations to optimize workflows by simplifying separations and mitigating compliance risks. By automating severance, documentation, and compliance checks, companies can ensure consistency, reduce administrative burden, and enhance the employee exit experience. 

Schedule time with one of our offboarding compliance specialists today.