Cloud Computing: The way forward for core business systems

Author: Sneha Reddy

As per the Gartner report released in Oct 2017, the public cloud services market in India is projected to grow 43% in 2017 to a total of $1.9 billion. It has been predicted that there would be a worldwide growth in cloud adoption by mainstream organizations, the relatively untapped SMB/mid-size markets and geographies outside the U.S like India.

Cloud is repositioning HR within organizations. With Cloud, HR can now play a more strategic value contributing role. Traditional HR and payroll software is being replaced with integrated cloud solutions and India is on the cusp of this revolution. Organizations have started seeing the value in having a cloud payroll software, an online leave management (Click here to know more) system on the cloud, in having all their core business systems on the cloud.

Why has cloud adoption become an absolute necessity today?

Here are some straight facts that you should know about why cloud transformation is a strong catalyst to drive business growth

  • Improves productivity and performance
  • IT staff or skills shortages to run existing systems
  • Improves the way data is being shared among the various departments in the organization
  • Improves the security of the system
  • The organization needs to have systems that are flexible to change
  • Reduces cost
  • Scalability to accommodate future growth
  • Meet employee and employer expectations of anywhere, anytime, any device access
  • Need for fast real-time access to key performance data/analytics
  • Automate routine work, so employees can focus on higher value activities
  • The advantage of staying current without waiting for an upgrade
  • Need to have more data on corporate performance indicators
  • Comply with regulations

When companies look to collaborate deeper and foster innovation, moving finance and HR systems together to the cloud has become a strategic necessity. When there are integrated HR and Finance system on the cloud, we have the advantages of single-sourced datasets, cost efficiency and optimized workflows which are seen as top reasons for investing in the cloud. Moving to the cloud improves agility and responsiveness of the organization.

The other top motivations to use HR on the cloud include less dependence on IT, lower cost of ownership, quick releases and software innovation. Moving HR to the cloud has only changed its role from a workforce administrator to a strategic business value contributor at the executive table.

So, transformation to the cloud is not a matter of if, but more of when and how. Having a digital workplace is the way forward and whatever strategy we are aiming at, it has to fall under the digital HR umbrella – cloud, analytics, real-time operations, simplicity, design thinking.