SaaS Data Security for HR

Not all of the concerns HR may have about the security of SaaS are necessarily unfounded. Although top notch HR software vendors can afford to implement the latest security measures both online and in their data facilities, not all SaaS vendors are created equal. Employee data is always highly sensitive. Employers routinely collect information that could be used to perpetrate identity theft on a massive scale if it falls into the wrong hands. The damage to employee/employer relationships in the event of a data breach (even if no fraud results) is massive.
According to this whitepaper slideshow from Softscape, the average cost of a compromise in the security of HR data is over 6 million dollars. That’s not a risk organizations can afford to take – and not one they should have to worry about when it comes to the security of their data in the hands of an SaaS vendor.

Investigate Before You Sign Up With a New SaaS Company

In the slideshow mentioned above, the folks at Softscape outline several security concerns that HR clients should explore with their IT department and potential SaaS vendors. For example, if a multi-tenancy structure is used (which is typical for SaaS), a closer look at data segregation is warranted. If all employee data for multiple customers is hosted in a single database, this increases the risk of data being unintentionally exposed to the wrong client. With niche vendors who have a small client base and little capital to work with, this is the kind of corner cutting that can lead to real problems.
An SaaS vendor that takes security seriously will have multiple layers of physical and virtual security measures in place to prevent both accidental data breaches and intentional attempts at hacking/sabotage. They will also work with each client’s own IT department to implement further measures as needed to ensure the application is truly secure.
For some clients, this is accomplished most effectively by providing an on-premise version of the software rather than going with SaaS. However, this is only the better option if the client’s organization actually has a highly secure internal data center. For the average customer, the costs of maintaining a state-of-the-art data facility are prohibitively high. So, most HR departments may actually be keeping data safer by relying on a best of breed SaaS vendor to host it off site. To find out more about the safeguards we put in place to keep our clients’ new hire onboarding data secure, contact us at 770-569-5122.

HR Software and Blended/Hybrid SaaS

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at a lot of the reasons HR may choose SaaS over on-premise software. This special report from Workforce.com offers an in-depth look at the options available for HR applications.


What is Pure SaaS?

This definition is, of course, open for debate. However, here’s one description of what a pure SaaS vendor might look like: The vendor would have data from multiple clients all stored in the same infrastructure and run on a single instance of the software leaving it somewhat vulnerable to catastrophic failure or security breaches. Little or no customization of the application would be possible for individual clients beyond basic settings options. All upgrades would be mandatory – regardless of whether they interfere with a client’s existing interfaces with back end systems.

The Reality of SaaS

Obviously, most vendors in the HR software sphere aren’t advertising products that have such serious limitations as those you might see with “pure” SaaS. They may work with one of a variety of different multi-tenancy structure approaches that securely segregate each client’s data and offer some flexibility in tailoring the application to the client’s needs. In addition, many SaaS vendors give customers the option of whether or not to deploy various updates based on the impact this would have on the client’s other systems.

Some SaaS vendors even offer a distinct instance of their application for each client that can be customized to match an HR department’s unique business rules. They also completely partition one client’s data and software application from the next by creating separate “virtual” servers. With the advent of cloud computing and server virtualization software, this has become a way for SaaS vendors to offer customization and higher security without driving up the cost of their products too much.

Emerald Software Group Offers Hybrid Options

A number of vendors in the HR field offer on-premise software, a multi-tenancy model of SaaS, and a dedicated instance of their application delivered online. However, in the onboarding niche this is not the case. Virtually all of Emerald Software’s direct competitors offer only an SaaS version of their onboarding software with no on-premise version available. We don’t believe in turning customers away when we can accommodate their needs by staying on top of clients’ demands for flexible options. That’s why we have so many different choices available including licensed, hosted, and managed versions of our onboarding software.

Acculturation Onboarding- Get Ideas From The Greats

Are you interested in setting up an acculturation program that will introduce your new hires to your corporate culture? It's time to start putting together a vision of what you hope to accomplish and how to create an impressive presentation.

To get an idea of how the corporate giants set themselves apart in this area, visit their employment information sites. These are designed to begin socializing people while they are still in the job seeker/applicant phase. However, they still offer lots of great examples you can incorporate into your onboarding program.

Coca-Cola "Our Workplace"

This portal presents several aspects of the company to catch a potential employee's interest. It focuses not just on the individual worker, but how the corporation is positioned within the community on a local and global scale. One particularly nice touch is the use of employee testimonials.

You can accomplish the same effect with an AllegroHR Acculturation platform. Consider adding video or audio testimonials from current employees to your introduction module. This will really engage your new hires on an emotional level.

Life At Google

Google is considered hands down one of the coolest places to work. They have plenty of YouTube videos to browse (of course). They've also got a top ten list of reasons to work at their company. Putting together your own top 10 would be very easy. Just be sure to get opinions from the average employee on what they really enjoy. This adds authenticity that new hires will recognize.

Whole Foods "Why Work Here"

Whole Foods takes the approach of making employees feel good about being part of a larger movement to change the world for the better. The company also emphasizes teamwork with their Declaration of Interdependence.

Your acculturation portal should always be used to inculcate the values of your organization. This doesn't have to be "in your face". It can be subtly woven throughout the entire module using quotes and insights to accent the content on each page.

Cisco Inclusion and Diversity

Cisco harnesses the power of the press to demonstrate their commitment to creating an employee-friendly workplace. Check out the list of articles they link to about how great their company is. If your business has gotten some positive "ink", remember to link or upload copies of newspaper clippings into your acculturation onboarding program. This adds credibility to any claims your organization makes about being a superior employer.