StarGarden publishes 12 free eBooks and guides on HR and payroll software, covering buying and evaluating HCM (Human Capital Management) systems, hiring and onboarding, and workplace culture and productivity. Every guide is written for HR and payroll teams working across Canada, the US, and New Zealand.

Use the filter below to browse by topic, or scroll through the full list. We add new guides regularly, so it’s worth checking back.

Ebooks

Buying & Evaluating HR Software

HCM Buying Guide cover: an eight-stage guide to evaluating and buying HR software

HCM Buying Guide

Learn how to run an HR software evaluation from first requirements to final rollout. In this guide you will learn:

  • The 8 stages of an HR software evaluation, from requirements to rollout.
  • Who in your organization should have a seat at the table.
  • The budget considerations to plan for before you request a demo.
  • Tips for running a demo that surfaces real answers, not sales pitches.
  • How to roll out a new system so employees actually adopt it.

Download the HCM Buying Guide eBook

The True Cost of ERP System Upgrades cover: what to know before upgrading or replacing your ERP system

The True Cost of ERP System Upgrades

Considering augmenting your systems with cloud-based tools, or replacing your ERP-based solution completely? Make sure you understand the true costs of a system upgrade and the many things you should consider before opting for a new system.
This eBook:

  • Examines the true costs of an ERP system upgrade, including the ones that are easy to miss.
  • Offers a checklist of things to consider before you decide to switch.
  • Describes alternatives that can reduce cost and disruption if a full switch isn’t the right move yet.

Download the True Cost of ERP System Upgrades eBook

5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your HR System cover: a five-question self-assessment for your HR system

5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your HR System

Not sure if your HR system is holding your team back? Answer five quick questions to find out:

  • Is your employee data centralized, with one clear point of contact for HR questions?
  • Do you get automatic alerts for important dates and deadlines, or are you tracking them manually?
  • Can you pull clear, accurate reports when you need them?
  • Are you keeping up with changing government regulations without extra effort?
  • Do your HR workflows have clearly defined processes, or does each person do it their own way?

Download the 5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your HR System eBook

Cloud-Based HCM and Payroll Applications cover: the security safeguards behind cloud-based HR systems

Cloud-Based HCM & Payroll Applications: Are They Safe?

Cloud-based systems are becoming the standard for HCM and payroll, but security is usually the first question IT and HR ask before making the switch.
Learn about:

  • The efficiency, compliance, and productivity gains that make cloud-based HCM and workflow systems worth the switch.
  • The real security safeguards behind cloud systems, including security scans, 128 and 256-bit SSL encryption, 24/7 on-site security, and regular audits.
  • How to make the switch to a cloud-based system.

Download the Cloud-Based HCM & Payroll Applications eBook

A Day in the Life of an HR Professional cover: two HR professionals compared, one manual, one automated

A Day in the Life of an HR Professional

See the real difference between an HR team running on manual processes and one running on integrated software, told through the story of two HR professionals.
In this eBook:

  • Why it matters: employees can spend up to 35% of the workday, about 2.5 hours, just searching for information.
  • The warning signs that your HR system is failing your business, including inaccurate data, missed deadlines, and no unified system.
  • How integrated systems and automated workflows free your team for higher value, strategic work.
  • Two CEOs handling the same due diligence request: one loses a major acquisition and lays off 40% of his staff after his team's data turns out to be inaccurate, the other completes his acquisition and takes his company to number one in its market because his data was ready to go.
  • Two payroll clerks: one stuck manually re-entering data between spreadsheets and systems, the other freed by one unified, automated system to help with strategic reporting instead.

Download the Day in the Life of an HR Professional eBook

Software Solutions for Specialized Industries cover: HR and payroll software for government, health care, and other specialized industries

Software Solutions for Specialized Industries

HR & payroll systems can make or break your business. See how integrated, customized HR and payroll software adapts to the rules and workflows of five specialized industries:

  • Government: managing union rules, pay grids, and public sector reporting requirements.
  • Health care: scheduling around shift complexity and credential tracking.
  • Cross-border organizations: paying and managing employees across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Education: handling academic calendars, contract types, and seasonal staffing.
  • Heavy industry: tracking certifications, site-based scheduling, and safety compliance.

Download the Software Solutions for Specialized Industries eBook

The Talent Lifecycle

How to Succeed in Hiring cover: techniques for recruiting, interviewing, and hiring the right candidates

How to Succeed in Hiring

Recruiting is part art and part science. Explore tools and techniques that can make it easier to recruit, interview, and negotiate the final offer with candidates that are the right fit for your business.
Learn how to:

  • Attract stronger candidates in a competitive market.
  • Run an interview process that surfaces the right signal.
  • Make an offer that candidates accept.

Download the How to Succeed in Hiring eBook

Onboarding and Training cover: how to streamline onboarding and training for new hires

Onboarding & Training

Streamline your onboarding and training processes so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you hire. Maximize your resources, train more efficiently, and retain enthusiastic new team members.
This eBook covers:

  • How to decide what information belongs in your onboarding process, and how to organize it.
  • Creative approaches to make training more effective.
  • How to help new hires transition into confident, successful employees.

Download the Onboarding & Training eBook

Employee Termination cover: how to handle employee terminations with consistency and care

Employee Termination

Terminations are always difficult, and handled poorly, they can lead to lawsuits or complaints alleging discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour violations. This guide covers the major issues involved:

  • Terminations for cause: the applicable laws, cautionary circumstances, and tips for making the process easier and more organized.
  • Post-employment issues: paying final compensation and benefits, and transitioning smoothly for both the company and the departing employee.
  • Releases of claims: navigating the requirements to reach an enforceable severance and release agreement.
  • Planned layoffs and reductions: the issues unique to larger-scale workforce reductions.

Download the Employee Termination eBook

Workplace Culture & Productivity

Top 10 MUST-Have HR Workflows for Automation cover: ten HR workflows worth automating first, from hiring to offboarding

10 MUST-Have HR Workflows for Automation

Workflow technology has tremendous untapped potential for HR.
This guide covers the ten HR processes worth automating first, across the full employee lifecycle, from hiring to offboarding:

  • Hiring: pipeline visibility, recruiter evaluation, and an early warning on bottlenecks.
  • Onboarding: a structured process that, per SHRM research, improves retention by 52% and time to productivity by 60%.
  • Employee time record keeping: fewer payroll errors and compliant paid time off accrual tracking.
  • Benefits administration: employee self-service enrollment and less time spent fielding benefits questions.
  • Training workflows: easier program design, automated approvals, and simpler certification tracking.
  • Leave or vacation requests: clear visibility into who’s away, automatic rerouting when a supervisor is out, and FMLA-compliant tracking.
  • Employee grievance and relations: faster routing to the right HR resource and a central record for spotting trends.
  • Ergonomics requests: a clear channel for equipment requests that helps prevent costly workplace injuries.
  • Performance management: ongoing, flexible reviews instead of a once-a-year look back.
  • Offboarding (resignation and termination): automated exit packages, timely system access removal, and reduced security and overpayment risk.

Download the Top 10 MUST-Have HR Workflows for Automation eBook

The Must-Know Rules of Employee Engagement cover: what actually drives employee engagement in a digital workplace

The Must-Know Rules of Employee Engagement

A satisfied employee isn’t the same as an engaged one, especially now that the rules of engagement have changed. Download our Employee Engagement Playbook to learn:

  • The real difference between an engaged employee and a motivated one.
  • How to recognize an engaged employee versus a disengaged one.
  • How to keep remote and telecommuting employees engaged.
  • How to retool your organization around engagement.

Download the Must-Know Rules of Employee Engagement eBook

Time Management cover: practical techniques for managing time and energy at work

Time Management

Practical, evidence-based techniques to help you and your team manage time and energy better.
Read our FREE eBook to learn about:

  • Why multitasking doesn’t actually work, and what to do instead.
  • How to manage email more efficiently.
  • The best times of day for focused, productive work.
  • The pulse and pause method for a healthier workplace rhythm.
  • How overtime affects both happiness and productivity.

Download the Time Management eBook

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  • Find us in Canada, USA and New Zealand
  • Email: info@stargarden.com

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