The most common self-service applications are accessing payroll information and updating contact information, with 74 percent and 63 percent of respondents using self-service for those tasks, respectively. Other tasks conducted via self-service include enrolling in benefits (57 percent); tracking time (56 percent); requesting time off (55 percent); accessing training (39 percent); completing performance reviews (35 percent); submitting expenses 28( percent); electronically signing forms (25 percent); taking surveys (21 percent); and managing schedules (18 percent).

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However, for those respondents who employ self-service technology for some tasks, many are still using paper or email for other kinds of tasks. Most notably, completing I-9 forms (46 percent); other onboarding forms (43 percent); direct deposit information (40 percent); W-4 completion (38 percent); expense reports (36 percent); performance reviews (34 percent); applying for a job (27 percent); and benefits enrollments (25 percent).

Some also still manually complete PTO requests, address changes, timesheets, and surveys (the percentages for all of these tasks are much greater for those which don't use self-service technologies at all).

Moreover, in 29 percent of organizations with self-service software, HR professionals enter almost all the employee information. The average amount of employee information entered by HR staff was 38 percent.

Why asked why employees aren't allowed to enter their own information into a self-service portal, respondents say concern over accuracy of employee-entered data (41 percent); concern for employees' ability to properly use self-service technology (40 percent); lack of employee access to computers (29 percent); missing functionality within self-service portal (23 percent); lack of a self-service portal (19 percent); don't have time to train employees on how to use self-service technology (14 percent); would have to change HR processes (11 percent); language barrier with self-service portal (11 percent); employees don't want a self-service portal (9 percent); that's HR's job (5 percent). However, 10 percent say "nothing at all" prevents HR from having employees enter the majority of their information into a self-service portal.

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To help employees use self-service technology properly, the authors recommend that HR departments run some tests to determine how much training or oversight is required, if any. Stressing accuracy is paramount.

"HR professionals generally believe that getting employees to enter their own data helps make them accountable for data accuracy, but the system itself should encourage accuracy as much as possible, and employees should realize they are accountable for it," the authors write.