What is a Service Catalog?

A service Catalog is a list of services that your IT help desk provides, including service descriptions, time frames, authorized users of the services, and costs, if applicable. For each service, there’s a form to collect necessary data from requesters, and there’s a workflow to automate service delivery based on that data. It’s the fastest and most effective way to build multi-step service delivery processes.

To use your service catalog, an Employee goes to a special web page or service portal to make his or her request. This service portal should allow employees to search for the services they need, find necessary details about the service, and order right from their device.

The service catalog originated in IT, where the service desk optimized complex IT service delivery through workflows, creating user-friendly forms for every request, and giving the requester visibility into the status every step of the way. Though it was originally an engine for IT service, other departments are finding a use for the service catalog.

Using the Service Catalog in HR

Think of all the things employees depend on their human resources department for. HR onboards and trains employees, helps them through payroll and benefits, and facilitates logistics for company events and conferences, travel, catering, etc. Some of these processes require multiple levels of communication, specific data that impacts the particular service request, and a bunch of small decisions. The service catalog can help automate and simplify these processes.

Here are 5 Service Catalog Examples for the HR Department:

1. PTO Requests

Mixing sick time and fun time can be complicated and difficult to track, depending on company policy. Use the service catalog to give your employees an easy outlet by which to request time off.

Here’s how to request PTO with Samanage:

2. New Hire Onboarding

Onboarding new employees is one of the most repetitive business processes. Working through the basics of acclimating them to the company, work structure, tools, and the system is a process that demands automation for improved consistency and efficiency, as well as meeting legal and regulatory requirements. HR can use the Service Catalog to kick off all of the steps needed from multiple departments when bringing a new team member onboard. This workflow keeps things simple and streamlined for those involved in the process.

Here’s how to onboard new hires with Samanage:

3. Maternity and Paternity Leave

With new additions to the family, there is a lot to consider, including making your organization aware. Don’t make this a headache for future parents. HR can use the service catalog to simplify the process of notifying the company when an employee will be starting maternity or paternity leave. With this service request, requesters can put in their due date, leave type, how many weeks they are planning to take, and the expected date to start their leave. This gives your HR department all the data they need to be prepared for the leave. Now, the requester’s appropriate team is aware, HR is aware, and the future parent is stress-free.

Here’s how to submit a request for maternity and paternity leave with Samanage:

4. Employee Promotion

It’s important to account for employee growth and changing positions in the company. With this workflow, managers can go to the service portal to put in a request to update an employees title and position change. It’s as simple as entering the appropriate employee’s information (name, the new position, new department). Now your promoted employee has an updated title to reflect their promotion!

Here’s how to request employee promotion with Samanage:

5. Beneficiary Update

From kids to parents to spouses, this is one of the most important selections an employee can make. Additionally, keeping information concerning your 401k life insurance or any of your benefits up to date is critical to your employees. If an employee needs to ensure that their partner is included on all of their insurance all they need to do is go to the service catalog and put in a request. If an HR representative needs more information about why beneficiaries are added, they can ask any follow-up questions they need to. The service catalog ensures that every part of the process is automated and seamless.

Here’s how to request a beneficiary update with Samanage:

It’s easy to make a case for human resources as the greatest provider of employee service. From the moment an employee first enters the door, human resources touch every area of the employee experience. These five examples only touch the surface of what is demanded by the HR department.

Want more information on the service catalog and its capabilities? Check out these additional resources:

3 Service Catalog Items Any Organization Can Use

How to Build an Effective Service Catalog Workflow

Five Samanage Customers on the Benefits of the Service Catalog