MSS Implementation - Why should I?

I had a rather interesting question posed to me by one of the HR Business Managers in the context of implementing a Manager Self Service, they currently do not have one & managers have the HR Admins or Deptt Admins doing all the transactions on their behalf.

Question was: Why should I implement a Manager Self Service module, what is it going to do for my managers? Is HR trying to push its dirty work back to the Manager? What are the benefits of having a MSS solution. This set me thinking real hard on the actual merits of a MSS.

A line manager is an extension of a HR function & is supposed to execute the policies, processes that the HR function implements. Manager by virtue of his name, is the closest to the employee & understands the employee the best. Also all job descriptions of a manager would include tasks like managing the workforce productivity, manage turnover, quality, training etc., so in essence a line manager is a "mini HR Manager" & hence having a MSS makes lot of sense for him/her to accomplish the HR tasks.

There are numerous advantages of having a MSS
1. Manager's now have access to all of their direct reports data in one single place, which means that they don't have to go back & forth to HR for this information
2. It definitely decreases the time taken for routine transactions like approvals for say absence or timesheets
3. With areas like compensation planning, MSS would have provide managers with their budgets & they could plan & recommend salary increases for their direct reports
4. In areas like performance reviews, competency management, skill development managers have the information required on their desktops to carry out these critical tasks.
5. It will help decrease the paper trails, improve control of information, improve data integrity - all essential requirements from a SOX compliance angle as well

What this is doing is really freeing up the time HR would spend on routine tasks & enable them to focus on what is really strategic for the organization - like Talent Management for e.g.