Human resource information systems

Happy Friday or is it only Happy Sunday people say? There are so many new things on the horizon, and I guess we all need to get with the programme or else we can be left behind. I must say though I don’t like Happy Friday. I prefer ‘thank God it is Friday.’ Whichever it is, I am wishing you well this Friday.

Haven said this, the only constant thing is change and we must embrace change. This is a business decision because competition will embrace change and we will be left behind, and we must not be left behind.

I was speaking to the Head of HRM of one of these new on-line banks and was horrified to hear that all their records are still manually kept. This should not be the case for any company with staff of more than five people.

There are now Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) that will do everything concerning personnel management from A to Z, thereby leaving HRM time and energy to be more strategic. This will improve efficiency and save time to mention a few of its attributes.

HRIS software is a type of software that enables companies manage many HR functions electronically. There are many different types so if you are shopping around, it should be able to do the following. This software is a platform that collects and stores information about staff.

In addition to passive information capture and storage, HRIS has evolved to facilitate many HR activities such as time tracking, succession planning, and recruitment.

The advantages include but are not limited to a reduced cost of physical data stored in the HR department (including reduced space occupied). Faster data extraction and processing. A reduced duplication of effort, resulting in reduced use of resources, costs, and time.

Availability of accurate and up-to-date HR data. There is better analysis leading to more effective decision-making. There is more meaningful career planning and advice at all levels. An improved quality of reports and a better ability to react to environmental changes and more transparency all round.

Read also: Human resource strategy (2)

The software captures an employee’s personal data which may include name, contact details including physical address, date of birth, marital status, referees and date of entry into the organisation. It also contains the name and address of the staff’s next-of-kin. This information describes the employee.

HRIS can also provide a report with current salary information, benefits, last salary increase, and proposed future increase(s).

The software also monitors the employee’s absences. To do this the organisation should also have biometric entry and exit from the office so that the HRIS can capture the absences. Biometrics is another level of technology.

The recording of employee skills and the tracking of a qualification database is another benefit of HRIS. The software has a competency order that identifies employees who have the necessary skills to occupy certain positions or jobs in a company.

HRIS is also used for the management of occupational health data required for occupational safety and accident monitoring. Everything that the health and safety department will require of all staff.

The software helps the organisation get a complete overview of an employee, managing performance assessment data such as due date of assessment, promotion potential, scores for each performance criterion and the like.

Textual information can be combined with factual data from HRIS, which can then be used for training and affect employee mobility in terms of transfers and promotions.

The HRIS stores information about organizational requirements in the form of positions which helps with the organisation’s manpower plan.

Links employees to the required positions and is also used to identify job vacancies and determine the corresponding employees. HRIS can also help to identify a logical progress (career) path and the steps for employee development.

HRIS greatly simplify the recruitment process by capturing details of recruitment activities. This can include, the costs and type of recruitment, as well as the time required to fill positions at the appropriate level.

HRIS facilitates the professional development of employees by providing the necessary information, such as which employees are assigned to which positions.

HRIS helps with succession planning and so reducing the risk of misconduct or omission in the calculation of each employee’s pay.

HRIS via a computer terminal can provide the up-to-date, relevant, and necessary information, facts and figures to facilitate collective bargaining. Similarly, it can also help to maintain better human relations within the organisation.

The HRIS centralises employee data and allows only one authorized person to access it, providing a high level of security.

The presence module monitors employee time based on information about insertion and perforation. It covers all the basic HRM needs of a company such as time, attendance, expense, leave, recruitment management and handling employee information.

Try to purchase an HRIS that can handle payroll, time and attendance Management, document, and employee Self Service management.

Performance management and performance appraisals with benefit management. Email integration and project management. Work-flow Management and employee life-cycle management.

Finally, you will be able to reduce the number of bodies in your HRM, thereby making it a lean and mean machine. Unlike some other popular HRM software, you can use one system for all HRM functions.