"Enabling Your Human Resource Information System To Support Hr Strategic Roles"

Human Resource Management (HRM) has shifted itsTypically, the people in the firm who interact with the
function within Organisations over the last few years.HRIS are segmented into three groups: (1) HR
Its function has grown considerably and has shiftedprofessionals, (2) managers in functional areas
into a more strategic role rather than providing support(production, marketing, engineering etc.) and (3)
for administrative paperwork. There has been a shiftemployees (Anderson, 1997).The usages of HRIS have
too, in terminology, with the term Strategic Humanincreased quite significantly among Organisations of
Resource Management (SHRM) becoming moredifferent sizes due to their enhancing the strategic
common.human resource management role in the company.
Dave Ulrich, a well-known HR Guru from the UniversityKovach et al., (2002) listed several administrative and
of Michigan says that the purpose of the HR functionstrategic advantages to using HRIS. Similarly, Beckers
is simply twofold: firstly, to improve the organisation'sand Bsat (2002) pointed out at least five reasons why
capability, and secondly, to improve individual capabilitycompanies should use HRIS. These are:
within the organisation.1. Increase competitiveness by improving HR practices
To improve Organisation performance and create2. Produce a greater number and variety of HR
competitive advantage, the HR team must focus on aoperations
new set of priorities. These new priorities are more3. Shift the focus of HR from the processing of
business, and strategic oriented and less gearedtransactions to strategic HRM
towards traditional HR functions such as staffing,4. Make employees part of HRIS, and
training, appraisal and compensation.5. Reengineer the entire HR function
Strategic priorities include team-based job designs,Despite the fact that it has become quite common
flexible workforces, quality improvement practices,amongst HR practitioners - it is still uncertain whether
employee empowerment and incentive compensation.the Organisation are using their HRIS optimally in terms
SHRM was designed to diagnose organisationof supporting the strategic role of HR. Many
strategic needs and plan the development of talentorganisations still use HRIS as a database pool as well
which is required to implement a competitive strategyas to complete basic HR transactional tasks only, and
and achieve operational goals (Huselid et al., 1997).have not yet optimised the actual capability of HRIS. If
This strategic role not only adds a valuable dimensionyour company is using HRIS, let's assess the benefit of
to the HR function, but also changes the competenciesutilizing HRIS by comparing it against the above five
that define HR professional and practitioner success.reasons. Ask yourselves:
In response to its new role and responsibilities, HR- How far is your HR administration supported by
professionals need a system that can manage as wellHRIS?
as handle the "traditional" HR work. This is where- Do managers and employees have access to HRIS
Human Resource Information System (HRIS) starts tofor transactions, and participate in its use?
come in. Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)- You might know what metrics you would like to use
refers to the systems and processes at theto measure your HR acitvities ands results. BUT how
intersection between human resource managementmany of those measures can esaily be tracked
(HRM) and information technology ( It merges HRM asanalysed and reported using an HRIS system?
a discipline and in particular its basic HR activities and- Is your company - its employees and managers - 
processes with the information technology field andequipped at their places of work, with the technology
have been used in HR Departments for many yearsto respond to new tools for organisation and people
now. It is now expected to drive Human Resourcemanagement purposes? (Online surveys, Performance
(HR)'s transition from an administrative and operationalmanagement, Intranet communications, online HRM
role to a strategic role.transactions for benefits, employee data).
Many companies now strive to become ‘world- Is there a need to ‘bring your HR group' up to the
class'. The goal is to work and perform in ways that21st century, and contribute to the strategic
are comparable to the most successful players on themanagement of the business?
world stage. If we explore the question: "What does- Are there any similarities between your company's
World Class HR mean in practice" we will see tworeasons for considering enhancing HRIS, with the
descriptions consistently cited. The first is that Worldabove five reasons on the use of HRIS?
Class HR functions manage their strategic work- Do you believe that HRIS benefits your company,
through the ability to measure what they do, and howand in what way?
they contribute. The second is that World Class HRIn brief HRIS is an enabler and empower for the HR
functions consistently utilize technology to enable themfunction, and HRIS can provide line managers with a
to track, analyse, and report those measures. Theyfunctionality to meet each of their work unit goals and
also use technology, HRIS, to enable them to continueobjectives as well as providing data and analysis,
to handle the traditional transactional HR work –especially for performance appraisal and performance
which still has to be done!management of their subordinates.
So for companies aspiring to be World Class, HumanAdditionally, individual employees can also benefit from
Resources Information Systems (HRIS) play anHRIS. They can interact more flexibly by having an
important part in an organisations' HR function. Anyaccess to the system and conduct a self-service
‘transformation' of HR, or of ‘Peoplemodification process of many benefit options and
Management' or of ‘Performance Management'administration alternative as well as updating their
without paying attention to their HRIS capability andperformance and task achievements status in realtime.
needs will be unable to (a) handle their strategic roleIt is now critical for Organisations who are currently
and measure their contribution to the organisation, andusing HRIS to enable its HR managers, line managers
(b) run the risk of letting the traditional transactionaland employees in making the most out of available
functions of HR administration falls behind, and dragtechnology. By enabling HRIS in the Organisation and
down the transformation efforts by failing to deliverleverage the use of technology to support the overall
the  fundamentals.strategic responsibilities of HR, it will put your
After all, we live, work and play in the informationOrganisation in a roadmap towards the best practice
technology era. Implementing an effective HRIS keepsof world-class HR.
the HR Department in the right path to deliver more---TR2010--
effective and streamlined service to the Organisation.By: Tewu Rama - Consultant OPUS Management 
Since the rapid development of technology, softwareIndonesia 2010
developers are continuously creating new andSources:
sophisticated softwares that can help companiesAnderson R. Wayne (1997) "The future of Human
execute day-to-day HR administrative tasks as wellResources: Forging Ahead or Falling Behind in
as enabling them to perform fast and effectiveTomorrow's Human Resource Management.
recruitment process, performance management,Huselid, M.A., Jackson, S.E. and Schuler, R.S. (1997)
compensation & benefit, etc."Technical and strategic human resource management
They do this by streamlining workflow processeseffectiveness as determinants of firm performance",
through controlled processes, system interfaces andAcademy of Management Journal, Vol. 40, pp. 171-88.
database validation. Not only should things flow more"Human Resource Management System"
smoothly, but the big plus for top management andKovach, K.A., Hughes, A.A., Fagan, P. and Maggitti, P.G.
function management is that HRIS helps to ensure a(2002), "Administrative and strategic advantages of
greater control over any HR management relatedHRIS", Employment Relations Today, Vol. 29 No. 2,
processes, enabling users to follow through tasks43-48.
more easily. It lets us set measures for task processUlrich, D. (1997) Human Resource Champions: The
as well as completion. We can know how far aNext Agenda for Adding Value and delivering Results.
process has gone, before its too late to speed up orBoston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. p.
correct direction.