Human Resource Management

Essay one: Human Resource Information Systems.

            Human Resource Management (HRM) refers to a systematic kind of approach to the management of people and organizations in different business sectors.  Different methods of integrated employer-employee relations, development of the HR functions and employee resourcing functions are the main characteristics of a Human Resource Management system in any organization (Pynes, 2007).  The employment relations determine the framework of an organizational culture which includes those policies, traditions practices and norms prevalent in a given organization.  On the other hand, HRD mainly concentrates on developing the individual abilities of all employees in the organization whereas employee resourcing involves the process of staffing and managing the performance of individual employees.

            The major trend which is applied in employee resourcing is the application of a practice known as Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) (Donaldson, 2006).  These systems are used as support tools for enhancing the decision making process by the managers of an organization as well as strengthening the HR administration.  The HRIS technology is marketed on the basis of its ability to enhance the collection, storage and utilization of all information concerning the organization’s personnel.

            The effectiveness of the HRM in any business depends on the successful utilization of human resources through the use of integrated systems and strategies.  To facilitate this, many organizations in U. S, UK and other parts of the world have adopted the use of HRIS.  In fact, a survey carried out on a 100 of the U. S leading business organizations indicates that the use of HRIS is rampant although the same survey indicates that the technological potential has not been fully exploited for maximum benefits.  The use of HRIS systems has facilitated a smooth transformation of personnel management in organizations to Human Resource Management.

Human Resources Informations Systems.

            HRIS is a software which assists in the entry of data, data tracking and retrieval of information which is related to the management of human resources within an organization.  It helps to track all the relevant information concerning the former and current employees as well as those applying for jobs in the business.  According to Broderick (2002), HRIS can be defined as a composition of several databases, hardwares, computer applications and softwares which are used for collecting, storing, managing and retrieving personnel data in an organization.  It involves the incorporation of Information technology into Human Resource Management.

            There are two major types of IT systems which are suitable for application in HR needs.  This includes transaction processing applications which are suitable for use in organizations which require high volume decisions from the HR and expert systems which help to improve decisions through the critical analysis of expert decisions with time.  The use of HRIS involves the automation of data base management as well as enabling the integration of the manager’s objectives with the HRM priorities which are aimed at enabling self service functionality for the employees.

Importance of HRIS.

            HRIS confers several benefits to an organization in terms of strategy, competitive, HRM and people.  According to Donaldson (2006), a HRIS system basically assists in improving the efficiency of the HR management function in and organization through several ways.  It helps to manage the staffing process, develop the available human resources, measure the performance of the employees and reward them accordingly.  In this case, HRIS helps the HR professionals or managers to monitor and improve the productivity of their employees while at the same time they are able to control the employee benefits.  It also helps to enhance the organization’s ability to comply with HR legislation, manage the payroll functions and this eventually leads to lower costs of employee resourcing.

            The main benefit of implementing HRIS in an organization is that it eases the management burden and the workload placed on the HR professionals and managers hence giving them enough time to concentrate on other strategic activities which are aimed at increasing the competitive advantage of the business organization.  Moreover, the use of IT in management serves as a catalyst for facilitating transformations changes in an organization.  Contemporary evidence as reported by Pynes (2007) shows that the use of HRIS has helped to develop HRM from the traditional practices of personnel management.

Opportunities brought by the implementation of HRIS.

            The proper implementation of HRIS systems in an organization offers numerous opportunities both for the managers as well as the employees.  First of all, HRIS is mainly aimed at supporting the decision making process and this gives the managers an opportunity to invest their time elsewhere in productive projects for the organizations.  In addition, the use of HRIS systems during staff recruitment exercises ensures that only the best staff are recruited and developed for the benefit of the organization.  It also helps to track information regarding each and every employee hence helping the managers to identify those employees who are best suited for the succession planning process.

            Moreover, the use of IT in the internal recruitment of employees offers transparency in the progression and development opportunities.  This encourages the employees to be more productive and committed to their work on a long term basis.  In addition, the use of HRIS facilitates fair performance appraisal and the best performing employees are rewarded accordingly.  This may translate into many beneficial opportunities for the employees such as scholarships, promotions at the work place and so forth.

Challenges of HRIS implementation.

            Despite the substantial benefits and opportunities offered by the use of HRIS, its implementation is faced by various challenges and limitations.  First of all, lack of trust and confidence on the available IT systems may affect the  implementation processes due to the common belief that most systems are ineffective and they violate information privacy (Donaldson, 2006).

            The implementation of IT may be faced by substantial resistance from employees who may be scared of the potential changes in the nature of their work, additional powers in the HR administration and lack of confidence and privacy assurance in the use of computers.

Some organizational cultures also serves as a barrier to effective implementation of HRIS.  The devotion of the employees and the managers to the process of conversion of personnel management duties to online management is bound to influence the planning and implementation of a HRIS system.

            Due to the various potential problems which are likely to be encountered in the implementation of HRIS in organizations, proper understanding, selection and evaluation of various IT systems is critical to ensure that the implementation is successful.  However, despite the various challenges and difficulties experienced in the initial stages of HRIS implementation, research has shown that the eventual benefits of incorporation of IT in HR management helps to create a dynamic and flexible resourcing environment technology in an organization.

Essay two: Challenges facing HR professionals.

            Leadership development is a major challenge in all organizations.  HR professionals are faced by the struggle towards a proper understanding of the best way in which to recruit, maintain and develop employees for the benefit of the organization as well as for future succession planning (Van Gramberg ; Teicher, 2002).  With the increasing competition locally and globally, organizations have also had to become more resilient, adaptable, customer focused and agile in order to overcome competition.  For this reason, Collen (2005) explains that the role of HR professionals within organizations has changed from the traditional systematizing and policing type of personnel management to a the modern view of HR Professionals as strategic partners, employee advocates and moral mentors within the organizations.

HR as a strategic partner.

            HR professionals are increasingly being recognized as strategic business partners within the organizations they work for.  For this reason, they are expected to provide the frameworks, tools, processes and perspectives which are essential for selection and development of future organizational leaders (Ulrich, 1997).

            In organizations where HR professionals are recognized as strategic business partners, they work in line with the senior managers to ensure that all the business objectives are fulfilled.  However, becoming a strategic partner within any organization requires the HR professional to have fortitude and discipline which is necessary for one to overcome the five major challenges encountered.  The challenges include ability to avoid Strategic Plans on To Shelf (SPOTS), alignment of the HR plans to fit into business plans, creating a balanced scorecard, creating a clear focus within the organization and finally, watching out for quick fixes.

            Avoiding SPOTS;- Becoming a strategic partner requires the professional to turn all the strategic statements into actions.  Overcoming this challenges thus demands that the HR professional forces issues in the organization to be strategically discussed before any major decision is made.

            Creating a balanced scorecard;- A balanced scorecard helps to serve all the business stakeholders optimally.  This requires the HR managers to be equally accountable in all dimensions, they master the financial and customer issues in an organization while at the same time recognizing their contribution to the achievement of business longterm goals.  To overcome this challenge, it is important that the professionals define the employee dimension in terms of individual employee attitudes as well as the organizational processes.

            Creating a clear focus within the organization;- this involves the identification of business capabilities which are likely to help the organization accomplish its long term strategies.  This will in turn help the professionals to improve on the capabilities, implement strategies and leverage new and better quality products and services in their organizations.

            Watching out for quick fixes;- HR managers need to avoid being lured into enticing quick fixes which are mainly encouraged by benchmarking and frou-frou.  It is important for the professional to first understand the basis, theory and application of an idea before accepting and applying it in business.

            Aligning HR plans with Business plans;- the challenge for the HR professional here is playing a central role in the process of effectively merging of strategic business plans with HR plans.  By overcoming all the five discussed challenges, the HR professional becomes a strategic business partner which means that he or she understands the direction of the business in all dimensions and is thus able to push it forward to achieve its long term objectives.

HR professionals as advocates for employee benefits.

            As an employee sponsor or advocate, the HR professional helps to exercise his expertise in the creation of a working environment which is motivating and suitable for all the employees to be productive.  According to Pynes (2007), the HR professional is faced by the challenge of creating a healthy organizational culture which promotes competency and employee commitment through the provision of enticing career development opportunities, assistance programs, team building programs, employee reward strategies and so forth.

            The role of a HR professional as a champion for employee benefits is very challenging and difficult to balance with business metrics which is the main focus of the manager.  Beauchamp (2003) explains that one of the major challenges facing the role of HR professionals as an employee advocate includes situations where the HR is expected to communicate bad tidings to the employees in regard to layoffs or benefit cuts.  As an advocate of employee benefits, the HR manager is likely to find himself at longer-heads with the line mangers who are opposed to giving their employees the best that there is in terms of salary packages and other benefits.

            In addition, the role of coming up with effective reward programs for the best performing employees which will not go against the organization’s culture can also be tricky and so is the process of choosing those employees who are best suited to receive the benefits and be involved in other beneficial programs such as succession planning, career development and so forth.  This requires the professionals to be equipped properly in order to deal with a wide range of people related business processes needed to instill high commitment and employee performance in the organization.

HR professionals as moral mentors.

            HR professionals act as coaches, mentors, counselors and succession planners who help to promote loyalty and integrity within their organizations.  They promote moral values, beliefs and professional ethics at the workplace especially in the management of diversity within their organizations (Velasquez & Rostankowski, 2005).  The HR manager is expected to play a key role in leading by example on the practice of organizational ethics.  The HR professionals serve as a moral compass which helps to instill integrity in the leaders of the organization.  In this case, the moral compass is likened to a code of conduct which is consulted during the process of decision making.  Integrity refers to the quality of being honest and maintaining high moral standards in the organization.

            By acting as a moral compass, the HR professionals clearly pay loyalty to the organizations stakeholders in the order of public, profession, employer or the client and then the individual interests (Bedaracco & Webb, 2006).  In this case, the HR manger is responsible for nurturing an environment where the employees and organization leaders can achieve their personal goals as well as the goals of the organization.

            It is a major challenge for the managers to balance career, business and demands for moral practices.  Every HR professional has to serve as good example when addressing some ethical issues concerning recruitment, hiring, training and promoting their employees in order for the other leaders to follow on the same footsteps in terms of integrity.  Moreover, the issue of pressure from senior managers for the professionals to make decisions which are business oriented but are not morally upright is another major challenge which is likely to face the HR professionals in their role as moral compasses.

            In addition, certain ethical challenges are likely to arise among the leaders in regard to corruption and favoritism when making important decisions due to sex and racial discrimination, loose morals or a breach of confidentiality.  This makes it very necessary for the HR managers to strategize on the best ways which they can use to deal with such issues in order to instill corporate integrity in the leaders without arousing any conflicts.

            In conclusion we can say that, HR professionals as strategic partners, employee advocates and moral mentors are faced by challenges which are more or less related to those facing the global economy.  The continued increase in technology which has led to prevalence of other factors such as lower transitional costs and and improved methods of communication has led to high competition both in the local and global markets.  For this reason, the HR managers as strategic business partners have to invent ways in which to utilize the available human capital in order to overcome such competition.  This requires the professionals to upgrade their business strategies in order to enhance organizational development and improve their organizations’ business capabilities.  In addition, the professionals are faced by the challenge of hiring, retaining and improving top talents at the lowest possible costs.
References.

Badaracco, J. ; Webb, A. (2006). Business ethics: A view from the trenches. California

            Management Review, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 8-28.

Beauchamp, T. ; Bowie, N. (2003). Ethical theory and Business. Englewood-Cliffs:      Prentice-Hall.

Broderick, R. (2002). Human resource management, information technology and the      competitive edge. Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 7-17

Colleen A. (2005). The Changing Role of the Human Resource Manager. Public Administration Review 65(1): 109-116.

Donaldson, C. (2006). Helping HRIS. Human Resources Magazine. Australia, 2006.

Pynes, J. E. (2003). Strategic Human Resources Management. In Steven Hays ; Richard          Kearney, Public Personnel Administration: Problems and Prospects (4th edition), pp.          93-105. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Pynes, J. E. (2007). Human Resources Planning. Encyclopedia of Public Administration and     Public Policy. New York: Taylor ; Francis (pp. 949-951).

Ulrich, D. (1997). The Next Agenda for Adding Value and Delivering Results. Boston:    Harvard Business Press.

Van Gramberg, B. ; Teicher, J. (2002). Managing neutrality and impartiality in resolving           workplace conflict: A dilemma for HR managers? Refereed proceedings of the         Academy of Management Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Velasquez, M. ; Rostankowski, C. (2005). Ethics, theory and practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.