This paper investigates the linkage between information technology and Human resource management in an organisation. The paper examines the IT literature with respects to its usage in the field of Human resources along with a case study. Under the light of recent flow of information we will study the course of IT integration in Human Resource management discussing the benefits and disadvantages related to the field. An Introduction to Human Resourcing and Information Technology
One of the key elements in a fast moving organisation is their effective management of their workforce through Human resources. Human resources is a very fast developing field taking shape throughout the industrial world, recognising the fact that humans are the most valuable asset of an organisation. Leaders across the world rely more upon effective management policies that applies specifically to the human resource area of expertise. With a rapid boom in human resources area, many professional and specialists of human relations have researched over the subject giving vast amount of knowledge and understanding of human behaviour in an organisation giving productive and effective methods for streamlining the workforce management policies. In reality HR is the part of organisation which is required to manage the workforce effectively.
IT has literally transformed the world over the past few decades, a major shift in the way we live, learn and work has already begun with the arrival of IT. For example students no longer require note books or any books they can access all the relevant material online, governments supply all the information about virtually everything online so we can access it with the comfort of our homes rather than going the specific departments to access the information. For business IT has defiantly opened new mediums to approach the consumer as more transactions are occurring online then in person. Not only in the developed nations but this phenomenon is spreading very rapidly across the world. As of June 2000, the worldwide on-line population was estimated to be around 333 million (Nua Research 2000) which has grown to doubled now.
Information technology (IT) is considered to be a critical infrastructure in organisations across the globe. Which is also emerging as an effective contributor to the performance of an organisation, it is often discussed that the success of IT in organisation is attributed to strategy, consistent delivery, systems usability which suggests that human resources (HR) in the organisation plays an important role. Information systems research has recognised the importance of IT acquisition in HR departments in the organisation.
HR and IT together play a key role in development of business these days. As HR is responsible for all human interaction in an organisation, recognising the needs of the organisation and the employees in favour of the progressive movement of the organisation, while IT systems enhances the capabilities of an HR department in meeting the organisational goal in the field. A brief example would be keeping records of all their employees one click away which automatically would allow the user to get to know the person much more and getting closer as it would tell all the details about him when his birth day is what are his likes and dislike helping to create a more friendly environment and motivating the staff. Regardless of information technology got the advance system (IT), many computer-based information systems (IS) hence the management performance.
A growing share of this implementation comes through from HR department. This department considered the human factors, resource and (HR) management issues connected with IT incorporation. HR persons have special role in the IS adoption process, so they can proposed and illustrated in a series of brief case studies. Then they can compile the results from a field investigation. The association among the HR professional and particular IS to measure and examine the success of different organisation around the world. Practical and encouraging HR roles were found to be linked with better user satisfaction, smoother management change and enhanced productivity, but did not considerably affect visible output quality.
HR Function and Information Technology There are many functions of HR some of them are listed below with a brief knowledge of how IT can help maintain good HR functionality. Staffing: Business needs manpower without employees is practically impossible to run smooth functioning of a business. One of the key roles HR is to recruit efficient manpower; Job description and job specification are useful tools for staffing process, which is one of seven functions of HR which we will discuss in this paper. In an organisation which runs on large scale the employee turnover is usually high where employees are leaving are being promoted which leads to the need of recruitment but who to recruit and how this is the function of HR where they know who they want, what skill do they require .
In large organizations, an employee requisition must be submitted to the HR department that specifies the job title, the department, and the date the employee is needed. From there, the job description can be referenced for specific job related qualifications to provide more detail when advertising the position-either internally, externally, or both (Mondy and Noe, 1996). Now it’s the function of HR to attract qualified applicants through job postings and other forms of advertising, then the going through the screening of the candidates and finally the interviews of the successful candidates. The final say is of the line manager assuming all the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requirements are met.
IT could be a lot of help in the recruiting process as it has made the job a lot more easier over the past a few decades, where the job is normally posted over the internet with the exact description of the skills required and usually the first replies are over the internet via emails saving time to go through the mails by post and also saving time through fast communication. Most companies use online or telephonic interviews for the first screening to shortlist candidates.
