HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems)

Scope

HR professionals use HRIS systems for administrative HR recordkeeping.

Regulatory citations

• None

Key definitions

• None

Summary of requirements

HRIS aids in the gathering and maintaining HR data on the organization’s employees. It consists of either customized or off-the-shelf software that can help save an organization time and money. The software does this by allowing HR staff to reduce the time needed to maintain the information in paper form. Another advantage of the software is the ability to allow quick access to employee data from multiple computer-equipped locations.

Selection. Selecting the proper HRIS is often the most difficult part of the process, even more so than implementing it. Because there are so many HRIS products on the market, finding the right one requires lots of research. It’s best to narrow the list down to three or four vendors. Complete the selection process by looking at product demos from several different vendors.

Companies planning to purchase a HRIS system need to:

• Get input from their information systems (IS) department, as well as the actual end-users in the HR department;
• Ensure that the vendor selling the software will consult extensively with the IS department and formulate a plan of action to transfer existing data or input raw data into the new system; and
• Remember that some HR functions can’t be efficiently automated.

Employee self-service. One of the options that is available for a computerized HRIS is the employee self-service (ESS) option, which gives employees the ability to view their own employment records.

With ESS, employees can look at their benefit statement, employment record, and personal data. They may also be able to view the organization’s policy manual or employee handbook.

The ESS option usually gives employees the ability to enter or modify personal information. Usually, before the updated information is entered into the database, someone from HR is required to check and approve the information. Department managers can also add or modify information about employee the work for them. This allows HR professionals to concentrate their time and effort on higher level management of employees.

Implementation. Remember to save some of the budget to properly implement the new HRIS. The timeline for the entire implementation process could take one to two years. An important part of the implementation process is training employees in how to operate the software.