E-HRM

 

·       What is e-HRM

The concept of e-HRM is generally used to describe the “administration of human resource practices with the help of the Internet, intranet, and networks”.

Integration of computers in work life along with the rapid changes in Internet technologies influenced HRM, which in turn, transformed this management system into e-HRM.

e-HRM is the blend of all HR activities using web-based technologies. Just, when HR utilizes the Internet or related advancements to help their exercises, methodology, forms, at that point it turns into an e-HRM.

e-HRM helps managers in data compliance at one place and they can analyze and take better employee-related decisions.

e-HRM activities includes e-recruitment, e-selection, e-performance management, e-compensation, e-learning.

In parallel to the developments in information technologies, the e-HRM has become a highly debated subject and received substantial scholarly attention since its early introduction in 1995 (Strohmeier, 2007).

·       Fundamental factors caused on formation of e-HRM

As per the Jones (1997), following six fundamental causing factors have been identified for formation of e-HRM.

Information technology: It has become essential for e-HRM to adapt to fast changes in computer software, hardware, and networks so that work processes on human resources become effective.

Reengineering of processes: Human resource managers redesign business processes and enhance functioning and the overall productivity of the organization.

Swift management: Organizations are required to work skillfully and swiftly in order to compete with competition. For this particular reason, the e-HRM practices are believed to reduce the overall costs of business processes.

Network organizations: Organizations are in search of less bureaucratic and more practical solutions. With the use of information technology provided by local area networks, e-mails, and mutual intranet, information can be easily transferred among coworkers and stake-holders, hence enabling more effective use of human resources.

Information workers: With the use of information technologies, employees can swiftly gather, form, reform, and use valuable information that in turn allow the organization to learn and put forward new work opportunities.

Globalization: All organizations are required to develop global working strategies in order to compete in the twenty-first century. In other words, human resource departments should be restructured in order to meet the needs/demands of employees.

 ·       e-HRM Functions

o   Electronic Human Resource Planning

e-HRM systems offer mechanisms that facilitate the collection, restoration, and update of the existing data related to the knowledge, skills, and competences of the organization’s employees and access to the data when required.

This provides a faster and much more knowledgeable decision-making process should new initiatives are demanded by other departments within the organization (Hopkins & Markham, 2003: 57–58).

o   Electronic recruitment

Reducing the costs of recruitment and speeding up the process and access to a much broader job application pool are among the contributions of the use of the Internet in recruitment. These advantages of the use of the Internet increased the popularity of electronic recruitment among the human resource experts working in different sectors and expanded the use of electronic recruitment (Pearce & Tuten, 2001: 9).

Technology is used not only in recruiting candidates to the organizations but also in selecting work activities for these candidates (Hogler, Henle, & Bemus, 1998: 152). Thus, it helps to provide a larger candidate pool and more effective recruitment process due to the shortening of the process and reducing of the costs of recruitment (Marchington & Wilkinson, 2005: 174).

 o   e-Learning

e-Learning can be depicted as a new innovative approach providing a well-designed, student-oriented, interactive, and facilitated learning environment for anyone at any place and time by utilizing open and flexible learning materials and various digital technological resources and properties.

e-Learning is also defined by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) as a wide range of activities and processes such as Internet-based learning, computer-based learning, online classes, and digital collaborations.

 o   Electronic performance management

Electronic performance management can be connoted as the use of audiovisual computer systems for the collection, storage, analysis, and reporting of performance data of an individual and/or group.

The main objective of the use of technology in performance rating is to develop individual performances and thus the organization’s performance by providing the employees with the necessary knowledge, techniques, and methods as well as the support systems.

 o   Electronic career management

Computer-based career guidance systems are diagnostic tools that identify and put across the priorities required for the development of employees. Additionally, these systems provide the employees with the facilities to compare the knowledge and skills they hold with the skills and competences required at the present and future positions.

 o   e-Compensation

With e-compensation, managers can design, manage, and report compensation policies in a more effective way by using web-based software tools. Additionally, they are able to administer routine compensation management duties such as responding to the employees, should they ask for information on their confidential information or specific rewarding systems.

e-Compensation tools facilitate the conduct of bureaucratic duties by the flow of real-time data and knowledge. Besides, electronic charging can be benefited in the maintenance of wage equality.

 o   Electronic industrial relations

Web-based software facilitates the establishment of a system that helps managers in their decision making on the potential problems in the area of industrial relations. These systems are necessary for the bargaining of collective labor contract and useful for the presentation of variables that are hard to obtain such as the data on the absenteeism of employees, over-time work/labor shift, the information on shifts, and the impact on costs.

 o   Electronic occupational safety and health

Managers are continuously informed about the effectiveness of the activities aimed at reducing the risks of accidents through reports prepared on occupational diseases, accidents, and disabilities and encourage replanning of the works and processes that take into consideration the risk of accidents. Additionally, employees might be informed electronically about the specific risks that they might face in the form of personalized information; thus, it might be possible to change the attitudes of the employees without mediation of an expert.

References

Strohmeier, S. (2007). Research in e-HRM: Review and implications. Human Resource Management Review, 17(1), 19–37.

Jones, J. W. (1997). Virtual HR: Human Resources Management in the Information Age. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp Publications.

Hopkins, B., & Markham, J. (2003). e-HR: Using Intranets to Improve the Effectiveness of Your People. Hampshire, U.K.: Gower Publishing Limited.

Pearce, C. G., & Tuten, T. L. (2001). Internet recruiting in the banking industry. Business Communication Quarterly, C:LXIV(1), 9–18.

Hogler, R. L., Henle, C., & Bemus, C. (1998). Internet recruiting and employment discrimination: A legal perspective. Human Resource Management Review, C:VIII(2), 149–164.

Marchington, M., & Wilkinson, A. (2005). Human Resource Management at Work: People Management and Development, 3rd edn. London, U.K.: Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) Publishing