Nike Inc - Human Resource Information Systesm

End User Software/Applications - Human Resource Database Trends

Managerial Applications of Information Technology (IS535ON_C)

April 10, 2011

BRIEF BACKGROUND OF NICK INC.

The organization that I propose to write about is NICK INC.. NICK INC. was incorporated on August 10, 2005 to oversee the effective and efficient management and operation of all airports in the territory and employs approximately one hundred and sixty employees. There are three main Departments - Administration & Human Resources, Finance and Operations. At present, in the Administration & Human Resources Department, everything is processed manually. Human Resource Manager, may find it extremely difficult to function effectively without the establishment of a technological HR database system. It is important that HRIS are tied to the goals of the business and provide assistance to the other departments in order to meet organizational goals. It is important that HR operates strategically in order to accomplish these goals. In this paper I will examine the disadvantages that NICK INC. may be experiencing as a result of not investing in the appropriate technology.

DEFINITION/HISTORY OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Definition

Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), a form of End User Software/Application is a management information system that collects, processes, stores and analyses, and disseminates information for a specific purpose. HRIS is simply the application of computers to achieve a structured approach for obtaining relevant and timely information that would support HR decisions making, organization and control within an organization. Typically HRIS would keep a record of employee personal information, wage and salary data, benefits, attendance, education and training, performance data/ appraisal results, etc. HRIS provides routine information on the aforementioned for planning and organizing purposes. It may also control operations in the Human Resources area. Human Resource Manager may use HRIS to optimize HR management and support high levels of management, including top management in decision making and business strategies.

History

HRIS has been around for approximately 31 years. With the upsurge of computers in the 1980s, HRIS became a very important component of HR. At the time, it served mainly as an electronic filing system and provided support in the form of information to nontechnical managers. According to Arthur (2007) HRIS took firmer root in the 1990s. "During the 1990s...HRIS grew in sophistication and electronic equipment took its place next to more conventional methods of recruitment" (chp. 1).

Since 1990 HRIS has been developed in web based systems, there has been a shift in HRIS application systems over the years where it has been seen to move from the intranets to the web. Today, we see many HRIS using their portals to advertise job openings and conduct hiring and training online. Initially, organizations used HRIS for payroll purposes and reports. Organizations also maintained personnel records and tracked talent management. However, today, HRIS is very helpful in grouping potential candidates for positions available in organizations. Today, HRIS supports Talent Management Systems that are seen to analyze personnel usage within organizations; identify potential applicants; recruit through online recruiting sites or publications that market recruiters as well as applicants. Likewise as time progresses, Morely, Patrick & O'Sullivan (2006) accurately illustrates that HRIS is increasing providing the platform whereby,

"employees are less and less likely to receive HR services in face-to-face encounters for non-strategic, transaction oriented needs, participating instead in IT-mediated interfaces with HR staff or external vendors via telephones, desktops, kiosks, and wireless devices. Numerous terms are used to describe this phenomenon, including "virtual HR", "eHR", and "business-to-employee" (B2E).

DISCUSSION OF CURRENT BUSINESS ISSUES

NICK INC. is currently operating in a manual mode of operation regarding the management of its human resources. Since incorporation, NICK INC. has suffered tremendously, both, from a financial and HR managerial point of view. According to Edward Lawler,

"You would think that in most organizations, the HR department would be a key player: gathering and disseminating information about talent, helping to develop and implement strategy, and developing practices and systems that motivate individual employees to ever-higher levels of performance. The reality, however, is that this is not the case in most organizations." (p151)

In particular, this is not the case at NICK INC. as the very methods of managing human resources are not effective, efficient, nor innovative. The manual and traditional approach of managing human resources in this modern day business environment is sure to undermine the organization's business strategies and ultimately the survival of the company.

In assessing the current situation, employee data is not always accurate as it is currently being entered a number of times on different excel worksheets for several purposes. Additionally, there is the added risk of the information being changed accidentally and without the knowledge of the user. The mere process of manually generating reports from employee data also lends for errors. For instance, when generating monthly HR reports for management purposes, HR personnel spends an awful amount of time searching for the necessary information from "physical" file documents.

The current process by which NICK INC. manages employee data is very time consuming. Both record keeping and the maintenance of files are performed manually and all HR files are stored in filing cabinets. When there is a need to retrieve information, HR personnel must take time to search the cabinets and related files.

At present, there is a real problem with storage space. NICK INC. has accumulated endless cabinet over the years that are filled with bulky files, both present and closed volumes. This is not good as these cabinets occupy much needed space.

It is also very unproductive in that when prospective employers of former NICK INC. employees call for background check information, there