Research Paper Hris

Abstract:

Designing and implementing a HRIS system for the Masonic Home of New Jersey's personnel department requires strategic planning, team work, and research. After speaking to the Director of Human Resources, I was able to narrow down the department needs and make recommendations. The needs are: Application processing, employee benefits, payroll, performance evaluations and pay increases are currently being done using MS Excel which is very consuming. The HR department also has trouble with redundant data as well. Utilizing information systems to conduct daily business efficiently has become a necessity for business to stay competitive. This paper will discuss the company's needs and possible recommendations to help the Home operate more resourcefully using" new age" technology.

Applied Research Project: Developing a HRIS for Masonic Home of NJ

The Masonic Home of New Jersey has been in business for well over one hundred years. The Masonic Home originated in 1898 with the mission to provide superior professional and personal care to all who reside in the community. The Masonic Home is located on 450 acres in Burlington, New Jersey.

Developing and implementing an HRIS system is important for any organization be it manual or automated because it provides a sequential and structured way of storing information which can be used for better accessibility at any given point of time. This tool helps in decision making process at the operations and top management level. There are multiple benefits of using an HRIS as well. It decreases the probability of errors because here you rely on the system and not on individuals. It provides reusability, accessibility and security by ensuring that the information is not redundant causing un-necessary information.

According to Oz (2008) "The implementation of a computer system in the business environment can greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization." This is true not only in terms of greater efficiency and productivity, but also when it comes to generating new levels of organizational integration. Therefore, successful implementation of computer systems in the business environment is critical for reaping these goals. At all times the system must be one that provides scalability and expandability for optimal long-term success.

The company has five main issues that will be discussed in this paper. They are listed below:

Issue 1:

Many employees at the Masonic Home have been there for well over twenty five to thirty years. Many personnel staff is use to typewriters and paper filing instead of computers and electronic filing. Adapting to change is difficult for a lot of these employees and implementing new technology complicates this. Although the department is organized, it is not efficient. When other departments request information, (example: requesting applications for employment for a specified area) it would take two to three days for the personnel office to gather those applications because each application must be screened by a person and not a computerized system that can sort applicants based on their qualification's. According to Bohlander & Snell (2007) "HRIS can be a potent weapon for lowering administrative cost, increasing productivity, speeding up response time, and improving decision making and customer service".

Issue 2:

Payroll is done using an in-house system called attendance enterprise. The system is old and cannot be upgraded since the company purchased it. In order for the company to upgrade their payroll system, they will need to purchase another one which could be very costly.

Issue 3:

Performance evaluations and pay increases are done using MS Excel. Pay raises are inputted by an employee and then excel calculations are used to determine the employees raise. The performance evaluation and DOH (date of Hire) is put into alphabetical order (based on employees last name) and personnel will add in new hires when they come aboard.

Issue 4:

Employee getting information about their benefits is another issue the company faces. Since the human resource department is closed by 4:00 pm, second and third shift employees can never discuss issues about their benefits. Offering self- service would be beneficial to employees so they can access their information on their own time. According to Bohlander &Snell (2007) "online benefits programs create a form of self-service benefits administration. One reason for an online program is to provide greater flexibility in benefits selection".

Issue 5:

Since this has to be done by different people in Human Resources, redundant information is happening causing confusing with communication.

Proposed Recommendations:

Implementing a system that can fulfill the organizations needs will take time. The company is looking to expand in the next five years so the system chosen must be able to be upgradable and have a several capabilities since a system can be outdated in a matter of two years time.

The recommendations for the next three years for the Masonic Home of New Jersey would be as follows:

Forming an information system department to maintain the company's technology would be beneficial since the department would have trained specialist that can handle the department's software, software issues, and software upgrades. According to Laudon & Laudon (2010) "the information systems department is the formal organization unit responsible for information technology services. The information systems department is responsible for maintaining the hardware, software, data storage, and networks that comprise the firm's IT infrastructure. The information systems department consists of specialist, such as programmers, system analysts, project leaders, and information system managers." This department's staff could assume the responsibilities of training staff with the new software and they can also monitor database and ensure it is secure.

Once the installation is complete and the new system has been tested to ensure it is functioning correctly, the new service can be rolled out to those who will use it by the information system department specialist. Since I am recommending an employee self service component, it will be necessary to provide training to the employees as well. Small group classes using demonstrations is highly