Positive and Negative Impacts of e-HRM - Assignment Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Research Report Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Introduction E-HRM is the general application of information technology in planning and implementing of the human resource duties. It is the process of decentralizing the human resource roles to the management and also to the employees. All these functions can be accessed through the internet or through other technologically developed web services. This decentralization through the internet allows all other departments within an organization to access and attend some of the human resource management roles hence relieving the human resource manager of some of the duties. This will also lower the human resource staffing hence cutting the costs in the organization. E-HRM includes e-recruitment, e-selection, e-learning, e-performance management and e-compensation. The main goal of e-HRM is to improve the services offered by the human resource management department, improve the efficiency in the department and to reduce the costs. Impacts of e-HRM in an organization When a Chief Executive Officer of an organization wants to adopt the e-HRM in the organization, it would be better that he or she first informs the employees to know hoe they perceive the idea. It would also be better if the employees are made to clearly understand the concepts of e-HRM and how they will affect them. E-HRM has both positive and negative impacts in on organization. The negative impacts it has may however affect its reception and the willingness of the employees to embrace it when introduced in an organization. With information technology in an organization, the human resource manager by the use of computers can plan and conduct evaluation, arrange for training and development and estimate the costs. Employees can also use the concepts of e-HRM to plan for their own activities, apply for promotion to top and new posts and also to reach for information about the human resource management policies (Ulrich 1996). Positive impacts of e-HRM Those organizations that have been practicing e-HRM enjoy the benefits of easy process of managing and implementing the human resource strategies, policies and practices. When the e-HRM is adopted in an organization, it is easy to process information concerning operational roles such as employees’ administration, registration and distribution of information to all departments in an organization. This wills create less demand for human resource management staff especially if all the employees are able to use the human resource services through the internet. E-HRM also improves clients’ satisfaction in an organization since less time will be spent in attending to them. This is because information is easily processed and accessed. There will be quality of communication will also improve in an organization with information technology. However, to achieve al these benefits of e-HRM, there will be need for installation of new instruments that will enable internet use. This will also require human resource management expertise to formulate and install what is required for use of e-HRM. Information and technology in human resource management also leads to increase in output. This is because there will be faster management of employees as will be indicated in e-learning and e-performance management (Legge 2004). E-learning will ensure that all the knowledge and skills that the employees need are delivered to them while. They are still on duty. There will be on line learning programs that will ensure that the employees do not leave their places of work to go and attend training classes. Training will be accessed by the employees through the internet at their own time and they will be able to exchange ideas, share problems and express concerns. E-HRM also ensures that the employees post their complains to the human resource manager through the internet where the information will be quickly accessed, unlike where they will have to go to the office and hold talks. The manager will therefore get to know what is affecting the employees and this will ensure continued production. As with e-performance management, evaluation of the employees work can be done online and the necessary adjustments made. Where the manager is not satisfied, the process of forwarding comments and getting feedback will be through the internet and implementation will therefore be immediate. Employees also have an opportunity to get updates on what is happening in the human resource management department since all will be available in the internet, they will also have a chance to participate in online discussions and make a choice of their career path (Ruel 2004). Negative impacts of e-HRM With the current increase in use of information technology in many organizations, the tradition social roles that the human resource department was charged with suffer a distance that is created by the online activities of the e-HRM. There is loss face to face communication between the employees and the human resource manager and this is s negative aspect or the employees. In such a situation, the human resource manager will not get details of what is happening at the ground level since it is not all that will be posted in the internet. The employees will only ensure that the human resource manager will be informed of the positive happenings that will earn them positive compliments. Face to face communication is essential since the manager can also read from the face what is in the employees’ minds. The workers in the human resources management will also get affected by the changes since the automation of activities will lead to redundancy. Many employees will be left with no work to do and this will make them loose their job. However, the human resource workers are the key players in implementation of the e-HRM. Bearing in mind the consequences of eh process, they will get demotivated and will work towards paralyzing the process. The best thins for the management to do is to assign them other human resource related roles which do not involve the information technology. The electronic way of doing things will however be expensive since it will require installation new equipments and hiring of the expertise that will run the electronic system. The staff will also need training on how to work with the new technology and be made to understand how it will have an impact to them (Coronas & Oliva 2005). Other factors associated with electronic human resource management Deskilling This is the process where skilled labour in an organization is eradicated and replaced with modern technologies that will be operated by semi skilled and the unskilled labourers in the organization. This leads to reduction of costs since the amount spent on human capital is decreased. The unskilled and the semi skilled in most cases get hired at a little cost than the skilled. When an organization adopts the use of electronic systems in human resource management, there is a decrease in quality of the work done since the workers here apply mechanical tactics instead of thought. The work also becomes mechanical and professionalism is wiped away. Deskilling can also be brought by the management methods where all the information and communication will be done electronically. Electronic human resource management can lead to deskilling of the workers in human resource department. Those who were charged with the role of disseminating information, registration of employees, recruitment, selection, training and management of employees will have to loose their professional skills of performing these tasks. The tasks will then be performed by those who have the skills of operating the automated technology equipments. The professional skills of human resource management will therefore be replaced with the technical knowledge of operating computers (Coronas & Oliva 2008). Alienation This process is defined by Karl Marx in his theory as the separation of things belonging together, or antagonizing things that were initially in accord. In the labour market, Marx states that alienation is a product of capitalism. He observes that with the current patterns of industrial production in the free enterprise, workers unavoidably lose control of their future lives since they are denied control of their actions. In capitalism, workers are expected to behave as machinery and not as their social self. In the case of electronic human resource management, workers loose control of their abilities to those of technology. For example e- learning will require that the workers to adopt learning skills that are dictated by the technology and not form their own abilities. Surveillance This is the observation of a person from a distance by use of electronic devices such as the CCTV cameras. Surveillance is useful in law enforcement to ensure social control, monitor threatening situations and investigate crimes. In electronic human resource management, surveillance by use of CCTV will be to ensure that the manager is able to monitor what the workers are doing at all times. Surveillance in an organization leads to loss of freedom for the employees and creates tension during work. This is because the employees are aware that any small mistake that one does is getting noticed. Employees need a free working environment where no strict monitoring is being done. Change management Change management has been on increase in recent years due to increased use of information technology. The continued innovations in technology are driving to more changes in the systems and processes in an organization. Use of internet has enabled faster and easier access to information and increased level of knowledge among the employees. With the adoption of e-HRM, change management will be easier since the necessary changes will be communicated faster and the required training performed the same way (Noe 2004). Arguments on e-HRM The proposed electronic methods of human resource management will however bring benefits to the organization if practiced properly. But to achieve this, the employees have to be well explained on how they will affect their functioning. E-learning, e-performance management and e-compensation will have specific benefits to the employees while the others will benefit the human resource management workers. However, the employees may be adamant to take up the changes due to the thought that the electronic way will render them redundant and replace their services. The use of CCTV for surveillance may also arise mixed feelings among the employees due to the tension that it might create in the work environment. The Chief Executive Officer therefore needs to interview the employees and assess on their acceptance of the proposed electronic methods. However, the positive benefits of e-HRM are more than the negative impacts and should therefore be adopted. There should be still room for change and when one thing does not work, it should be eliminated. The employees should also be ready to accept the changes since they are happening globally. For an organization to withstand the global market competition, it should be ready to move with the technological changes in all directions (Jackson 2003). Recommendations The proposed electronic human resource management strategy will best work when: It is done gradually. This means that one method is introduced after the other. For example, on those that affect the employees, e-training can start since this is likely to be given a positive reception by the workers. This is a motivating tool for the workers and when done properly can make it easier for them to understand the other e-HRM functions. There is enough awareness. The introduction of electronic systems should not be a surprise to the employees. Before the introduction, they should be informed of the coming, the impacts, both positive and negative, and what will change after. When they are fully aware, the e-HRM can then be introduced. The issue of CCTV should be eliminated since it will cause anxiety among the worker. Strict monitoring does not promote freedom which is very essential in any organization. Conclusion Technology is very important in the performance of every important for effectiveness in the performance of every organization. However, the use of technological systems should not be oppressing to the management and also to the employees. But if the electronic system is well agreed upon, it should be taken up positively and made use of maximally. The proposals by the CEO are positive and should be accepted by the employees for the good of the organization at large. Their positive impacts however outnumber their negative impacts. Bibliography Legge, K., 2004, Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Ulrich, D., 1996, Human Resource Champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results, Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Ruel, H., et al., 2004, E-HRM- innovation or irritation? An exploration of web-based human resource management in large companies, Leiden, Uitgeverij Boom publishers. Coronas, T., & Oliva, M., 2005, e-Human resources management: managing knowledge people, New York, Idea Group Inc. Coronas, T., & Oliva, M., 2008, Encyclopedia of Human Resources Information Systems: Challenges in E-HRM, New York, Idea Group Inc. Noe, R., 2004, Fundamentals of human resource management, London, SAGE. Jackson, P. et al., 2003, E-business fundamentals, New York, Routledge. Read More