A Human Resource Information System - Larson Property Management's Criteria of Choice - Term Paper Example

Introduction A Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is online-based solution software which contains databases that facilitate organizational processes such as data entry, data tracking, and the management of other data information requirements (Das and Barman, 2018). Essentially, the basic function of HRIS is multifaceted ranging from operational assistance to carrying out data analytics to provide timely and diverse information for strategic decision making related to human capital (Das and Barman, 2018). Basically, the HRIS application integrates the use of information technology in the routine functions of the Human Resource (HR) department. This research shall propose a suitable HRIS application for Larson Property Management firm. Two Ways to View an HRIS The key to a successful design of an HRIS application is to understand the essential perspectives such as the data needed and the processes to be implemented. Essentially, there is the need to focus on the impact of the data that will be collected and the analysis that will be conducted on such data. In this regard, HRIS application specialists opine that the designers of the system must determine the crucial workforce questions that need to be solved without being constrained by the data available (Howes, 2014). Additionally, data factors such as accuracy, accessibility, comprehensiveness, consistency, precision, relevancy, and timelines ought to be considered. The importance of viewing the HRIS application from data perspective is that it guarantees that the organization will have sufficient data to help it in its daily operations. With sufficient data, the organization avoids instances of data smog and confusion within its ranks and hence is able to function efficiently and effectively. On the other hand, HRIS may be viewed from the process perspective. In this regard, the main areas of interest include the steps followed in the conversion of raw data into meaningful information, the overall efficiency of the HRIS application, and the ease of use of the system (Chauhan, Sharma, and Tyagi, 2011). Additionally, the process perspective of the HRIS application concerns itself with whether the system will improve the decision-making process of the organization (Chauhan, Sharma, and Tyagi, 2011). Nevertheless, the designers are concerned with whether or not the system will help the management attain its desired goals (Chauhan, Sharma, and Tyagi, 2011). The importance of viewing the HRIS application from process perspective is that it helps the management to adopt a proactive approach in conducting its routine functions. Additionally, this approach is critical in ensuring that the firm attains its desired goals through the implementation of a system that is customized according to the various needs of the organization. Logical Process Modeling with Data Flow Diagrams and Physical Design Choice There exist four types of HRIS systems, namely, operational HRIS, tactical HRIS, strategic HRIS, and comprehensive HRIS. Each of these systems is implemented by a firm based on its human resource needs. Larson Property Management is a firm in the real estate sector that is currently run by three individuals. Therefore, a comprehensive HRIS is suitable for enabling the firm to manage its human resource operations more efficiently. The reason for this conclusion is based on the fact that it is only managed by a small workforce of three individuals. Nevertheless, the firm’s scope of geographical operation covers only a small area, that is, the eastern side of Guilford County through all of Alamance County to the Western part of Orange County (Larson Properties, 2018). Another factor that is considered for such a conclusion is the span of years in which the company has been in operation. Additionally, future factors such as business expansion are considered and in this regard, the system to be adopted shall cater for the increase in the number of employees and operations within the organization. The business activities and processes to be implemented within the Comprehensive HRIS are as discussed below. The main process within the HR department is the sourcing and maintenance of employee records. In this regard, a HRIS application ought to have a stable database that will maintain the employee records with minimal or no downtimes at all. The database also needs to be user friendly to facilitate the easy retrieval of employee records as and when needed. As companies expand, they often look for more employees to fill up the new job roles. In this regard, the firm often undertakes the recruitment process to find the right candidate for the relevant job roles. Therefore, the HRIS application ought to be scalable to cater for the expanding needs of the organization. Payroll and compensation management is the other key business activity within the HR department. A user friendly HRIS application will help the employees to understand how they are compensated and hence they will be motivated to perform better. From time to time, employees are evaluated to find out how they are faring on with their job roles. In this case, the HR manages often engage in performance management and appraisal. An efficient and effective HRIS system will keep track of employee performance within the organization. For instance, the system will track their time-in and time-outs, holidays, sick leaves, bonuses awarded, and even provide a report on how effective they are in executing their job roles. Job turnover is a normal occurrence in any organization. Hence, there is the need to have a suitable succession planning process to fill the gap left behind as a result of the turnover. Data Flow Diagram The world is currently revolving in the information age. Companies across the world are caught up in a race to catch up with the dynamics of information technology and the human resource function is no exception. There is a lot of information that is generated daily within the company ranks. If these firms were to stick to old ways of running their various functions, there would be a high probability of inaccuracy of the information. Therefore, there is the need for companies to implement reliable HRIS application that will adequately cater for their human resource needs. According to Gupta (2013), the modern HRIS application has to contain human resource modules such as record keeping, payroll and compensation administration, recruitment, and training and performance management. In essence, a viable HRIS application introduces the aspect of technology into the human resource activities that were once considered manual and routine. It can be seen that the proposed HRIS application for Larson Property Management comprehensively covers all the basic functions of human resource. Choosing the HRIS Vendor According to a 2017-18 Human Resource Systems survey conducted by Sierra –Cedar, it was determined that SAP, Oracle HRMS, and Workday were the top three HRIS vendors for companies found in the mid to large market segments. According to Al-Dmour, Love, and Al-Zu’bi (2013), some of the key factors to be considered when selecting a typical HRIS vendor include the features included in their application software, user friendliness, scalability, the vendor’s expertise, and the cost of the purchasing and implementing the system. An analysis of the key features and HR functions reveals that all of the HRIS vendors had unique product offerings. For instance, SAP while Oracle have cloud deployment and electronic business suite (EBS), with both companies guaranteeing that their offerings would help meet the needs of the client. Nevertheless, Workday’s platform boasts of adopting a customer-focused platform that is aimed at giving their client firms a competitive edge as they compete in a dynamic market place (Workday, 2018). A look into the capability of the application being offered by the three vendors reveals that SAP is highly scalable in comparison to the other vendors. Scalability refers to the ability of HRIS application software to accommodate the future changes experienced within the ranks of the company. A look into the cost of the various application software reveals that Oracle’s product offering was the most expensive, followed by SAP and finally Workday. However, cost is not a main concern because Larson is after stability and reliability of the system. Nevertheless, another aspect that was taken into consideration when selecting the appropriate application software was vendor references and referrals, that is, the number of previous clients who recommended the services being offered by the HRIS vendor. In this case, SAP emerged top. Conclusion There is the need to observe vendor neutrality when selecting particular HRIS software. The decision to arrive at the final HRIS provider was based on factors such as the capabilities of the system. In this regard, features such as user friendliness and scalability were taken into consideration. It is worth noting that cost of the system was not a major factor since the company was in search of a stable system that would suit its current and future HR needs without the need for unnecessary upgrades. Additionally, the analysis considered vendor referrals because references are one way of crediting the reliability of the system from a client’s point of view. Hence, Larson Property Management settled on SAP because it had product offerings that were suitable to handle its current HR needs and it was also highly recommended by most firms. Read More