Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
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HRIS, also known as Human Resource management system, is a data-crunching software utilized by a company’s HR department to help in easy man-management. In order to be effective in its human resource management duties, it combines several HR function and processes such as recruitment process, worker data storage, payroll management, benefits management and keeping track of employee performance and employee attendance records. HRIS is basically an intersection of the core HR activities with IT; with an aim of simplifying the management of the day to day HR processes and activities.
Thanks to Human Resource Information system, traditional HR processes can be improved and the result is better strategic decision making. These systems offer a way of obtaining, storing, disseminating and dispensing employee data to different stakeholders. Initial HRIS were task-specific, targeted to improve, for example, employee payrolls or attendance record.
However, huge improvements in technology have led to the creation of systems that can handle a plethora of tasks. With the expansion of the role of the HR department in recent years, the systems have also been expanded and can take care of tasks such as managing organizational leadership, raising process efficiency, and making light work of financial transactions.
Function of Human resource management system
HRIS encompass a few modules, which include:
- The human resource management module- encompasses various aspects ranging from employment to retirement of employees and everything in between.
- Payroll module – this is concerned with obtaining employee attendance records and creating paychecks while taking into account deductions and taxes. It can also extend to produce worker tax reports.
- Benefits administration module- track employees benefit programs and their contribution towards it.
- Training module- offers a way to manage and track worker training and advancement programs. It makes it possible for the HR to keep an eye on employee education, qualification and skills while determining the best way to train and educate them.
- The analytics module- enables the coupling of the HRIS with other management platforms.
- Employee self-service module-enables the employees to take over some duties traditionally reserved for the HR. Such include employees updating their benefits records and querying attendance records while supervisors can view and approve or decline over time hour requests from employees without involving the HR personnel.
Benefits associated with HRIS
A correctly customized HRIS system provides varied information on everything employees related and even more. It makes information available and makes its processing even easier. Some HRIS are designed such that employees can help the HR department in doing some tasks hence freeing the HR personnel to commit to more strategic tasks. HRIS systems also help managers and supervisors better manage and guide their subordinates.