Course : MBA-HRM

Semester : III
Subject : Strategic HRM & Development
Prof : Dr.V.SARAVANAN

Assignment –I
1. Explain the framework of Strategic HR Management Process

2. Elaborate on the various challenges faced by an organization with suitable examples.

3. Explain the development and implementation of an HRIS?
4,7 HR MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY: HRIS

HR technology can be defined as any technology that is used to attract, hire, retain, and
maintain human resources, support HR administration, and optimize HRM. This technology
can used in different types of human resource information systems (HRIS) and by various
stakeholders, such as managers, employees, and HR professionals. This technology can be
accessed in different ways. There is no doubt that technology has made it easier and faster
to gather, collate, and deliver information and communicate with employees. More
importantly, it has the potential to reduce the administrative burden on the HR department
so it is better able to focus on more meaningful HR activities, such as providing managers
with the expertise they need to make more effective HRrelated decisions. Research has
indicated that companies who effectively use technology to manage their HR functions will
have a significant advantage over those that do not.
Human resources information systems (HRIS) can be defined as integrated systems used to
gather, store, and analyze information regarding an organization’s human resources. Using
HRIS technology can help HR automate and simplify tasks, reduce administration and
record keeping, and provide management with HR-related information when required.
These systems provide a repository for information/data to be stored and maintained, and
they possess varying degrees of reporting capability. However, for the data to be useful,
they need to be transformed into information that is meaningful to managers. This is the
challenge facing HR departments today and what will ultimately determine whether HR is
able to deliver strategic HR services
RELATIONSHIP OF HRM TO HRIS

HRIS is the composite of databases, computer applications, and hardware and software
necessary to collect, record, store, manage, deliver, manipulate, and present data for human
resources. It is important to note that the term “systems” does not just refer to hardware and
software. Systems also include the people, policies, procedures, and data required to
manage the HR function. In reality, computer technology is not the key to being successful
at managing human resource information, but what it does do well is provide a powerful
tool for “operationalizing” the information—making it easier to obtain and disseminate and
ensuring that it is specific to the organization’s HR policies
and practices. A sound HRIS must allow for the assimilation and integration of HR policies
and procedures with an organization’s computer hardware and its software applications. For
example, a simple business rule (e.g., promotions are not to exceed 8 percent of salary)
could easily be programmed into the system, and errors could be flagged when they occur.
FUNCTIONS OF AN HRIS
These data can be used to create information that will serve different purposes for many
different stakeholders
1. Create and maintain employee records
2. Ensure legal compliance
3. Enable managers to forecast and plan future HR requirements
4. Provide information to managers and HR so they can manage knowledge and manage
talent (career and succession planning)
5. Provide information to enable HR plans and activities to align more effectively with the
organization’s strategic plan
6. Assist managers with decision making by providing relevant data so they can make more
effective and informed decisions

1. Create and Maintain Employee Records

The data being entered create an employee record and this record is maintained throughout
employment. In most organizations the HRIS administrator is responsible for creating
(entering the information into the system) and maintaining these records. Accuracy and
timeliness are critical.
2. Compliance

Data entered into the HRIS can be used to help the organization comply with government
regulations in an accurate and timely fashion. Ensuring data integrity and accuracy is very
important and a key responsibility of the HR professional.
3. HR Planning and Forecasting

Information from the recruitment, training and development, and administrative

subsystems, such as number of open positions, types of positions, employee skills and
competencies, job rates (salaries), retirement eligibility, and employee turnover rates, can
be used to help

managers develop long-range staffing plans and provide valuable information to HR

professionals.
4. Talent Management/Knowledge Management

The data that are entered into the system, such as skills, competencies, jobs held, training,
and employee development interests, can be used to help managers provide development
opportunities for their employees, ensure that the appropriate employees are offered
positions that will enhance their skills, provide the appropriate training for employees so
they can advance in the organization, and highlight an employee’s interests and
development paths. This information will help HR professionals to provide more targeted
advice and counsel to managers and help HR to work more effectively with employees and
managers to create a development plan that meets organizational and employee needs.
5. Strategic Alignment

Information from the system can help organizations align HR activities more effectively
with their strategic plan. For example, if the organization’s plan was to enter into a new
market and it required a certain number of certain types of employees (say, five
accountants), the data from the system can tell management whether it has these employees,
and if not, when they are expected to be hired.

6. Enhancing Decision Making

The ability to extract data from the HRIS and use these data not just to create information
but also to improve the quality of management decisions has become increasingly
important. HRIS can access a data warehouse, or central repository for all the data collected
by an organization’s business systems.
Some of the most commonly requested reports from the HRIS include

• Basic information, such as name, address, phone number

• Compensation reports, such as salary history

• Performance evaluations

• Leaves of absence, paid or unpaid

• Number of jobs held and position titles

• Number of vacation days taken and number outstanding

• Types of training taken and skills acquired

SELECTING AND IMPLEMENTING HRIS

1. Adoption Phase

Adoption Phase In this phase, organizations typically engage in a needs analysis to

determine what type of system they will purchase. A needs analysis helps the organization
decide on what the system should be capable of doing and what the technical specifications
will be, and helps the organization develop an information policy about how the
information should be managed with respect to storage and access. There are several main
areas to be considered in the needs analysis: company background, management
considerations, technical considerations, HR considerations, and pricing.
Once the needs analysis is complete, companies then send out a request for proposal (RFP)
to vendors, schedule demonstrations of the various systems, and ultimately choose one that
most closely aligns with their needs analysis, budgets, and management requirements. At
this point, the adoption phase is complete, and the organization will move on to the
implementation phase.

2. Implementation Phase

In this phase, the company selects a project team. This team typically comprises outside
consultants who have the knowledge and expertise on the technical side and also expertise
in change management to help the organization with the implementation. In addition to the
outside consultants, there is typically a senior project manager who leads the team, subject
matter experts from HR and payroll, as well as management from the various functional
areas across the organization. After all, these managers will be using the system and it is
important for them to ensure that the system is implemented effectively and that their
requirements are clearly understood.

A final, critical piece of HRIS security is making sure that system users clearly understand
and adhere to the company confidentiality and code of ethics policies. All users need to
understand that they must not share passwords, post them in view of others, or compromise
them in any way.
3. Institutionalization Phase

The final step in implementing an HRIS is to train the users on the system. The
organization’s goal is for the stakeholders to use the system and reap the benefits identified
through the needs analysis. However, many difficulties can arise with the implementation
of a new system. As with any change, people need to become comfortable. People typically
have difficulties in transitioning to an HRIS and the organization can experience inertia.
Employees need to be trained but even after training they may not feel fully competent and
might not use the system. With any new system, stakeholders typically underestimate the
complexity of the system. HR may have difficulty with the change as well.
Very recently, a popular extension of HRIS technology has been self-service for employees
and managers in order to automate workflow. With these technological developments, the
typical activities that HR used to carry out are no longer required and, as a result, HR staff
may feel disenfranchised. A recent survey examined the impact of technology on the
number of HR staff and found that the implementation of HR technology does not
necessary mean a reduction in HR staff and that, in fact, the number of HR staff increased
or remained the same. One technological development that has impacted HR and the
delivery of service has been Web-based self-service applications.

4.8 USAGES AND IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES

Social media as a digital platform has had a tremendous impact on how we communicate
and maintain dialogue with friends, family and colleagues. The advent of social media sites
like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others have presented to us a democratic platform
where everyone has an opinion and an equal chance of being heard. Social media, in the
way it is structured, allows people to share their life events, their opinions on matters of
political or social significance and their feelings. The hallmark of this medium is in the two-
way, instant communication that it offers vis-à-vis other traditional media channels like
television print, where the communication is only one-way.

Because of these very benefits of the digital platform, it has become a rudimentary practice
for every organization to have a social media presence for marketing or for corporate HR
engagement. In any organization, HR is the function that deals with all the employees
related matters like payroll, recruitments, employee engagement, learning and skill
development, work environment etc. It is also the responsibility of the HR function to
communicate and generate conversations about various HR practises such as talent
acquisition, leadership, employee communication as well as attracting future employees.
Social Media as a tool helps them do just that.Through social media, conversations have
changed both internally and externally in organizations. There is a need to create an
engaging two-way dialogue between the company and the employees. HR uses social
media to create this dialogue.
• Employee Communication. Before social media, employers communicated to their
employee using in person meetings, email, memos, and interoffice mail. Changes in policy
or corporate restructures were communicated the same way. There was control,
predictability, and a flow to the communications as well as change. Enter social media.
Employers must now communicate changes to their organization making the assumption
that by telling one, you are telling all. A single tweet or Facebook update serves as public
notice to any type of corporate change throwing a wrinkle in the corporate communicate
process.
• The Voice of the Employee. Before social media, companies could rely on break room
suggestion boxes, employee hotlines, and closed room meetings as a way for employees to
raise and express concerns. Through social media, blogs, and online forums employees can
now share their experiences and suggestions good as well as bad. Like consumers
companies have little control except to monitor, address the change, and continue to
communicate.
• Employer Branding. Even during a recession, employees have choices. In the past,
employers communicate their job openings using one-way conversation tools like the
newspaper, job boards, or career fairs. HR and Recruiting teams are now seen as an
extension of their PR and Marketing departments except their target audience using social
media is candidates not consumers.

• Employee Engagement Internal networking through social media can enable faster and
less hierarchical information sharing . So act as a powerful way of building employee
engagement.
• Facilitates Training Social networking creates a more open and less hierarchical form of
learning. It can react to the changing environment and disseminate new learning quickly
and effectively at low cost. It is more motivating and interesting for employees.
Social media changes HR, forcing them to consider technology and the online conversation
in everything they do. Online social platforms are where the conversations HR and senior
executives can no longer afford to ignore. Social media changes business. Social media
changes HR. Social media is engagement. Social
4. Describe the various stages in career development with examples.
The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development

According to "Get Smart! About Modern Career Development", there are six stages of
modern career development:
1.Assessment,
2.Investigation,
3. Preparation,
4.Commitment,
5.Retention, and
6. Transition.
1. In the Assessment Stage, you are getting ready for your life's work. This stage is
characterized by unawareness, in that you are not sure what your values, strengths, and
weaknesses are. You start to feel like you want to know more about yourself and make a
conscious effort to get in touch with who you really are.
Key Tasks:
Taking assessment instruments
Working with a career counselor or career coach
2. In the Investigation Stage, you are researching what work exists in the world. This
stage is characterized by feelings of confusion, in that you are not sure what career options
exist for you. You may feel overwhelmed with all of the different jobs and opportunities
that exist as you begin the process of researching the modern world of work. But if you
approach this stage with a positive frame of mind, you will find that you will learn about
many possibilities you may have never considered.
Key Tasks:
Researching the world of work
Conducting informational interviews with people in your chosen field
3. In the Preparation Stage, you are still getting ready to do your life's work. This stage is
characterized by feelings of excitement, as you think of how wonderful it will be to perform
meaningful work. However, there is still much work to be done, and in order to be
successful, you have to be prepared.
Key Tasks:
Gaining knowledge and experience
Setting goals and adopting a success-oriented mind-set
4. In the Commitment Stage, you feel confident, in that you have figured out what you are
meant to do. Sometimes people have known all along what they were meant to do, but were
not able to commit to the process of making it happen. At this stage, more than ever, you
must focus your energy and keep your eye on the target.
Key Tasks:
Conducting a job search
Negotiating and accepting a job offer
5. In the Retention Stage, you feel comfortable in your career field, as you now have
figured out how things work in your industry. You may want to remain committed to your
career by continually updating your skill set and staying current with industry standards.
Key Tasks:
Providing first-class customer service skills
Building a professional network
6. The Transition Stage is characterized by feelings of discomfort, in that you are unsure
of what you will be doing next (and/or if you will be happy). In this stage, you learn to
make conscious changes in your career direction.
Key Tasks:
Making career changes
Developing resiliency
When making a career decision, most people progress through each stage in a circular
fashion. But it is common for people to go back and forth between stages as they gather
more information about themselves, the world of work, and as they begin aligning their
career decision with their age, developmental stage, and life goals. It is safe to say that no
matter what career stage you find yourself (or your clients) in now, you can be sure that you
(and they) will enter and re-enter these six stages many times throughout a lifetime.
5. Distinguish between Employee Coaching and Employee Counseling. Explain
with suitable examples.
Assignment –II

1. Give a brief account of the evolution of HRM as a functional area in any organization.
2. In what ways does the HRD function relate to the organization’s strategy?
Give contextual examples.
3. Briefly elaborate on e-HRM.
4. Discuss the various steps in career planning and process.
5. What are the skills required for effective coaching and how do you bring about
coaching effectiveness?