Human Resource Information System - Emerging Horizons in Human Resource Management | Human Resource Management - B Com PDF Download

Human Resource Information System
HRIS is an important element in human resource development. It is a system of maintain, collect, and analyse data relating to human resources of the organisation. It helps managers in decision-making in respect of promotion, wage fixing, recruitment, training and development. In this way HRIS acts as a decision support system. The inputs of HRIS include the information relating to employees, their abilities, qualifications, potentialities, creative instincts, age, pay scales, various jobs in the organisation, their required skills and qualifications to do them, the number of employees and executives manning various positions, organisational objectives, policies and procedures etc.
Current Interest in HR Planning
Major reasons for the present emphasis on manpower planning include the following :
1. Employment-Unemployment Situation : Though in general the number of educated unemployed is on the rise, there is an acute shortage of a variety of skills. This emphasises the need for more effective recruitment and retaining people.

2. Technological Change : The changes in production technologies, marketing methods and management techniques have been extensive and rapid. Their effect has been profound on job contents and contexts. These changes can cause problems relating to redundancies, retraining and redeployment. All these contribute to the need to plan human resource needs intensively and systematically.

3. Organisational Change : In a turbulent environment marked by cyclical fluctuations and discontinuities, the nature and pace of changes in organisational environment, activities and structures affect human resource requirements and require strategic consideration.

4. Demographic Changes : The changing profile of the work force in terms of age, sex, literacy, technical inputs and social background have implications for human resource planning.

5. Skill Shortages : Government control and changes in legislation with regard to affirmative action for the disadvantaged groups, working conditions and hours of work, restrictions on women and child employment, casual and contract labour, etc. have stimulated the organisations to become involved in systematic human resource planning.

6. Legislative Controls : The days of executive fiat and hire and fire policies have passed. Now legislation makes it difficult to reduce the size of an organisation quickly and cheaply. It is easy to increase but difficult to reduce the numbers employed because of recent changes in labour law relating to lay-offs and closures. Those responsible for managing human resources must look far ahead and attempt to foresee human resource position.

7. Impact of Pressure Groups : Pressure groups such as unions, politicians and persons displaced from land by location of giant enterprises have been raising contradictory pressures on enterprise management in areas such as internal recruitment and promotions, preference to employees‘ children, displaced persons, sons of soil, etc.

8. Systems Concept : The spread of systems thinking and the advent of microcomputer as part of the on-going revolution in information technology emphasises planning and adopting newer ways of handling voluminous personnel records.

9. Lead Time : A longer lead time is necessary for the selection process and for training and development of the employees, to handle new knowledge and skills successfully.