What is a Human Resources Information System?
Human Resources Information Systems are software used to gather, store, and manage personnel data. The HRIS can be used by an organization to track their employees’ progress and ensure they are meeting their goals. It also provides a platform for managing employee performance and work schedules. The information typically collected includes personal information such as names, addresses, and birthdays; contact information including phone numbers, email addresses, and current job descriptions; employment history including dates of employment and pay rates.
Important Benefits of HRIS system
- HRIS is a software system that helps organizations manage their employees’ recruitment, performance, and compensation.
- HR departments can use this software to create and manage job descriptions, recruit candidates for open positions, track employee progress, and monitor employee performance.
- HRIS systems also provide access to human resources data such as payroll data, benefits data, time-off requests, and employee records.
- HRIS systems can be used to measure the effectiveness of talent management processes.
- They also provide data for planning and decision-making, including employee retention and turnover data and labor rates.
- Additionally, HRIS systems can identify trends in human resources management, such as total time worked or the average number of hours per week.
- Some HRIS systems also provide mobile app management software that can be used on smartphones and tablets. These apps provide the same functions as their desktop counterparts but in a more convenient format.
- HRIS tools can be used for various purposes, including compensation and recruitment. HRIS tools vary in complexity depending on their assigned function.
HRIS Security and Privacy
HRIS is a system that stores, processes, and delivers information about an individual’s employment history, compensation, and other related information. Employers typically use HRIS systems to manage their workforce and provide employee benefits. Businesses also use them to provide HR services for their staff.
The HRIS system handles sensitive information about the employee, such as salary history, compensation data, termination records, etc. Hence the HRIS system needs to have adequate security and privacy measures in place so that the company’s confidential data remains protected from unauthorized access or misuse by the employees. An HRIS also aids in the security of employee data and the confidentiality of information. When using paper forms or spreadsheets, information can be easily accessible by those who do not have the necessary authority. An HRIS can secure information so that only authorized individuals can access it.
Data security and privacy are critical considerations when dealing with sensitive personal information, particularly in some countries, where works councils play a key role in protecting employee data. On a high level, the three main security and privacy controls which need to be implemented into an HRIS system are
1) Strong authentication
2) Restrictions/access controls
3) Hashing (to reduce the risk of data leakage).
Functions of HRIS
- HRIS is a system that collects and analyzes employee data.
- It can track employee performance, increase productivity, and save time on administrative tasks.
- HRIS helps in planning, organizing, and arranging workflows. It also has reporting, staff scheduling, time-off requests, and leave management.
- Companies of all sizes can use HRIS as it is affordable and easy to use.
- HRIS helps companies avoid costly errors and saves time on administrative tasks.
- HRIS is also easy to adapt to the needs of a company. HRIS benefits employees as it saves them time on administration tasks and boosts their productivity.
- An HRIS offers a comprehensive range of human resource management features to meet the majority of HR requirements. Without this, data must be stored in unprotected or paper-based documents or spreadsheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are HRIS tools?
A. HRIS solutions include data entry, tracking, analysis, and information-related capabilities to serve a wide range of human resources department demands, such as applicant tracking, onboarding, payroll, performance management, and accounting tasks.
Q. What is the role of HRMS?
A. HRMS allows for the secure and effective storing of employee information. An HR professional may easily handle employee information on the system with the help of HRMS, saving time on paperwork. Furthermore, the software system is a practical approach to saving and retrieving employee data as needed.
Q. How is HRIS used in an organization?
A. HRIS systems work by bringing together diverse HR operations into a single system that shares data and generates reports for the entire platform. In a typical scenario, an employee’s information is input during onboarding and disseminated to payroll, benefits, and time and attendance systems.