Lets discuss about one
of the most trending and impactful factor affecting Human Resource Management
in this century.
That is New
Development of Technology and how it has affected the way Human Resource
Management happens around the globe.
Technology changes the
way HR departments contact employees, store files and analyze employee
performance. Used well, technology makes HR practices more efficient. When used
poorly, it can get in the way of managing the company's human resources. Good
HR practices maximize the benefits and minimize the problems. (Sherman,
2018)
"In organizations, despite increasing needs for Corporate strategy IT strategy HR Strategy (Emphasis on IT) Long term strategies Short and Middle term strategies technological advancement, human and cultural factors play a more important role than before. However, technology is often seen by management as essential means to compete in the global market. To that technology, including information technology, brings the desired results, the most important issue for an organization is how to manage the technology with respect to human organizational aspects, how to analyze and understand human factors guided by the norms, shared beliefs, and assumptions of the organization, as well as by individuals’ unique values-all together known as“ culture.” (Zakaria and Yusuf, 2001)
- Recruiting has been transformed to Digital
& Online
Earlier days recruitment happened via newspapers, Letters ,Telephones. Now the entire process has gone online, Job posting sites dominate the process over traditional methods.
This has made process fast, Convenient and also it reaches wider channel of job seekers.
A good system can save
lot of time and money for the firm as they will not have to deal with papers
and resumes. But errors in system may well confuse the applicants and may
result in losing the candidate.
- Ease of Communication
With email, text and
messaging apps it's easier than ever for HR staff to stay in touch with the
rest of the company. If a manager wants to share a new schedule with a project
team, one email with an attachment or a conversation on Slack can share the
word with a dozen people at once. There's a risk of relying too much on tech as
a time-saver though. Information in a two-page email may be better off
delivered to the group face to face. That way everyone can ask questions and
hear the answers. (Sherman, 2018)
- Data Analysis
Analyzing employee
performance used to depend on personal assessments and obvious standards: Did
the employee finish the task on time? Does their boss trust them? Technology
makes it easier to gather and break down data on employees to get an overall
picture. Which tasks do they perform best? Do they meet all the goals from last
year's performance appraisal? If they fell short, was it by 12 percent, 50
percent or 75 percent? Software programs can even take over much of the work in
evaluating employees. ( Sherman, 2018)
- Too much data
As HR makes more use
of data collection and analysis, employees might feel their privacy shrinking.
If, say, a company has security cameras that monitor employees every second, it
can be easier to find the facts behind a harassment charge or someone drinking
on the job. However, being constantly monitored can alienate employees as well.
Good HR practices involve not only knowing how much data can be gathered but
also how much should be gathered.
Another risk is that
the HR department can end up getting more data than it can manage. After a
certain point, wading through data to pick out the relevant material becomes an
impossible task. It's also possible that HR will misread data or make
assumptions that a face-to-face conversation could clear up.
- Security Practices
Earlier days security
practices meant locking employee files in a cabinet or a safe. But in 21st
century when all data gathered on online platforms or computers , security is a
major concern. All these information is confidential and need to be secured
with the best encryption and updated security system available. With the change
of technologies security systems has to be changed frequently to ensure all
information is secure.
REFERENCES:
Jen Schramm (2016) The Big Issues Facing HR , https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0316/pages/the-big-issues-facing-hr.aspx , Accessed time 12.10 , 2018.05.03
Sherman F. (2018) How Does Technology Impact HR Practices, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/technology-impact-hr-practices-37912.html , Accessed time 12.30 2018.05.03
Mamoudou. S & Joshi G (2014), Impact of Information Technology in Human Resource Management , Research India Publications, India.
Zakariya & Usoof (2001) The role of human and organizational culture in the context of technological change. School of Information Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA.
