Evolution of HR Management & HR Information System

Vocabulary terms covering the history, activities, components, and tiers of Human Resource Information Systems.

Human Resource Management (HRM)

A sophisticated science with theories, experiments, and studies that seek to help managers and organizations recruit, retain, and maximize staff productivity.

1960s and 1970s (HR Technology)

Period when large companies used mainland computers as a central data repository for personnel data, primarily for record keeping and payroll.

1980s (HR Technology)

The era when HRIS (or HRMS) became prevalent with the popularity of Enterprise Resource Management (ERM) applications and the move to client-server technology.

Tier One ERP software vendors

Oracle, PeopleSoft, and SAP.

Transactional activities

Day-to-day transactions dealing mostly with record keeping, such as entering payroll information, tracking status changes, and benefit administration.

Traditional activities

HR programs such as planning, recruiting, selection, training, compensation, and performance management.

Transformational activities

Activities that add value to the organization, such as cultural or organizational change, structural realignment, strategic redirection, and increasing innovation.

HRIS (Kavanagh et al., 1990)

A system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve, and distribute information regarding an organization's human resources.

Operational HRIS

Provides the manager with data to support routine and repetitive human resource decisions, including information about positions, employees, and governmental regulations.

Tactical HRIS

Provides support for decisions emphasizing the allocation of resources, such as recruitment, job analysis, training, and compensation plan decisions.

Strategic HRIS

Supports workforce planning for long-term strategic goals, such as expansion into new markets, constructing new factories, or adding products.

HRIS (Human Resource Information System)

Designed to manage people, policies and procedures.

HCM (Human Capital Management)

Includes every element of an HRIS but adds Talent Management and global capabilities such as multi-lingual, multi-currency, and country-specific formatting.

HRMS (Human Resource Management System)

Includes all elements of HCM plus payroll, time and labor, workflow, self-service, reporting, global capabilities, and analytics.