I recently had my first, first hand experience with using the set up pages of a HRIS. This HRIS formed part of a larger ERP system and is well known in the marketplace. Having spent a number of years now researching and analysing the use of HRIS in organisations based in Australia I am aware of the perceived complexity associated with a HRIS and its implementation. What I was personally surpised about however was the complexity I experienced with trying to utilise some of the most basic functions that these systems provide. Now I am the first to admit that I am far from an expert with IT, however I would consider myself as a fast learner. Even with a detailed and prescriptive manual beside me, I still struggled to complete the exercises which were to form part of my education process.
This experience has led me to reflect upon the research that I have been undertaking as well as some of the existing literature that discusses the 'challenges' associated with HRIS projects. When I hear of a complex HRIS, I tend to think about a complex project rather than also considering the complexity that is associated with creating and establishing accurate data and information.
This short lived experience with a HRIS has now given me a much greater appreciation for the time, effort and skills that are required to utilise the functions available through a HRIS. This has led me to conclude that a HRIS (different from the ESS) may be for many, considered not to be user friendly. This was especially the case for me.
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I had the same experience too. Compared with the pupularity of Iphone or other attractive GUI interface from apple for windows applications, most HRIS appear too technical with hierarchies of daunting menu. It is quite depressing when try to dig out some specific "tresure" out of this "labyrinth".
ReplyDeleteOn the other side, I agree it is a new competency requirement for HR. HR professionals facile with data and IT are few and far between while analytical skills and technology become more and more important within an information-based economy.
I have used both SAP and PeopleSoft. It has been a while since I used SAP and I did struggle intially this time around, given I had only ever used certain SAP applications such as PA20/30.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that SAP is complex, but the capability of SAP, in my opinion, is greater than other, more straightforward applications. I also think that users need a higher degree of training given this heightened complexity. Several years ago I was working with SAP, and I went away and a temp was hired on SAP. This person made a simple SAP data entry error in HR - they inputted the guaranteed bonus date on a start date, rather than in one year from commencement. HR SAP had a payroll interface, and somehow it slipped through payroll's review. A 150,000 pound guaranteed bonus was paid straight into the bank account on the banker's first day! Small errors, big problems! I think that although it is slighly more complex, provided HR staff are trained appropriately, I think SAP can be invaluable. I have worked with SAP's full range of products, e-Recruit, MSS & ESS, and it was a crucial part of HR and the wider business.
I wouldn't call myself neither a professional IT user nor technologically disadvantaged but I am a fast learner when it comes to figuring out some new applications on the phone or computer. The first time I looked at SAP exercise I was horrified with its complexity, thinking that I could never complete it. It did took me a few hours of practicing some sample exercises from the manual at home and then applying the newly acquired skills to the SAP exercise in the class.
ReplyDeleteI guess if I was given more time and had to learn how to use SAP from the scratch with all its details I would be more proficient in this Recruitment module.
Although HRIS may seem like a complex thing and HR professionals might feel nervous about learning how to use it, I do agree that this is a new competency that HR professionals need to acquire if they want to move up into being more of a strategic partner.
From my internship experience in IT vendor, which produces the ERP packges, the company expected the user to possess some knowledge about IT. It seems that a lot of IT vendors would like to sell the training programs in addtion to the software.
ReplyDeleteIn particular, in Asian countries, HRIS is likely to become more complex due to the organizational politics and internal business connections. Firms need to customise ERP packages and cause more complexity.
However, this complexity creates the position for HRIS experts. I heard that SAP-specialists take advantage of his knowledge and skills and gain the financial return.
In China, few companies use HRIS, much fewer user of SAP in HR area. And even for those companies using HRIS systems, their main funcions are focus on the data collection without data analysis.(By the way, Does SAP have any data analysis function? i can't see it from my experience on SAP) My experience told me the most difficult part for using an HRIS is how could make sure update data timely, correctly, and continuously.
ReplyDeleteThe complexity of SAP will make the updation of qulified data more difficult. So my personal view is that a little bit simpler and smaller HRIS will more meaningful to a company.
Just to give you the perspective of somebody who has been both an 'implementee' and an implementer, I can fully understand all the comments above.
ReplyDeleteAs a user, initially, of SAP I was fortunate in not having anything other than some user developed Excel based solutions to compare it to. The user interface was not as high a priority to me as the functionality and the fantastic data quality it enforced.
In recent years, from a consulting perspective, I have seen SAP make great advances in their user interface - for example there is a little known 'alternative' Graphical User Interface (GUI) available for SAP which has more of a web browser look and feel and removes the folder within folder structure of transactions which can confound new users.
I find the Web enabled functionality to also be much more intuitive than in years past.
One area where needed inroads continue to be made is in reporting. The majority of infrequent users will use a system for entering data as an employee or reporting the data out as a manager. The reporting really needs to be intuitive - as intuitive as the many non-work related GUIs we see today such as the iPhone etc.
While that may be some way off (and has a hardware requirement) to answer Dora Lu's question, SAP has a very strong data analysis capability - but again, it depends on who the user is and what they want. If you want to know more, do a quick search online for Business Objects and SAP or BI and SAP as well as HCM.