An effective human resources management system is a crucial element of competitiveness. Technology has emerged as a core HR delivery and management tool that enhances productivity and profitability. Businesses are incorporating information technology into organizational processes through the use of various devices. Human resource management has evolved due to technological change that makes firms to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Digital revolution has changed the way employees perform and behave because they rely on technology to succeed in the industry. Technology enhances competitiveness on various processes like payroll development, training, recruitment and performance appraisal.
Technology leverages human resource competitiveness through e-recruitment. Many businesses had experienced issues with recruitment over the past years due to a high number of applicants or failure to identify the needed skills in applicants. However, this has changed due to the introduction of online recruitment or internet recruiting that allows people to source job information online. Recruitment encompasses online advertisement of jobs, development of human resource database, receiving of online resumes, carrying out of aptitude tests, and selection of employees (Ghazzawi, & Accoumeh, 2014). The internet allows the employer to get qualified applicants who match specified jobs. Also, it reduces recruitment cost and time that results from data processing, postal procedures, and selection. The human resource publishes such information on the website of the company or social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Consequently, there exists fierce competition for best talent in the business world, hence firms are forced to develop ways of attracting high-quality personnel to promote organizational success.
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Besides, the use of e-HR program provides organizations with an opportunity to make available all the HR functional policies and information on the intranet. New formulated policies are communicated through a distinct communication channel that is easily accessible by employees. The intranet makes it easier for the employees to retrieve crucial information concerning policies and this saves time for HR units. The move helps in eliminating confusion, thus increases productivity and competitiveness in the market (Boroughs, & Palmer, 2016). Also, the intranet offers a powerful connection between departments because the flow of information is unbridled thus saves time and the cost of making calls. Introduction of the browsing service system eliminates HR administration burden by ensuring that procedures and policies are online and this keeps all the employees up to date. E-HR initiatives promote HR competitiveness by fostering intradepartmental cooperation, greater feedback, adequate documentation, improved employee interaction, easier access to information, and document trail. Easier access to information promotes quick decision making, and the HR team is in a better position to utilize time-effective employee interaction and strategic planning.
Technology is the driving force for the introduction of employee self-service applications. The application provides employees with an opportunity to have access to their payroll and information concerning their pension from any web-based system. Employee self-service allow employees to update their information; for example, personal contact information, emergency contact, and address. The system enables employees to see job-related information and identify internal open jobs. Such services are integral because people are charged their data and this reduces the HR input workload (Soundararajan, & Singh, 2016). The system can be linked with loan statements, insurance plans, tax card, and pay slips thus saving time for HR personnel and employees. The service promotes employee engagement and fosters a high level of transparency as compared to previous manual records where some information went missing. Custom fields can be added into the system to enable easier tracking of employees and easier acquisition of data, for example, competencies, career planning, skills, disciplinary items, and work history.
The use of technology to leverage HR competitiveness has been driven by increased expectation and demand for data. Workers expect the human resource to provide them with recent data and access to information than before. Information relating to training, changes in policies and performance appraisal is essential in promoting a competitive workforce ( Reilly, & Williams, 2017) . The information ensures that employees are aware of the latest development in the place of work hence stay committed and focused on the core goals. Also, the changing market dynamics require organizations to leverage HR technologies to be in a position to compete effectively with other established brands. New technology will need the training of employees to equip them with the latest skills and knowledge.
The need to communicate with employees as performance is monitored has been behind the implementation of HR technology. Computer-based applications play an integral part in measuring performance and communicating key performance indicators with the employees. Also, the need to use HR technology to improve its functionality has prompted a majority of businesses to implement new technologies. Such a move will help HR to streamline the decision-making process and reduce the cycle time of operations to increase delivery and productivity.
In conclusion, leveraging of HR technology makes employees be self-reliant when looking for some information on data, for example, loan statement or payroll. Employee access to information promotes transparency hence they can understand HR processes and what is expected from them. Additionally, HR technology enables the employer to have access to a broader pool of talented and qualified employees who will drive organizational competitiveness. Lastly, the availability of instant information makes it easier for the HR decision-making process that saves time and resources.
References
Boroughs, A., & Palmer, L. (2016). HR transformation technology: delivering systems to support the new HR model . Routledge.
Ghazzawi, K., & Accoumeh, A. (2014). Critical success factors of the E-Recruitment system. Journal of Human Resources Management and Labor Studies , 2 (2), 159-170.
Soundararajan, R., & Singh, K. (2016). Winning on HR Analytics: Leveraging Data for Competitive Advantage . SAGE Publications India.
Reilly, P., & Williams, T. (2017). How to get best value from HR: The shared services option . Routledge.
