What is a human resource information system HRIS and what are its benefits?

An HRIS is built on two pillars that create the foundation for managing people and policies to support overall organizational effectiveness.

Organizational design

From a structural perspective, HRIS includes roles, functions, and reporting hierarchies. By defining the organizational structure, HRIS provides recognizable accountability and a pathway for operational functionality and consistency.

The right HRIS helps you address business challenges by helping you put the right talent in place. Through the consistent, automated management of acquisition and recruiting data, your HRIS can help you build a workforce that has the right people with the right skills, working in the right functions and under the right structure, to meet your strategic goals.

Learn more about Strategic Workforce Planning (PDF)

Employee data management

Similar to customer relationship management but within an employer/employee setting, the HRIS provides a comprehensive view of every employee including name, address, date of hire, compensation, benefit selections, and much more. With the right data, you’ll be better able to connect with your employees, help them develop career plans, find the right training, and take their performance to the next level.

The HRIS enables automated and standardized record keeping, reporting, and self-service functionality. This can lead to more accurate and up-to-date information management that drives greater efficiency while providing convenience and ease of use for employees.

A Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) is software that provides a centralized repository of employee master data that the human resource management (HRM) group needs for completing core human resource (core HR) processes.

Some people also explain it as a software package developed to aid human resources professionals in managing data. Human resource professionals utilize these systems to facilitate workflow, improve efficiency and store and collect information. Several companies offer HRIS packages to employers. HRIS packages can be customized to the specific needs and requirements of the employer.

What are the benefits of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)?

Having a centralized repository for employee data removes the need to store paper files, which can be easily damaged, as well as the need to search through large paper-based employee files to find information. Depending on the type of Human Resource Information System software, it should generate various reports, provide ad hoc reporting capabilities and offer HR analytics on important metrics such as headcount and turnover. Modern HRIS software also offers visualization capabilities for employee data, such as automatically rendered organizational charts or nine-box grids.

1. One-stop shopping

One of the most frequently mentioned advantages of an HRIS is that you enter information only once for many HR-related employee tasks. And, similarly, you need to update only one place when employee information changes.

2. Integration of data 

Furthermore, different parts of the system can “talk to each other” allowing more meaningful reporting and analysis capabilities, including internal evaluations and audits and preparation of data for outsiders.

3. Accuracy

Improved accuracy is likely assuming data are entered and manipulated correctly.

4. Self-service 

This feature can be an excellent timesaver for HR. Employees may enter the system to change data (for example, change their own addresses) and managers and supervisors may enter the system to enter data (for example, performance reviews) or to retrieve data without bothering HR.

5. Automated reminders 

Systems can schedule events, such as performance appraisals and benefit deadlines, automatically notifying and nudging if actions have not been performed.

The system can host such materials as employee handbooks, procedures, and safety guidelines. The materials are easily updated in one place.

7. Benefits administration 

This could include enrollment, notices, changes, and reporting.

8. Recruiting management

This may include applicant tracking, management, and reporting.

What are the components of HRIS(Human Resource Information Systems)?

1. Database

Human Resource Information System core offering includes a database to store employee information. HR professionals can input all personnel data into the system which can be accessed from anywhere, round the clock. Types of data that HR professionals collect in the database include compensation history, emergency contact information, and performance review. The core database can also be viewed as an online backup for paper files.

2. Time and Labour Management

Activities like time and labor management can be highly time-consuming. HRIS package allows employees to input their own hours worked and allows managers to immediately verify vacation requests, and the data is directly fed to the payroll. Time and labor management also improves the HR department’s ability to track punctuality and attendance.

3. Payroll Function

The payroll function is yet another major component of an HRIS model. HR can easily download or unload employee hours, and issue cheques or payroll deposits to employees. Salaried employees can also be paid with a substantially reduced risk of errors. The HRIS payroll software usually improves tax compliance for locations with multiple tax levels.

4. Benefits

Some HRIS employers allow employers to establish and maintain medical benefits and retirement investments through their software. Such applications allow employers to have a one-stop shopping experience for all their human resources data management needs. Other HRIS packages facilitate medical benefits and retirement investment deductions for payroll but not the establishment of those benefits.

5. Employee Interface

Most HRIS packages allow for an employee to have limited user access. Employee users access a part of the database where they can update their personal information, review pay scales, change retirement benefit programs, update direct deposit information or download benefit election documents.

6. Recruitment and Retention

Finally, it can be said that recruitment and retention are the most important components of HRIS. It goes without saying that it is the anchor of all HR policies and systems. Finding new talent, acquiring them, keeping them engaged and finally being able to retain them is the major task of an HR person. HRs also have to ensure that employees are not only able to do their work, but they are also provided with the required training; receive proper compensation and benefits from the organization.

What are the types of Human Resource Information System (HRIS)?

I. Operational HRIS

Operational HRIS is of immense help to the manager. It provides the manager with all the required data to support routine and repetitive human resource decisions

1. Worker Information Systems

2. Position Control Systems

3. Performance Management Systems

II. Tactical HRIS

The tactical human resource information system helps largely the managers with choices that underline the allocation of resources.

1. Recruitment Information Systems

2. Pay and Benefits Information Systems

3. Employee Training and Development frameworks

III. Strategic HRIS

Strategic HRIS centers around managing labor negotiations, workforce arranging, and certain particular HR programming.

1.Workforce Planning System

2. Specific Human Resource Information System Software

IV. Complete HRIS

The automation of HRIS has brought in an incorporated database that collaborates together with the human asset records, employee documents, employee positions, stock records, organizational policies, employee monitoring, and numerous other human asset records. They are developed in a planned way that applications can easily project can valid reports from any of the human resource management segment. 

HCM vs HRIS 

HRIS consists of Absence Management, Self-Service Portal, Recruiting, Training and Development, Compensation Management, Personnel Tracking, Workflows, and Benefits Administration.

HCM is a step above it. What that implies is that it contains everything an HRIS consists of and has more features. These features are Employee Performance, Position Control, Global Support, Onboarding, Analytics, HR services.

What is human resource information systems HRIS )? What is its purpose and why is it important?

What is HRIS? The Human Resource Information System is a system used to collect and store data on an organization's employees, like their name, address, age, salary, benefits, time and attendance, performance reviews, and more. This data is valuable input for data-driven decision-making in HR.

What is the meaning of HRIS?

Human Resources Information Systems Definition A Human Resources Information System (HRIS) is a computerised system that enables human resource managers to gather, organise, store, update and retrieve the information needed for managing employees (Kleynhans, 2006).

What is a HRM system?

A human resource management system (HRMS) is a software application used to store employee information and support various human resource functions, such as benefits, payroll, recruiting, training, etc. This term is often used interchangeably with human resource information system (HRIS).