An Overview of Human Resource Information Software

Historically, larger organizations have struggled to efficiently manage their massive amounts of HR data without the use of computers. A Human Resource Information System, or HRIS, is a type of software application explicitly designed to handle matters of employment and personnel. In the past, HRIS were run only on vast, centralized mainframe computers. Now, however, technology has matured to allow these applications to be run easily from smaller computer systems, making them accessible to all. In order to understand the importance of having a company HRIS, consider a few of their common components.

Payroll - The payroll system, of course, functions to ensure that each employee is delivered the correct pay based on salary and work. The HRIS payroll system collects data on employee work hours and absences, records overtime, and, depending on the complexity of the software, can calculate taxes and deductions in order to generate and deposit various employee paychecks, government checks, and reports. The module must observe federal, state, and city tax regulations exactly, and navigate technical documents and union contracts. Data flowing out of the payroll system should filter back into financial management systems in order to aid executives in making financial decisions.

Benefits - The benefits administration module allows a company to track employee engagement in a variety of benefits programs, including life and health insurance, retirement pensions, stock purchases, and profit sharing. Benefits are an extremely valuable component of worker compensation packages. Competent HRIS benefit modules will furnish elaborate reports which will assist the company in creating an attractive yet affordable benefits package for its employees.

Recruiting - Recruiting software is an essential component of every HRIS. When the economy is good, an organization must endeavor to recruit new employees; and even if not presently hiring, it is to the advantage of the company to still accumulate resumes of qualified candidates so that, when the need arises, positions can be swiftly filled. Nowadays, a majority of employee recruiting is being done online. Recruiting software such as Talent Management Systems, or Applicant Tracking Systems, can evaluate a company’s existing personnel usage and needs, target both internal and external qualified applicants, and execute the actual process of recruitment. Such organized systems are also extremely useful in ensuring that the organization is obeying all Equal Opportunity Employment laws.

The three points mentioned above are by no means the full complement of useful Human Resource functions. Other processes exist which assess employee production, catalogue individual qualifications, and track business training exploits, to name only a handful. Organizations interested in delving further into HRIShave innumerable options before them, not only in terms of software vendors, but also the features offered by the individual software packages.  HRIS is highly customizable, and, if put to the right tasks, it can do wonders for your business.