The use and impact of human resource information systems on human resource management professionals

Abstract

Human resource information systems (HRIS) usage allows the human resource (HR) professional to become a strategic player. With both increasing functionality and affordability, HRIS are being used extensively in organisations of all sizes. Despite this, surprisingly little is know about the current usage, whether disparities exist between companies of different sizes, or about the impact HRIS has on the general professional standing of the HR professional. We developed and administered a survey and gave structured interviews to assess and compare the specific areas of use and to introduce a taxonomy that provides a framework for academic discussion and comparison. We further determined whether HRIS usage was strategic, a perceived value-add for the organisation, and its impact on professional standing for HR professionals. These findings were compared to those for other professions that also use MIS. Our results showed that, on average, few differences exist between SME and large company usage. Moreover, we found that the professional standing of HR professionals has been enhanced by the specific use of HRIS for strategic partnering but that this is not as pronounced as that experienced by those from other professions.