HRIS
HR Information Systems
Dr. Karen Golaub
April 24, 2015
Corporate strategy has drastically changed in the past decade. All HR systems should be working towards a strategic goal, which means that the companies HR department will need to tools necessary to achieve these goals. However, there are many companies that are using antiquated software that is a hindrance. HR software is really only useful if all your staff is engaged and it contributes to a productive workforce (Bell, 2015). HR systems will touch everyone in the company, and if used correctly, the software can enhance the entire business from top to bottom.
HR professionals looking for software to help manage their day to day operations have a variety of options to choose from. In fact, there are so many options that it can become daunting trying to find one that fits the companies needs without breaking the bank. One software that HR can use is called Core HR. This software automates systems and processes, specifically those of organization management, expense management, salary structures, benefits administration and time management. The greatest benefit of this system is that it allows HR to manage and engage their employees at scale (PR, 2014). The other system, and by far the better system is called BambooHR. BambooHR is an online HRIS that is ideal for small and midsize businesses. One of the strongest parts of this is that it is a SaaS system, which means that regardless of where HR is, they have access to the system. It also means that they are not reliant on their own servers and have flexibility as far as who can access the software and where they can access it. Another benefit to BambooHR is that it completely adapts to the HR field and allows the management of the employees entire lifecycle (PR, 2014). BambooHR also gives HR an insight into the strategic portion of their business when it comes to employees. At a glance they can see employee turnover and retention which gives them insight into how the business is being run. Not only that, but BambooHR can assist with benefit administration as well as payroll and vacation pay calculations.
Many would argue that SaaS is an unnecessary expense. However, there are many advantages to utilizing SaaS, especially when it comes to HR functions and software. The biggest benefit to SaaS is that it often comes with very simple implementation procedures and lower cost of ownership. Yes, SaaS will require a subscription model, but they are often scalable and will charge depending on how large the organization is and how much data is being transported and stored (Scobbo, 2013). Another thing that SaaS offers that is not thought of is that it allows a standardized function across the products client base. This means the same software is deployed with the same back-end configurations for many clients as they often understand the core of the business and know what functionalities are required (Scobbo, 2013). The biggest upside to SaaS is that it is an online system. This means it is accessible anywhere there is an internet connection with the right credentials. This comes in especially handy during times of extended absence or any kind of disaster that renders the office unusable. Still, many organizations stick with MS Access-based applications. The biggest problem with this database is that it is not scaled for Enterprise usage. This boils down to the fact that there are different levels of responsibility in any organization and Access cannot handle that kind of functionality – but then again, it was not designed for that application (Scobbo, 2013). Another problem is that Access is an application based software, meaning that everyone that uses it needs the stand alone application. They cannot access it on the internet, so the cost can become prohibitive. Access also has issues with security, which becomes a big deal once the company considers the kind of personal and