Walker (Walker, A.J. 'Best Practices in HR Technology' in Web-Based Human Resources, McGraw Hill, 2001) discusses a range of technologies available for re-engineered HR processes, contending that they are all capable of dealing with HR activities in a secure and confidential manner.

1. Workflow. Walker describes this as being like e-mail with a database and built-in intelligence.' Essentially, a user accesses a range of employee records (perhaps their own) through a computer terminal, keys in data such as a change of address and submits the data electronically to the next person in the chain. The system is configured so that only certain individuals are authorized for a specific range of access or actions. The workflow chain is organized to ensure that the most suitable person approves an action. For example, a bonus payment would be authorized by a line manager's own manager. Also, the system can be structured so that bonuses over a certain level can be monitored by a HR specialist. The paths and actions are all specified in accordance with company rules.

2. Manager self-service. Managers can have access to 'front-end' applications on their desk tops in the form of HR portals. Typically, they are able to view a range of personal details and aggregate information. They are also allowed to change and input certain details and model the consequences on their budgets of salary increases or bonus payments. More generally, policy manuals, plans and stategies can be made available. Walker highlight the facility to 'push' information requiring attention to managers - including those dreaded employee perfromance appraisals.

3. Employee self-service. Similarly, employees can view company information, change selected personal details, make benefit enquiries (pension plans, sick pay entitlement), book leave and apply for training programmes. Walker makes the point that 'portal technology will personalize this data further and "push" relevant data to them as well.'

4. Interactive voice response (IVR). A low-tech method, using the push-button control facility found in most modern telephones. Most of us are familiar with automatic responses such as: "If your call is about vacancies in the accounts department - press 3 followed by #" when we dial large organizations. The system is restricted but easy to use and inexpensive in comparison to web-based methods. It is suitable for job openings and training course details where straightforward information can be recorded as simple scripts.

5. HR Service Centres. Walker notes that this has become one of the most widely used solutions to re-engineered HR in large organizations. Such centres centralize a number of HR processes and may deal with geographically widespread users. For example, the Raleigh, North Carolina service center can deal with all of IBM's North American current and former staff.

Operators or 'Agents' take enquiries by phone, e-mail or online that may already have been filtered through interactive voice response scripts or desktop HR systems. In effect, they deal with the relatively non-routine issues that cannot be handled by basic technology. However, they do use recognisable Call Centre techniques such as scripted protocols. The Agent can enter keywords or a question into a knowledge database and bring up relevant information with which to answer the caller's query. If that query is not covered by information in the knowledge database it can be referred to a supervisor using workflow.

HR service centres also have a fax, e-mail and postal facility to send information, confirmations, follow-up queries and printed brochures to users. They are also monitored in the same way as conventional Call Centres and can generate useful ststistics on types and frequency of enquiries. Walker contends that most reports show that organizations find HR service centres to be highly cost-effective and provider faster and more consistent answers than traditional HR departments.

6. Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and databases. According to Walker (2001):

"The HRIS system is the primary transaction processor, editor, record-keeper, and functional application system which lies at the heart of all computerized HR work.It mains employee, organizational and HR plan data sufficient to support most, if not all, of the HR functions depending on the modules installed.

It will also supply information to other systems and generate reports.

7. Stand-alone HR systems. A massive choice of applications available from commercial vendors which can be linked to a HRIS. They include online application forms, tests, appraisal databases, 360-degree performance assessments and so on.

8. Data-Marts and Data-Warehouses. Sources of information, usually held as relational databases which can be interrogated. Data-Marts normally hold data from single sources, such as HR; Data-Warehouses amass information from multiple sources.

Part 1

Knowledge Management