HR conferences merge The HR Summit & Expo is taking place this October

THE INSTITUTE of International Research`s annual HR Summit, now in its seventh year, has merged with The Star`s Human Resources Development Expo (HRDE), in its 10th year, and is rebranding as The Star HR Summit & Expo (incorporating HRDE).

HR TECH

Speaking at the event is Anja Hartman-Weitz" rel=tag>Anja Hartman-Weitz, HR director at Softline VIP. Hartman-Weitz believes HR systems are still evolving, and "the development of technology and the ever-increasing need for greater organisational efficiency have significantly redefined the HR systems landscape".

She says: "Human resources information systems have evolved into human resources management systems (HRMS) and e-HRMS (a collective term for a wider spectrum of electronic HRMS). Global trends indicate that these systems are being transformed to human capital management systems (HCMS), which emphasise that employees are truly an asset and not a resource or cost."

These HCMS "are fulfilling the role of interpreting data and transferring this into structural intelligence, which should ultimately be utilised in strategic and operational decision-making. The need for convergence and integration between a company`s HRMS/HCMS and other third party software, like payroll, accounting, project management and CRM, has become more important than ever."

CHALLENGES

One of the challenges to electronic HR in a company, she explains, is employee self-service. "These increase the effectiveness of HR by allowing each employee to manage relevant portions of their personal information; however, the problem lies in the organisation`s underestimation of the impact of technology on their employees."

Hartman-Weitz believes "training should be provided on company time to develop the self-efficacy of the employees or, preferably, they should be involved in the development of the system. Another important element that should be included in HRMS is a change management implementation process. This should involve all stakeholders managing the change, and requires a proper analysis of the exact requirements from the system. Ensure that enough resources are allocated to the HRMS implementation process. The system is only as effective as the data it holds."

At the event, Hartman-Weitz will discuss the implementation of effective human resources partnering skills in an organisation.