Monitor and evaluate performance of
HR information system
Overview
An implemented human resource system requires regular reviews audits and
evaluation. There are numerous motivations for an organisation to ensure
the continued success, development and enhancement of its HRMIS,
including:

Provide learning programs in system benefits and use

Possible costly errors in processing

Staff satisfaction levels
An ongoing system of evaluation, monitoring and support is required. To
achieve this, an organisation must break monitoring and evaluation process
into simple and complex types:
Simple types of monitoring and evaluation are characterised by low-cost
day-to-day activities such as:

Obtaining data from the computer system on usage statistics

Supporting the system and reporting monthly on support statistics and
issues.
Complex types of monitoring and evaluation are characterised as higher-cost
time intensive activities that may require external consulting, such as:

Benchmarking against other systems, and latest trends and
developments

Analysing performance gaps and developing strategies for improvement.
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Key terms
Analysis
The process of objectively examining a set of information against a
predetermined set of criteria.
HRMIS
Human Resource Management Information System; computer systems to
collect and analyse information to assist in the making of timely HR
management decisions, examples are databases, spreadsheets, information
networks. Also known as HRIMS, HRIS and HRMS.
Human Capital Management
This term is used to describe processes, procedures and software systems
used to manage people in the workplace.
Research
The process of investigating and exploring a topic or area of concern in
order to reveal information for analysis.
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Monitor Service Level Agreement
The Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contractual arrangement between
two parties. An external SLA will exist between a HRMIS vendor and a
client organisation. There should also be an internal SLA between the HR
section and client sections throughout the organisation that depend on the
HRMIS.
The intention of both an internal and external SLA is to provide a confident
basis of expectation for vendor support and issue resolution and client
responsibilities. It also provides a basis for determining legal resolution of
disputes between vendor and client.
The following is an example of what may be included in an SLA.
Table 1: SLA elements (2 cols)
Purpose
The intention of an internal SLA is to provide a confident basis of
expectation for internal support and issue resolution.
Delineate services on which HR Systems users can depend.
Describe responsibilities of HR System users.
Identify roles and specify responsibilities of service providers who
support users.
Detail problem resolution paths for users and service providers.
Describe service levels users should experience when problems or
questions arise
Services
Comprehensive Implementation Support Services
Accessible, Expert Functional Support From Appropriate Central
Office(s)
Accessible, Expert Programming & Network Support For On-Line
Administrative Systems
Timely Notification Of All System Changes, Upgrades And New
Releases
Help Desk Staffed To Triage and/or To Answer Customer Inquiries
Comprehensive, Easy To Use And Up-To-Date User
Documentation
Timely Notification Of Policy Changes.
Evaluation and reporting
A service can only be performed or not-performed. To determine this it is
important to put in place regular evaluation and reporting mechanisms for
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SLAs. The most important thing to highlight is non-performance of an
agreed service.
As a minimum the reporting should cover:

Issues, resolution and who was involved

Number of times vendor required to resolve issue

Number of times HR section required to resolve issue

Outstanding action items and responsibility for resolution

Non-performance of agreed Service and action required.
Research
Try and find one or more Service Level Agreements and see what type of
service they cover. What common elements are there for different SLA's in
the same field?
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Monitor help desk usage
When system users have a problem they can call a Help Desk for assistance.
A help desk is an internal first level of support to users of a computer
system. Help desk staff try and determine the nature and severity of a
problem. If they can’t, they take details and pass them on to second level
support which means the people who fix difficult problems.
The help desk system records all actions and details of a logged call
including if a HRMIS problem cannot be resolved internally and the
problem is referred to a vendor.
Evaluation and reporting
A help desk can provide daily, weekly, and monthly statistics. The following
example details calls to a help desk relating to a HR system
Table 2: Help desk log (2 cols)
Calls for 1st level support
Calls at 1st Level
Number; 79
Resolved: 55
Calls for 2nd level
Calls at 2nd Level
Number; 24
Resolved: 22
Calls referred to vendor: 2
Resolved by vendor: 2
Nature of calls to vendor:
Resolution description:
36 PC problems
1st Level Help Desk resolution
9 Forgotten Passwords
1st Level Help Desk resolution
10 Network failure
2nd Level Network team resolution
22 HR Processing issue
2nd Level HR team resolution
2 Vendor issue
Vendor resolution
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Monitor technical reports
It is possible to obtain reports on software and hardware performance. The
HR system can provide usage statistics on all components. This is especially
useful for management if HR responsibilities are devolved to line-managers
and staff.
For example, reports can show the timeliness of staff entering timesheets
and line-managers approving leave requests. Both tasks may seem trivial but
late timesheet entry can affect payroll calculations and affect weekly and
monthly budget figures. Late approval of leave requests can affect staff
satisfaction levels.
Evaluation and reporting
It is important to determine the types of reports that a system can produce
and whether you have the capacity to customise the reports.
Research
Go to vendor websites and find details about reporting. For example, try the
Australian company Neller Software at http://www.neller.com.au/. Find
their information on Crystal Reports.
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Enable user feedback
HR systems are dependent on people and process. An important ingredient
for the continued success of a system is the mechanism b which users can
ask questions and provide their views and opinions.
The best way to enable this is by face-to-face interview and focus group
sessions however this is not always practical and is expensive.
Feedback can also be obtained from learning programs and product support
websites.
The important thing about obtaining feedback is to give answers to
questions and support and encouragement to ideas and views.
Research
Look into these types of feedback mechanism and complete the information
required in the table.
Table 3: Feedback mechanisms (3 cols)
Feedback mechanism
Advantages
Disadvantages
Interview
Direct question and answer
Costly. Requires excellent
interview skills
Focus groups
Website form
Website survey
Paper survey
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Monitor system performance
New technologies and product features and enhancements mean HRMIS
products are continually adapting and changing. The HRMIS in place at a
company may be new or old in that in information technology terms old may
be only one year.
One way of determining the performance status of a HRMIS is to provide
benchmark. A benchmark is a criteria against which performance can be
measured.
Analyse Performance gaps
There are a number of ways to analyse and measure performance gaps. One
way is to monitor and report in ways that provide data.
Another is to analyse performance against other systems, and latest trends
and developments.
Research
Conduct a performance gap analysis by comparing information about
HRMIS provided on vendor websites. Complete the table below. A sample
is given to get you going.
Table 4: Performance Gap analysis (3 cols)
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Feature
Vendor A
Vendor B
Customisable Reports
Provided through web
interface.
Fixed number and type of
reports.
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Develop strategies for improvement
Once you have a complete a performace gap analysis you can combine the
results with data gained from the other types of analysis you have
performed.
Your sources of information give you the ability to develop strategies to
improve the HRMIS. Strategies must be aligned with company objectives
and business strategies.
Research
To get started in developing strategies you might develop a matrix of
business objectives. Complete the table below. A sample is given to get you
started.
Table 5: Business objectives matrix (3 cols)
Business objective
HRMIS Performance gap
HRMIS strategy option
Enable employee selfservice
Not installed in current
system
Available as a separate module at
additional cost. Obtain information from
vendor and conduct cost benefit analysis.
Improve staff learning
opportunities
Current HRMIS does not
have self-learning
features
Improve HRMIS support web site to
include just-in-time learning content.
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