Want to manage HR information more efficiently? Build an Intranet!

Imagine this hypothetical scenario: You're the human resource executive of a large insurance company with over 50 offices and 1,200 employees scattered across the country. The company is growing steadily, but the news is not all good: you're facing declining productivity, low worker morale, and costly turnover. You've determined that some changes are necessary, and to get a better handle on workplace issues you have decided to implement a company-wide employee survey. But this kind of information doesn't normally come quickly or cheaply. Preparing, mailing, collecting and processing the surveys, and distributing the results could takes weeks or months and result in a mountain of forms and reports. Conducting the survey has, thus, become a time-consuming and expensive process--and perhaps one of dubious value.

Is there a more efficient way to manage this process? Yes, there is, through fascinating new computer technologies collectively know as the Intranet. With an Intranet. surveys don't have to be mailed or even printed. The survey form can be placed on the Intranet and completed, anonymously, at the employee's convenience, "on-line" at a specified location in each office. Once the survey data have been transmitted electronically, the information can easily be fed directly into a software program to compute any type of data and statistics desired. Reports that summarize survey data don't have to be printed and mailed; they, too, can be placed on the Intranet and transmitted electronically to selected managers, executives, and employees.

The employee survey process is but one example of how a cumbersome, paper-laden human resource process can be streamlined with Intranet technology. The Intranet. of course, won't replace human contact and it won't eliminate paperwork. But, as this article will demonstrate, the Intranet can revolutionize many human resource functions by replacing traditional communication patterns--phone calls, meetings, memos, letters, surveys and reports. Let's start by explaining just what the Intranet is and how it differs from the Internet.

Internets and Intranets

You've undoubtedly heard and seen the non-stop hype that proclaims the Internet to be the next best technological advancement since the telephone. The Internet is a global network of over 600 million (and rapidly growing) computers linking individuals and institutions. The Internet is the electronic link to the outside world, and enables users to communicate with people and institutions across the globe, tap into an enormous reservoir of information, and enjoy a wide array of commercial services that provide, for example, journals, newspapers, and financial information on line. Although individuals use the Internet primarily to tap into the computer network's vast repository of information, most businesses are using the Internet to advertise their wares and serve as a storehouse of data where information can be easily retrieved about their products and services. By developing an Internet "home page" (the first page on an Internet Web site), companies can provide an almost endless stream of information about t heir products using text. audio, images, and even video.

So, what is an Intranet? Like an Internet, an Intranet is also a network of computers linking people and information. An Intranet, however, is a network of computers inside an organization--an "internal web"--that links the people and information together in a way that enables employees to communicate more efficiently and makes information easier to both retrieve and distribute. Intranets use the same technologies that are used on the Internet, but restrict access to qualified users-- employees and other users such as suppliers and customers who have been granted access to certain information. The "public" is prevented access to the Intranet through software programs known as "firewalls." Employees can venture out onto the Internet, but unauthorized users can't link into an organization's Intranet.

The Intranet and HR Information Management

The Intranet has the potential to revolutionize the human resource job. Why? Because the foundation of the HR function is information. The human resource staff spends a great deal of time communicating with people throughout the organization by sending and receiving information via memos, letters, reports, questionnaires, surveys, phone calls, and faxes. It's the ability of the Intranet to eliminate or significantly reduce dependence upon traditional communication systems- mainly, those that are sent and received by paper and telephone-by transforming them into more efficient and less costly electronic forms. A variety of HR documents-policy and procedure manuals, training materials, requisition forms-in fact, anything in print form can be converted to electronic form and placed, and retrieved, on an Intranet.

What kinds of information systems can be streamlined with an Intranet? The Intranet will influence each of the four major networks upon which HR information processes are built: networks that collect information, store information, process information, and retrieve and disseminate information. The Intranet has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of each of these networks. Let's begin by examining the information collection process.

Information Collection

Many human resource functions require large-scale information collection efforts from individuals and groups throughout the organization, such as job analysis, attitude measurement, manpower and succession planning, job posting systems, skills inventories, and data required for the preparation of numerous government-mandated reports. Many of these functions begin with an employee or manager completing a form or survey and sending it to the human resource department, where an HR assistant or administrator summarizes the information in order to prepare a final report or document. Is this massive exercise in paper shuffling really necessary? In many cases, it isn't.

Although managing the HR function requires a continual stream of data collection from practically every functional area of the organization, a great deal of important information can be collected without paper. Any form, survey, questionnaire, or any other similar document that needs to be completed by large numbers of people can be placed electronically on an Intranet, "filled out" by employees directly onto a computer screen by typing the information on the keyboard, and returned electronically to HR by simply pressing a button. The result is a major saving in time and money by eliminating the costs of preparing documents and handling paper.

Information Storage

Normally, information collected by HR is stored in paper format in files, binders, manuals and folders and is usually retrieved and processed at a later date. In some cases, data are required (by company policy or state or federal law) to be held a certain length of time for documentation purposes. For example, the U.S. government requires employers to keep applicant tracking data (e.g., application blanks and test results) for a minimum of one year for persons who are hired, and for three years after they leave the organization.

The Intranet serves as an electronic information warehouse. Any type of information that is collected electronically also remains stored in electronic form until is it deleted. The advantage of storing information electronically is that it's much more efficient than storing it in paper form. Electronic storage not only eliminates the cost of paper and paper handling, but it also eliminates the physical warehouse required for paper. The information contained in a large room full of file cabinets can easily be placed on the hard drive of a single PC. Imagine how may file cabinets and dusty storerooms a few hard drives, Zip disks or CDs could replace.

An obvious concern of HR professionals is the need for backup data in case electronic information is accidentally (or deliberately) erased or destroyed because of a hardware or software failure, fire, or natural disaster. Of course, practically anything in electronic form can be printed out and stored as hard copy' for backup. But why minimize the advantages of electronic information by creating paper? A more efficient way is to create an electronic backup-an "electronic safety net"-by simply copying data to a backup system. This can be done inexpensively by automating the backup process.

Information Processing

The Intranet provides an efficient computer link among the myriad software programs contained within the human resource information system CHRIS), enabling the HR staff to electronically collect, store, retrieve and process practically any type of HR information. The Intranet, for example, would enable an HR administrator to electronically collect and store employee demographic data (race, color, gender, national origin), and retrieve and feed the information into a commercially-available software program that prepares legally-required Equal Employment Opportunity reports for the U.S. government.

The same process could be used to electronically link data to practically any popular HRIS software program, including those that process employee appraisals, manpower plans, skills inventories, and compensation and benefits reports.

Information Retrieval and Distribution

Take a slow, sweeping glance around your office. If you are like most HR professionals, you have stacks of policy manuals, reference guides, handbooks, and others documents that occupy your shelves and bookcases. Although you may frequently refer to the documents for your own purposes, much of the information is also retrieved and distributed to others. To inform, educate, advise and assist others, another communication process-a memo, letter, report, or phone call-usually takes place to transfer information from HR to another person or group outside HR. HR managers and administrators spend a considerable amount of time answering employee questions about benefits, compensation, leave policies, insurance, and more-questions that employees could independently resolve if they had direct access to the proper sources of information.

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