Process, Performance Drivers and ICT Tools in Human Resource Management
The goal of this article is to present results of a recent scientific project, focused on research
of relations between personnel performance, HR-related business processes and supportive
information and communication technology (ICT).
The article presents resolutions of the following research questions:
What are the main generic performance drivers, handled by HR managers?
How can a dedicated human resources information system (HRIS) support HR managers
in build-up and support of these performance drivers?
How are HRIS currently being used (as performance management tools) in Czech com
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panies?
In order to resolve these questions, the article is divided into four main chapters.
First of all, a theoretical basis is set using normative analysis of authoritative literature – human
resources management as a research topic is defined and related business processes are identi
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fied. Attention is paid to contemporary trends in HR management, accentuating HR contribu
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tion to overall organization performance.
Secondly, with regards to identified business processes, the main performance drivers, handled
by HR managers, are described as important management instruments. Main methods used in
this chapter are normative analysis and induction, resulting in generalized overview of com
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monly valid performance drivers.
The improvement emerging from these performances
We can use this basic schema as an intuitive guidance for identification of vital parts of IS and means of support that HR management can expect/ require to workefficiently.
Human resources management was recently re-defined by Armstrong (2009) as a “strategic,
integrated and coherent approach to the employment, development and well-being of the peo
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ple working in organizations... it covers activities such as strategic human resources manage
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ment, human capital management, corporate social responsibility, knowledge management,
organization development, resourcing (human resource planning, recruitment and selection,
and talent management), performance management, learning and development, reward man
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agement, employee relations, employee well-being and health and safety and the provision of
employee services”.
During the last decade, a “holistic” approach to managing people in organizations, corre
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sponding to the above presented definition, largely replaced the traditional “personnel man
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agement” concept. HR managers are no longer responsible only for “bringing people into
the organization, helping them perform their work, compensating them for their labors, and
solving problems that arise” as described by Cherrington (1995) or “handling, directing and
controlling of individual employees, ... (as well as) acquisition and retention of competent em
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ployees trough proper recruitment, selection, placement, utilization, and development” (Sison,
1981). Although these tasks are still valid today, it has to be pointed out that modern approach
to HR management takes into account additional perspectives, emerging from massive tech
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nology advancement as well as increasing importance of personnel performance management.
Human resource managers can no longer care “only” about employees, but have to tightly
cooperate with executive management and more so act as direct contributors to organizations’
overall performance.
