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Canadian HR Reporter
Toronto, ON
|
Intranet Solutions for HR
Internet and HR #1
-by Al Doran
"I am just getting
used to the Internet..... what is an Intranet?..." you ask. Well, the
easiest way to explain it is to say that an Intranet is the Internet set
up inside your company. In most cases, an Intranet application is set
up within a company to accommodate the information needs of that
organization, and not the world.
Most people using the world wide
web today realize that the information they are accessing when they key
in or click on an URL (Universal Resource Locator) they are immediately
linked to information in a specific web server, someplace in the world.
For example, if you use the URL http://www.ihrim.org/ you are
immediately linked to the web site of the International Association for
Human Resource Information Management. This site physically is in Dallas
Texas but could be anyplace in the world. Anyone can access this
Internet URL.
Within a company, there are many reasons to have an
Intranet application, but the main reason for making it an Intranet
instead of an Internet resource is security. If an organization chooses
to have company job opportunities, policies, etc. available through a
web browser such as Netscape or Microsoft Explorer, it will probably
take steps to limit access to its own employees.
Intranets are being set up in different ways, however the most common are:
1.
On a dedicated internal web server that is accessible only for internal
use. The internal web server has no connection out to the www so that
someone outside of the company, even if they had the URL, could not
access the site, there is simply no physical connection. Only those
people connected physically through wiring within the company could
connect to the server. This is called controlling the security through a
physical firewall. The company may add on an additional level of
security if it wanted to limit access to only certain employees. This
would be via a software firewall that would ask each "visitor" to the
URL to sign in with a Userid and Password or PIN (personal
identification number).
2. An organization may also choose to set
up an Intranet application on a web server that does have a physical
connection to the outside world via the www. This would mean that anyone
with the URL could get to the home page of the company, but would be
denied entry "at the front door" when they would be asked for a user-id
and password or PIN. This is called controlling the security through a
software firewall.
3. Many Intranets are being developed using a
combination of the two types of systems above. In systems with both
internal and external web servers, the most sensitive corporate
information is managed internally on the internal server and less
sensitive information is passed to the external server for more public
access.
Why an Intranet?
The key value of an Intranet is
the ability to collect, communicate, and share information with
employees. This can be done economically using readily available tools
such as a Web Browser. One of the most valuable benefits of an Intranet
is empowering employees to update their own information. Making changes
to the corporate HRMS (human resource management system) related to
address changes, emergency contact, benefit changes, course
registration, etc. can be time consuming when its paper driven and
routed through various levels of management and HR. Given adequate
edits, this kind of information should be routine for employees to make
themselves, its their data!
Intranet HR Examples:
-Communicate corporate HR Policies
-Company news bulletins
-Download company forms
-Recruitment
-application for job openings
-feedback on application
-pre screen applicants
-Update personal data:
-home address
-emergency contact
-dependent information
-benefit coverage
-vacation schedule
-training schedule (course selection/self registration)
-submit expense claims
-Inquiry
-claims status
-job application status
-total value of compensation package
-earnings
-pay information on-line
-benefit coverage
-retirement planning - options
-Communications
-use as e-mail
Value of Intranet
One
of the most important benefits of an Intranet system is the way it can
be used to simplify the delivery of complex information. HR policies can
be very detailed so by using the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) or
some of the new web authoring software, the policies can be presented
more graphically for easier understanding. Employees can use simple
"search forms" to locate information on topics. Employees can "jump"
from one topic to another using the links provided.
Characteristics of an Intranet Application
-Information can be highly personalized.
-Can provide information to employees using a common interface.
-It changes the communications channel from distribution to access.
-Information is timely and can be updated as required.
-It cuts costs of data entry, training and documentation.
-Significant cost savings on paper, printing.
-Distribution, customer service improved.
-Provision of information for modeling and calculating cost/benefits.
-Responsibility for transactions empowered to employees resulting in fewer errors
and faster turn around.
The
Internet and Intranet are not for everyone, yet. The organizations that
are prime candidates for making more effective use of this kind of
technology are those that are already wired for internal e-mail, where
some investment has been made in the communications infrastructure. One
of best examples are colleges and universities. Many of these
institutions have been connected internally and externally for e-mail
for many years and in most cases some investment has already been made
in making sure most employees are connected electronically. Another
reason higher education has the jump on the use of this technology is
the financial pressure they are under to manage with less resources. The
Internet/Intranet has come along just in time for them to take
advantage of the many cost cutting opportunities available with this
kind of application. Just one example of this is McMaster University in
Hamilton, Ontario. For a view of their HR page available via Internet,
visit: http://hr.mcmaster.ca/
Why Intranet in Human Resources?
For
some time now, we have been waiting on the promise of new technology to
make things easier when it comes to managing HR information. A few
years ago we heard that Client/Server technology would deliver on the
promise to move information out to where it was needed, to line
management. There has been limited success here, but the vendors leading
the way have caught on that HR are serious about moving responsibility
for information collection and use out to the front lines. Human
Resources itself has been downsized and de-centralized, so now tools are
needed to actually make it possible to manage with less and where the
action is.
Some of those tools that have been delivered most recently are:
-WorkFlow
-Forms (such as JetForms, LotusNotes, etc.)
-E-Mail, linking WorkFlow and Forms tools from the users to the HRMS.
Some of these tools have varying degrees of success due to a number of issues including:
-initial cost, software, hardware, telecommunications;
-complexity, training, learning curve;
-compatibility, interface, standards.
With
an Intranet application there is a common interface so many of the
above problems can be avoided. In most cases, an organization that is
adequately wired and has computer work stations that can support a web
browser like Netscape is essentially ready to get started. Using the
Internet and Intranet, the elusive seamless and elegant solution can be
realized at comparatively low cost. An added benefit is the ability to
use the tools from anyplace with a telephone connection. Any personal
computer with a modem can work with the corporate information from any
place in the world, home, hotel, yacht, etc.
Intranet/Internet Applications
One
of the most common examples of combined Intranet/Internet applications
are corporate recruiting systems. Many organizations have a corporate
policy to recruit first within the company. This is sometimes due to a
collective agreement but also to a corporate culture that promotes the
development of its own employees. Where this is the case, some companies
are setting up Intranet recruiting systems where all jobs are posted
and accessible only to its own employees. An authorized employee may
apply for positions, receive feedback, and remain on file as interested
in specific kinds of opportunities. The hiring department is able to
post a job quickly and efficiently and may review and rank order the
candidates at any time. When used effectively, the application process
should act as a pre-screening device, asking the kinds of questions
usually covered in a first interview. This saves time for all concerned.
When
a company has exhausted its ability to locate an internal employee it
can move the job information it has been using to the world wide web by a
simple transfer of the information to an Internet site. Here, all the
efficiencies enjoyed on the Intranet application will be enjoyed,
including pre-screening candidates from many different directions. For
an example of this, see the article on MedHunters in this issue, where a
Toronto-based international recruiting firm uses the internet to
pre-screen applicants for medical positions world wide.
In future articles, more examples of companies who are using the Internet and Intranet to manage HR information.
-Al
Doran is President of Phenix Management Int'l, a Richmond Hill,
Ontario-based management consulting firm specializing in the HRMS
issues. Al is the co-author of a new book published by Nelson Canada,
called "Human Resources Management Systems". Al may be reached at:
aldoran@pmihrm.com and his home page is: http://www.pmihrm.com/
COPYRIGHT - Al Doran - November, 1996
Phenix Management Int'l
10520 Yonge St., Unit 35B, Suite 217
Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4C 3C7
phone: 416-505-6204 fax: 416-352-7456
aldoran(at)pmihrm.comhttp://www.pmihrm.com |
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