Topic Overview

Technology is changing at a rapid pace, and HR professionals are affected by these changes. This module is not designed to teach all the possible technologies but to generate discussion about how these technologies can help

Technology
Technology is when you

use technical means to further advance your life. Whether it be in science, society, or the environment. You are able to provide a material object for your civilization.

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. HRM can also be performed by line managers.

HRM is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. HR professionals work more efficiently and effectively. Students should be encouraged to develop a comfort level with technology and to consider how they might incorporate it in their future roles as HR professionals.

 Internal Factor Middle Factor External Factor

Internal Factor
Technical Element The Environmental Forces The

technical element of the internal environment relates closely to the physical element. It consists of the layout of the workplace; the process by which the work is performed; and the tools, equipment, and machinery used to perform the work. These factors in turn determine both the way work is processed and the requirements of the jobs performed. The way in which work is organized affects interpersonal relations and interaction among employees within a work area. It influences the formation of informal work groups and the degree of cooperation or conflict among employees.

Middle Factor
Socio-Technical System The Environmental Forces It is an

Environment in which the technical and social Systems are integrated so that job design is based on human as well as technological considerations. The Socio-technical systems restructure the work, work groups, & the relationship between workers & technologies. More than just enriching a job, these approaches may result in radical changes in the work environment. Efforts to humanize the workplace is much advanced in Germany, where the government funds 50 % of selected restructuring & retraining efforts in private industry. Shell Canada ltd. and Procter & Gamble provide North American examples.

External Factor
Technological Element The Environmental Forces This

refers to computer technology which enabled firms to take advantage of the information explosion. Unlimited amounts of data can be stored, retrieved & used in a wide variety of ways, from simple record keeping to controlling complex equipment. Companies like AT&T, United Airlines, Equitable Life Insurance, American Express use sophisticated devices to measure work output. While large businesses & computer firms tout computerized monitoring as an effective means of improving productivity, such systems have been linked to increased stress, loss of privacy rights, health risks & employee job dissatisfaction.

Current Techno-Challenges
Artificial Intelligence
Office Automation Robotic Function

Advanced Transportation
Tele-Commuting

Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence will definitely give a number of

workers access to expert systems - computerized programs that capture the knowledge & decision making approaches to experts. As the capabilities of artificial intelligence give people and machines greater problem-solving powers, jobs and skills they require with change dramatically, affecting the employment, training, development, compensation, and employee relations activities of the HR department. Current Techno-Challenges

Office Automation
Office Automation is another way in which technology affects the field of HR management. The introduction of computers into banks changed employment needs. HR departments of banks had dramatically changed their recruiting & training programs. Before computers, HR specialists recruited large numbers of unskilled and semiskilled clerks. Computers, however, required highly skilled programmers & systems analysts. Current TechnoChallenges

Robotic Function
Robotic Function As robots become more common & sophisticated, they will affect organizational productivity and quality of work life for employees. Their increased use seems a certainty since their costs relative to labor costs are declining. Dangerous jobs Such as working with toxic chemicals and paints will be changed by substituting robots for people. Similarly, highly repetitive assembly tasks increasingly will be taken over by robots by the 2000s. Current Techno-Challenges

Advanced Transportation
Advanced Transportation The technology of cars and

airplanes modified the transportation industry. Automobile and aviation companies grew, creating a demand for more employees and training. For those already employed by these firms, growth provided promotional opportunities. Railroad companies were also affected, except that the HR management challenges differed. Revenue lost to cars, trucks, and airplanes limited growth. HR departments in these companies had to reduce the work force and create early retirement systems. Current Techno-Challenges

Tele-Commuting
Tele-commuting is the use of micro - computers,

networks & other communications technology such as facsimile ( fax ) machines to do work in the home that is traditionally done in the workplace. What potential benefits do HR managers see in telecommuting? In a recent USA survey, the most common responses were decreased production costs, increased employee satisfaction, and increased productivity. Current Techno-Challenges

HR technology can help organizations meet their business goals and objectives today and in the future

 Helping managers deploy their workers more efficiently.

Ensuring that workers receive proper training and

development. Offering new insights on how to increase productivity. Enabling employees and managers to receive needed information faster. Reducing HR administrative costs. Assisting with better employee assessment and selection

The Role Technology Plays on Todays Human Resource Management

Technology is the practical application of science to commerce or industry; the study of or a collection of techniques; a particular technological concept; the body of tools and other implements produced by a given society Technology is here and will continue to progress. To understand the role technology plays on todays HRM we first have to understand business technology. According to Luck (2010): Business technology refers to the integration of computer and communications technologies in support of administrative applications and procedures within an organization. Business technology is constantly evolving. Business technology is required for a successful business. It is no longer enough for HRM to maintain a narrow operational focus, view its activities as restricted to the limits of its own organization, or to limit itself to traditional human resource (HR) responsibilities (Lengnick-Hall & Lengnick-Hall, 2003), HRs should go above and beyond. The HR field has evolved over time and nowadays HR is under more scrutiny and is more accountable than ever. There is little room for mistakes, which can be overwhelming costly. HRs these days and in the near future have a greater importance in the strategic business partnership with the organization, and for this challenge to be won there is an increasing need for technology to be inserted on its daily operations and on its decision-making considerations.

The Impact of Technology in Human Resource Management

Growth in knowledge needs. World trade is growing over

three times faster in knowledge-intensive goods and services such as biomedicine, robotics, and engineering Shift in human competencies. Some predict that in 2015 almost all net employment growth will be in knowledge workers Global market connection. Technology is dissolving borders and creating an interconnected marketplace Business streamlining. Easy to use communication, electronic mail, electronic conferencing, and databases are creating instantaneous dissemination of data to make better decisions to geographically dispersed workers

Rapid response. Technology permits quicker communications, which allows faster decisionmaking Quicker innovation. Teams of marketing, engineering, and production personnel working in parallel with computer provided files, data, and information develop products faster Quality improvement. The concept of building quality into the entire process of making, marketing, and servicing is enhanced by computer monitoring systems and through robotics

Any Questions