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Introduction

Question 1 A Human Resource and Management (HRM) department or business with which you are familiar feels that it needs to consider using computers for the first time but it has little idea about the application packages available, their relevance to its HRM services/business and what benefits they might bring. Identify four different types of popular software application packages used in HRM and describe their features and how they can prove of benefit to the department/business. There are many different computer solutions available to businesses today allowing a bespoke package or packages for each business and its area of specialisation. There are, however, four software application packages that I would recommend to the HRM department. I shall list each of these separately along with their features and the benefits they will bring to your HRM department. All of the packages compliment one another and are designed to work alongside each other for the ease of the user, as well as the administrator. The packages are components of MS Office 2000. 1. MS Word 2000 This is the equivalent of a word processor or a typewriter. Currently, your HRM department has a traditional typing pool for any information that is to be typed. Features: Spell/Grammar check, automating tasks, auto format/manual format, huge range of fonts/styles, quick editing, proofing tools, creating tables, borders and shading, creating graphics/importing graphics, creating web pages, MS word as an email editor, ability to select language to be used. ...read more.

Middle

More annual leave added to an individual's entitlement). * The running of the HRM function will be radically changed for the better in that line managers and individuals will be able to input info on to Excel sheets formulated by HRM. HRM will then have all the info needed at their fingertips when statistical analysis is required. * Training budget can be monitored effectively per individual. Per individual and per dept figures can be easily extracted. * New targets can be set for (for instance) sick absence. If it known that each employee has an average of 7 days sick absence per year, then a target of 6 or 5 days can be set. This would further reduce costs. * Excel sheets can be emailed from the HRM department, or stored on a common hard drive. 4. MS Access 2000 MS Access 2000 is a database management system. 'Microsoft Access enables the end user to manage all relevant information from a single database file. Features: Within this file, data can be divided into separate sections called tables; view, add, and update table data by using online forms; find and retrieve just the data you want by using queries; and analyse or print data in a specific layout by using reports. Allow users to view, update, or analyse the database's data from the Internet or an intranet by creating data access pages.' ...read more.

Conclusion

For example the HRM department may wish to plan for any staff retiring in the forthcoming year. All they would have to do is to enter a query. Assuming retirement age is 60. SELECT ALL WHERE AGE IS > 59 The information extracted would show all employees who are 59 and over and provide valuable information to those planning the retirements. If required it would be possible to extract information specific to a location. This would enable the HRM officer to check to see if there could be a possible skill/staff shortage in that particular area due to retirement. Other ways that the data could be manipulated to the benefit of the HRM practitioner are: * Selecting leaving dates and area to search for geographic trends * Selecting skills against starting date to check for skill deficiencies * Checking for age (20 - 25) against sick absence to see how it compares to the age (25 - 30) - again looking for trends By spotting trends in, for example, sick absence (which costs companies millions of pounds a year) the HR department can inform line managers and attempt to address the problem and monitor staff with high levels of sick absence. In short, a database management system does the work of dozens of HR administrators (saving money on recruiting) and in a fraction of the time. The information it extracts is reliable and accurate and this information can be used in a variety of different ways including cost reduction. 1 ...read more.

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