Introduction
The human resource information system (HRIS) is a software system used by an organization to store and manage employees’ information and human resource management codes of conduct. With the constantly evolving technology, human resource information systems automate workflows, adjust reporting structures, and aid data-driven decision-making processes. According to Brooks (2020), HRIS enables companies to fully understand their workforce while ensuring compliance with the ever-changing labor regulations and tax laws.
This paper tends to compare and contrast the different HRIS software solutions and explore one of the solutions in detail based on a chosen topic human resource management seeks to address. The three HRIS software solutions compared and contrasted in this work are Orange HRM, Waypoint HR, and Simple HRM.
Comparison and Contrast
Similarities
Customer Care Support
All three HRIS software solutions provide timely customer care support. The hosted version of Waypoint HR provides technical support around the clock, data backup, and off-site security (Mero, 2020). Waypoint HR and Simple HRM offer customer care support from implementing to using their tools (Parchande et al., 2019). All the HRIS tools discussed in this work provide timely responses to queries from their users through the communication channels provided.
Integration
The three solutions are relatively easy to integrate into the human resource management system. According to Mero (2020), Waypoint HR and Orange HRM are simple to implement and can be quickly set up over an existing LAMP server. Simple HRM’s simple user interface and functionality make it easy to implement and use (Parchande et al., 2019). While Orange’s HRM solution is a bit detailed and complex, it comes with a simple guide on integrating into the human resource management system, which should ease the integration process.
Pricing
The three HRIS solutions are relatively cheaper. The basic version of Orange HRM is free software that can be redistributed or modified under the terms of the General Public License (Rahimzai & Hiraishi, 2018). Users can also purchase additional modules offered by Orange HRM at a relatively lower price, depending on need. Simple HRM employs the per-user pricing model starting from $199.00 on a one-time purchase plan for large organizations (Parchande et al., 2019). Waypoint HR pricing is reasonable and based on usage.
Privacy and Security
None of the three HRIS solutions is entirely safe, and the myth that one of the three HRIS tools is more secure than the rest is based on many prejudices. According to Thite (2019), whether a solution is open-source or proprietary, it is susceptible to attack like the others. Therefore, the three HRIS solutions risk companies’ confidential data being accessed by third parties. Organizations should seek to incorporate additional security measures into the HRIS tools.
Differences
Ease of Use
Orange HRM is quite detailed and challenging, unlike Simple HRM and Waypoint HR. For Orange HRM, a lot of information loaded on the software is invisible to most users (Gabriela, 2021). Simple HRM is an open-source HRIS mainly focusing on human resource management and is relatively easy to navigate (Parchande et al., 2019). On the other hand, Waypoint HR concentrates only on the employees’ information and does not cater to different human resource needs, rendering it simple.
Features and Functionality
Orange HRM suits all human resource needs: employee information recording and human resource management. It offers additional modules to be purchased on Orange Marketplace and is done to address different needs. Waypoint’s HR solution only focuses on employee personal information and records (Mero, 2020).
On the other hand, Simple HRM is only concerned with human resource management. Orange HRM is powerful and is ideal for an organization of five to 5,000 personnel (Rahimzai & Hiraishi, 2018). Waypoint HR and Simple HRM are mainly suitable for small and medium-scale organizations.
Performance
Due to Orange HRM’s complex nature and vast offerings, it performs better than Simple HRM and Waypoint HR. According to Rahimzai & Hiraishi (2018), it is the most potent HRIS tool as it performs better since it handles all human resource needs, providing an all-in-one package HRIS tool. Waypoint HR and Simple HRM have specific and limited use cases. Therefore, users must source complementary solutions to achieve maximum HRIS performance.
Table 1 – Comparison of HRM
Orange HRM Analysis
Performance
The comparison table above shows Orange HRM as the preferred HRIS tool. It is the most potent HRIS tool. This part of the study examines the performance module offered by Orange HRM. According to Rahimzai and Hiraishi (2018), performance monitoring is a complex process that employs meaningful, comparable, consistent, and validated data. Also referred to as performance appraisal, it is a crucial undertaking for any organization that seeks to grow. A systematic analysis of employees’ work output against a standard indicator improves the future development potential of organizations.
Orange HRM allows human resource personnel and supervisors to track employees’ performance and improvement. The tool also permits higher company hierarchies to examine the performance scores of their employees against set goals and competencies. The HRIS software employs an appraisal cycle and period field in performance tracking and analysis (Rahimzai & Hiraishi, 2018). Users can get a graphical overview of the performance metrics from different appraisers across different goals and competencies. The appraisal cycle and period field in the software allows for monitoring of improvement as the performance scores of employees can be compared over different periods, be it quarterly, annually, or semi-annually.
Goal tracking is vital in performance appraisal as it aids employee engagement and performance, benefiting the organization. Kaydos (2020) contends that goal-setting and tracking ensure employees’ inclusivity in organizations’ undertakings, which is vital for success. Orange HRM incorporates goal tracking in its performance appraisal. Through custom review questions, company administration can monitor employees’ performance based on customer reviews. The electronic performance sign-off allows for discussion between the management and employees based on the check received from the custom review questions.
Modification
Simplified Orange HRM Website
After analyzing customer feedback and comparing Orange HRM to other HRIS tools, it has been identified that there is a demand for a more user-friendly website that is easy to navigate, enhanced customer support during installations, and the creation of multiple versions of the software. Gabriela (2021) noted that the software’s vast amount of information could overwhelm most users as it is invisible.
Furthermore, the entire menu can be confusing and unappealing, making the software unattractive to potential users. A simplified website version that disseminates content across additional pages is recommended to address these concerns. This would enable users to access relevant information more efficiently and make the software more user-friendly. Additionally, enhancing customer support during installations would help users troubleshoot issues, ensuring a smooth user experience.
More Customer Support during Installations
Additionally, to ease the set-up process and maintain the system, more customer care support is needed during the initial set-up of the HRIS tool. The Orange HRM system is unstable, difficult to set up, and prone to crashing and data loss (Rahimzai & Hiraishi, 2018). To mitigate the crushing risks and data loss, a cloud-based data backup system for the user data on the software and different versions of the software to fit the other user’s computer specifications is critical. This also boosts the system’s security and ensures customers get the best experience.
Creation of Different Versions of Orange HRM
While the price is relatively reasonable based on the per-user per month basis, the minimum user computer requirements for Orange HRM are high for small-scale users. According to Gabriela (2021), the prerequisite for adopting Orange HRM is Apache HTTP Server 2.2 or later, PHP 7.4 or later, and MySQL 5.5 or later/ MariaDB 5.5 or later. Thus, it is critical to create different versions of the tool to serve both small and large-scale users. The pricing of the HRIS software should also consider the scale of usage and the version in use. In this way, the tool will serve all the users without discrimination.
Conclusion
From the discussion above, it is evident how human resource management systems are vital for human resource management. Human resource management is crucial for organizations seeking success. As such, employing a suitable HRIS tool is essential. Whether an HRIS tool is open-source or proprietary, the organization’s human resource management needs are the most critical factor.
Therefore, choosing a suitable HRIS tool for any organization should be guided by these specific needs. To keep up with the ever-changing technology and the increasing workplace challenges, the Existing HRIS tools should identify the gaps within their scope and seek to improve their service offering.
References
Brooks, L. (2020). Business and professional ethics. Cengage Learning.
Gabriela, V. (2021). Is a complete software to collect information about human resources? ORANGEHRM. Web.
Kaydos, W. (2020). Operational performance measurement. Google Books. Web.
Mero, A. A. (2020). Web-based human resource reporting management information system a case study: President’s office public service commission (PO-PSC). MUScholar Home. Web.
Parchande, S., Shahane, A., & Dhore, M. (2019). Contractual employee management system using machine learning and robotic process automation. 2019 5th International Conference On Computing, Communication, Control And Automation (ICCUBEA). Web.
Rahimzai, H. A., & Hiraishi, T. (2018). Working in progress: Implementation of HRMIS for civil servants. International Journal of Management and Applied Science, 4(9), 4–7. Web.
Thite, M. (2019). E-HRM: Digital Approaches, directions & applications. Routledge.