Abstract: So your organization would like to leverage ServiceNow Human Resource Module or you would like to present this option to the business? That is fantastic! Check out this first of five blogs which presents what is Human Resource (HR) Service Management; why a properly deployed HR Service Management solution important to an organization; and what Human Resource Management is not.
Defining Human Resource Service Management (HRSM)
In the simplest terms, Human Resource Service Management (HRSM) is an employee focused system that involves people, process, and technology). A HRSM classifies, manages, and tracks the services provided by the Human Resource Department to the organization.
To expand the definition, an effective HRSM system coordinates HR Personnel, key processes; and is supported by flexible technology. A HRSM can be defined by the following attributes:
- Provide employees guidance and information regarding HR supported Services such as the organization's benefits, payroll, disability, and other programs
- Provide the proper guidance and information to employees who need to navigate through employment changes (i.e. Onboarding, Off-Boarding, Transfer, etc.).
- Provide proper guidance, information, and set the accurate expectations to personnel in regards to employee relationship matters such as performance issues, sexual harassment, work place harassment, etc.
Historically, Human Resource Departments were able to offer adequate HR Service Management with reactive processes and lesser technology solutions such as email, phone, and spreadsheets. Let's take a walk down memory lane:
HR "Service Management" in the '1990's (Email, Phone, and Spreadsheets)
| Phone | Desktop Spreadsheet | |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
HR "Service Management in the '2000's - loose processes, more email, and shared online folders
| Loose Processes (Binders) | More Emails | Shared Folders |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Despite the fact that HR Departments were content with "getting by" on managing day-to-day operations; HR Directors experience many sleepless nights when asked by the Business to produce material to legally defend themselves when a discrimination suit (justified or not) appears on the horizon[1].
Additionally, HR Directors are also responsible for ensuring all of a former employee's access is shutdown once they have left the company. Within a HRSM model, a HR Director must ask if all termination tasks are completed by HR, IT Security, Facilities, and other departments (this can be difficult within an email/spreadsheet model).
Failure to properly off-board an employee could be significant. The Wall Street Journal reported in a September 2014 article that the FBI is seeing a steady rise in disgruntled and/or former employees exploiting open networks and stealing critical data. In regards to losses, the FBI reported these backdoor raids can inflict losses on victimized businesses ranging from $5,000 to $3 Million[2].
Placing the HR horror stories aside and to focusing solely upon HRSM, HR Leadership understands they must access and control accurate data to help coordinate the organization and mitigate the risks involving concepts such as intellectual property, State/Federal employment laws, and workplace violence. An effective HRSM provides:
- The ability to manage complex issues such as Employee Onboarding and Off-boarding (i.e. Request and Task Management).
- The ability to consolidate data to spot trends that could detect potential problems impacting an organization (i.e. historical events such as requests, complaints, and investigations).
- Knowledge Management. HR Department can free up its personnel who were historically tied up reacting to simple inquires by proactively serving useful and timely knowledge to their employees. The result of proactive knowledge is HR personnel have more time to connect with employees and proactively address potential issues.
In subsequent blog posts, we will explore other HRSM topics such IT working HR to understand the needs of a HRMS.
[1] To illustrate this risk, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported for 2013 that 93,727 charges of workplace discrimination (against and individual's Race, Sex, National Origin, Religion, Age, and Disability) were filed against organizations (Public and Private Sectors). http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/charges.cfm. (Accessed EEOC Site on October 21, 2014)
[2] Devlin Barrett - Wall Street Journal, "FBI Warns of Rise in Disgruntled Employees Stealing Data" Sept. 23, 2014 - http://online.wsj.com/articles/fbi-warns-of-rise-in-disgruntled-employees-stealing-data-1411516389
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