Introduction
The Barclays Bank has successfully integrated technology in the Human Resource (HR) planning, where IT application ranges from employee data storage to the provision of employee self-assessment and the guidance into career development. This is useful in the planning for the future succession improving on the employee participation and the overall performance.
The Research objective
To determine the level of integration of information technology in the human resource planning at the Barclays Bank.
Literature Review
(Rothwell et al. 2003) HR planning is the entire process that seeks to make a proper identification of both the current and the future workforce needs for the corporation to successfully implement its mandate. Notably HR planning serves as a link between the personnel top level management and the institutional strategic plan as a whole. It includes the employer brand creation, the strategy for retaining the employees, how to manage the employee absence and the selection and recruitment strategy.
(Deb , 2009) Use of information technology in the financial institutions is necessary to ensure the improvement of the level of efficiency in tasks executions and service delivery. In the human resources department, it is observed that the adoption ensures automation of most of the tasks, hence saving on the cost of operation. The savings can further be utilized in improving the performance and securing data in the Information Technology system.
(ETE, 2012)Linking the organizational database system to the web enables the HR planners to easily post job openings and the application procedures to the potential recruits. Due to the exposure of the positions to the public, the firm shall receive a large number of applications, of which the best few can be selected for consideration. The application process becomes automatic, enabling the HR planners to engage in other tasks of importance to the organizational development.
( Schwable, 2010)From the employee data and their remunerations stored in the system, the HR planners have an opportunity of retrieving the data when needed. For instance, the planners can determine the and regulate the labor cost through tracking the day to day expenditure on labor activities, which is made easier through the facilitation of the information technology. Tracking of labor cost eases the planning process by providing data for projection of future labor requirements.
(Lee , 2013) Specific application software has been designed to meet the needs of the assessment of employees at the workplace to determine their potential and the benefit gained by the firm through utilization of their skills. In addition, the system offers the employees an opportunity to develop their skills to meet their career requirement. As such, employee data is easily retrievable for the determination of best-suited employee for promotion or a new job offering.
Research philosophy, Approach and Strategy
1. Research Philosophy
Research philosophy refers to a given belief that data regarding a phenomenon is supposed to be gathered, its analysis and the subsequent application. The different types include the following:
a. Positivism: This refers to the system of research philosophy holding that all the assertions that can be justified rationally can as well be verified in scientific terms.
b. Postpositivism: It is a stance in metatheoretical terms which offers criticism and an amendment to positivism where necessary.
c. Realism: This refers to the general fact, or the quality of accurate representation of a situation, a variable or a person in a way that conform to the real life.
d. Interpretivism: In qualitative research interpretivism is extensively used as an inquiry method of research to social science and other relative disciplines.
e. Phenomenology: Is the first-hand experience study of consciousness structures.
From the above, I chose positivism for the research purposes, as it is possible to apply a scientific analysis for the verification of the data gathered. Thus, the accuracy of the research outcome can scientifically be proven.
2. Research Approach
A research approach refers to the method chosen by the researcher to conduct and implement the research process (deductively or inductively); with regards to the existence of the theories and the subsequent placement of the hypotheses. In this research, the inductive approach is chosen as it aims to explore the human attachment to the assistance of Information Technology at the workplace. Also, this research requires a higher level of flexibility.
3. Research Strategy
A research strategy is the overall action plan offering guidance to the individual efforts, hence ensuring a conduct of a research in a systematic manner, rather than haphazard. In this research, survey strategy was employed in gathering data from Barclays Bank employees.
Ethical Implications
For a successful research, there should be a guarantee of utmost confidentiality on the employees that offer to divulge information. Through such an act, the researcher has the ability to gather more data hence assisting in arrival at a more accurate conclusion. Also, honesty should be portrayed by the data gatherer. For the sake of proper analysis, there should be no data manipulation whatsoever to suit personal needs. In fact, the data should be collected and analyzed as it is. Lastly, there should be an embrace of a review process to ensure data verification, as well as the ascertainment of the research originality and quality.
The research was carried out after fulfillment of the above ethical requirements and the subsequent confirmation and acceptance from the teacher.
Research Methodology
1. Research Design
Research design refers to a detailed clear outline of the way an investigation should be undertaken. Typically, the research design features all the forms of data collection, instruments employed as well as how such instruments will be utilized and the eventual means intended for the collected data analysis.
Descriptive data analysis is used in this research because unlike both empirical and analytical data designs, there is the need to quantitatively describe the outcome of the data gathered regarding the integration of IT in the human resource planning. Notably this research relies on the sampling method of data gathering. Therefore, descriptive analysis is the most appropriate, especially in the provision of a simplified summary regarding the measures and the sample. Together with the simple chart graphics used for the research analysis, this form of research design is sure to contribute as a basis of all the quantitative data analysis.
2. Sampling Technique
A sampling technique refers to a specified process for sample selection as per the appropriateness of the research requirement. For this research study, simple random sampling technique is chosen to eliminate any chances of bias that can present, hence during data gathering process. As a result, there overall Human Resource population is well represented, leading to the arrival to a more accurate conclusion.
The sample chosen involved a single employee from each of the 10 sub-departments within Barclays bank.
3. Data Collection Method
a. Primary Data: To gather primary data, a method of filling in the questionnaire was chosen. Questionnaires have been proven effective in comparison to other data collection methods like interviews. This is mainly because it is less time consuming to be filled up by the employees. Additionally, the employee can be at liberty to divulge sensitive information that would have otherwise been impossible in the face to face data collection methods. Finally, it is easier to graphically analyze the data gathered from the close-ended questions.
b. Secondary Data: To back-up primary data, there is an inevitable need to gather data extensively in books, journals and internet sources that focus on similar research conducted in the past on the same field. The secondary data is especially useful in providing a step-by-step guidance for the research process in its entirety.
4. Tools for Data Analysis
Percentage Analysis refers to the representation of raw data streams in percentage terms (as a portion of 100) to arrive at a conclusion from the data collected. Usually, the percentage analysis method is effective in the calculation and comparison of data from a few variables.
5. Structure of the Questionnaire
The research requires four close ended questions and one open-ended question. The close-ended question does not give the sampled population a chance to air their views. Instead, it requires them to choose an answer to the already provided choices. In an acute contrast, the open-ended questions offer the sample population a chance to express themselves with regard to the questions asked in the research questionnaire. The open-ended question provides the researcher with a chance to get a deeper understanding to the answers not necessarily incorporated in the close-ended questions; hence more data can be collected for a concrete conclusion to be arrived at.
In this research, the following four close-ended questions and the open-ended were provided in the questionnaire:
a. Close-ended
i. Do you think that the recent adoption of IT in the human resource planning activities in your organization has improved the employee efficiency in service delivery?
ii. Do you think IT integration in HR Department has significantly minimized the annual operational cost?
iii. Do you think, in the IT integration will assist HR planners in the long term decision-making process?
iv. Do you think the Employee Assessment Application Software (EAAS) will be helpful to employees in developing skills to fulfill career requirements?
b. Open-ended
v. In your own opinion, what is the importance of Information Technology to Human Resource Planning?
Imperatively, the questions above were carefully chosen due to their ability to focus on the research topic and the ease at which the information can be divulged from the employees. Additionally, the questions cover a wider range of the literary review, hence will help in proving the conclusions arrived at during previous research. Ultimately, the questions were chosen with reference to the backing of the secondary data sources.
6. Data Analysis and Interpretation
Chart 1-4
Improvement of the Efficiency in the Delivery of Service
From the bar chart analysis above, it is evident that 40% of the employees sampled strongly agree that the use of the introduction of IT into human resource planning activities has greatly improved the level of employee service delivery in the organization. On the other hand, 30% agrees to the research question. However, it is notable that only 20% and 10% disagreed to the first question posed in the questionnaire, with the later offering a strong disagreement.
Chart 2-4
Minimization of operational Cost in HR Department
From the analysis above, it is apparent that only 20% of the sample population strongly agreed that IT adoption has remarkably minimized the annual expenditure on the operations of the human resource department in the Barclays Bank.30% of those sampled agreed on the question, whereas the same percentage objected to the second question. Contrastingly, there was a strong objection to the question by just 20% of the sampled employees.
Chart 3-4
Assistance to the decision-making process by HR Planners
For the third close ended question, it is remarkable that 70% of the sampled population were in a strong agreement to the question that the integration of Information technology in the day to day activities of the Human Resource Planners will subsequently assist them, especially in the decision-making process. 20% further agreed to the question. On the other hand, mere10% of the random employees were in disagreement with the research question. However, none of the randomly sampled employees strongly disagreed (Bondarouk, 2009).
Chart 4-4
Employee Assessment Application Software and the Skill Development
From the above statistical diagram it is observed that up to 20% of the sample strongly agreed that the Employee Assessment Application Software, in the long run, will help the employees to develop the skills to meet or exceed their career requirements. Similarly, 20% of the sampled departmental employees just agreed to the question, with the majority of 40% opting to differ. The 10% minority sample, on the other hand, strongly disagreed that employees are assisted by the software in their career development endeavors (Oz, 2009).
Question 5
For the open-ended question, it is observed that majority of the sample population have an opinion that one of the most important aspects of information technology to human resource planning is its ability to effectively execute tasks assigned for hours without getting bored or tired, unlike human beings. Also, a large portion of the sample notes that since the adoption of IT in the HR department, the order in task performance has been restored. This is attributed to the ability of computers to accurately assign tasks to employees, hence minimizing conflicts and confusions on who should do what and at which time of the day.
Data Reliability and Validity
The sampled data gathered can be relied upon, as the data source consists of first-hand users of the IT infrastructure recently adopted at Barclays Bank Corporation. Additionally, the method of data gathering ensured utilization of random sampling across all the departments of the organization; therefore enabling a generalized view without bias or leaning to one side of the population.
Furthermore, all the research ethics and professionalism measures have been put into consideration. As such, there is utmost certainty that the data gathered can be totally relied upon by both present and future researchers. The use of trusted and credible secondary sources, in turn, has further offered guidance on the proper research process, ensuring adherence of the research rules and affirming the reliability and validity of the data gathered (Newman et al. 2006).
The use of questionnaires to collect data is one of the most appropriate means of ensuring that the sample population freely and openly provides information without the fear of being exposed to the management. Also, the guarantee to the employees of their confidentiality should they provide sensitive information adds to the reliability and the validity status of the data collected.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident from the above research outcome that the adoption of the latest technology in Human Resource offers a significant assistance to the Strategists by improving the efficiency in the decision-making process while ensuring more information on employees is gathered. However, it is notable that the software users have to undergo rigorous training in order to ensure the full exploitation and tapping into all the benefits that the technology can offer. In so doing, the department is guaranteed on the improvement in the service delivery and the timely fulfillment of the organization's set goals and objectives.
Bibliography
Bondarouk, T. (2009). Handbook of Research on E-Transformation and Human Resources Management Technologies: Organizational Outcomes and Challenges. Hershey , PA
Info Tech Employment (ETE). (2012). Information Technology Jobs in America 2012: Corporate & Government Career Guide: Why You Want One, Where They Are, How to Get One. New York , N.Y.
Oz, E. (2009). Management Information Systems. Boston
Rothwell, W. J., & Kazanas, H. C. Amherst , Mass, HRD Press: 1-14. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=50qBiCdl8SEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=human+resource+planning&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=human%20resource%20planning&f=false
Schwalbe, K. (2010). InformationTtechnology Project Management. Boston , MA
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