The Impact of Human Resource Information Systems: An Exploratory Study in the Public Sector

Various authors have advocated that the use of a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) should lead to valuable outcomes for the organization. Decreased costs, improved communication, and decreases in time spent on mundane activities should create an environment wherein the Human Resources (HR) department would play a more strategic role in the organization. This study is an initial attempt to determine whether HRIS has reached these potential benefits. Based on responses from a sample of HR directors of from public universities we found that, while valuable, HRIS has not yet reached its full potential in this environment.