Email

FROM: Ben Russell, CEO 

TO: General Manager, Human Resources  

SUBJECT: Human Resources Information Flow 

As you would be aware from my recent company-wide email, our plans for diversification and expansion across STAR Industries will soon be put into action. There are a number of critical areas in which I will be relying on your HR team and the information you are able to deliver to both line and senior managers. To this end, I would like you to start thinking about upgrading or replacing STAR's current Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS). 

Training 

Going forward, STAR will be expanding our product range and our production quality and capacity through some major technology innovations. Although no final decision has been made at this stage, it is also likely that this expansion in our product range will include an installation service. 

With these developments planned, the line managers are going to need you to be able to provide them with a detailed understanding of the current skills base amongst our employees, and a mechanism to introduce, monitor and evaluate the training programs which will be required. I am also keen to see a system put in place to enable line managers to schedule training sessions for both existing and new staff, and also to receive feedback on the uptake of that training. 

Increased employee numbers and diversification 

As our staff numbers increase and we employ people with a wider variety of skill sets in an increasing number of locations, we are going to need a more thorough and effective means of gathering, maintaining and using HR information. With the utilisation of a variety of flexible employment arrangements such as casuals, part-time staff and contractors, it is likely that we will also have a greater mix of employment and remuneration structures. 

Quality Assurance 

One of our key objectives is to secure Quality Assured status within the next 18 months. For this to happen, we need to be confident that our processes and systems are comprehensively documented. We will also need to be able to demonstrate that our methods of gathering and maintaining company information are watertight. This obviously also has wider benefits in terms of efficiency, legislative accountability and strategic self-analysis.  

I am therefore looking to you to develop, recommend and implement a strategy for ensuring that the processes and systems we are using to manage our employees will comply with Quality Standards. You'll find some helpful background information on the Standards Australia website (www.standards.com.au) 

Report 

It is going to be crucial that managers and staff from all departments know what we are doing, why we are doing it and that we support the project. I know I have yet to convince all of the STAR division managers of the benefits of upgrading our HRMIS, so I would like to ask you to prepare a report for our next senior managers' meeting outlining:  

• the deficiencies in the current 'system' and how HR information has previously been managed within STAR
• the capabilities of HRMIS
• the management and strategic planning advantages available through the implementation of such a system
• the information handling needs of the main STAR divisions that could be met with a new HRMIS
• the company's Privacy Act obligations in terms of the collection, maintenance and security of employee information
• the types of costs (not actual figures) that may contribute to the total cost of introducing a new HRMIS

Kind regards,  

Ben Russell