Read The Details Of Larson Property Management Company
Read The Details Of The Larson Property Management Company Case Scenar
Read the details of the Larson Property Management Company case scenario on pages 114–115 of the textbook. The Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Larson, and the Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Johnson, would like to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the HR functions, as well as reduce overall HR costs. Mr. Larson and Ms. Johnson would like you, the HR Director, to serve as the change agent of the project. In this assignment, you will develop a plan and analysis (planning and analysis phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)) of the current business based on the details of the scenario. Instructions: Write a two to three-page proposal, in which you: Introduction and Plan 1. Detail the current situation for the company, focusing on the issues that the organization is currently facing from using a legacy HRIS. Explain your plan for moving forward to address these issues. Needs Analysis 2. Based on the issues the organization is currently facing, identify the new system needs. Identify change team members who will help identify system need and specify their role and responsibilities. Interview, Questionnaire, Observation, or Focus Group 3. Determine how additional data will be collected regarding system needs. Determine how change management team will collect data during the exploration phase. Specify if team members will use interviews, questionnaires, observations and/or focus groups to collect data from end users. Provide at least five essential questions that will be asked of end users via interview, questionnaire, observation, or focus group. Conclusion 4. Explain two to three reasons why the company would benefit from adopting an HRIS. Focus on how the HRIS would address the current HR needs of the organization. Scenario: Larson Property Management Company is one of the largest property-management companies in California, with more than 1,000 employees. The company provides a full array of commercial management and development services. These activities include complete management services for commercial office and retail buildings and apartment complexes; the construction, repair, and maintenance of commercial properties; and financial management and billing services for commercial real estate clients. The company has experienced significant expansion over the past five years in response to the growth in apartment and commercial construction in southern California, and this expansion has resulted in the need to hire a large number of employees on an ongoing basis to staff its operations. Larson Property Management has depended on a legacy HRIS to manage its applicant and employee databases. The system runs on a client-server computer system. The system was implemented approximately 10 years ago, prior to the rapid growth of the company and when the organization had fewer than 100 employees. The system’s functionality is limited to the storage and retrieval of employee and applicant data. For recruiting purposes, the system requires a clerk to manually enter basic applicant data, the results of the application test, and whether or not an offer of employment has been made. Prior to this, applicants’ files were passed around to those who reviewed the materials and were sometimes misplaced, so trying to locate a particular applicant’s file was often a problem. The current HRIS has limited file storage capability for applicant and employee records and currently has reached its storage capacity. Larson Property Management has decided to replace its legacy HRIS. One application module in the new HRIS that the company wants is a sophisticated applicant-tracking system (ATS). The primary objective of the ATS will be to provide a paperless hiring process. The basic functions of the new system will be managing the requisition and approval of job openings, storing resumes and job applications and retrieving through query functions the names of applicants who match job requirements, tracking a candidate’s progress through the recruiting and selection process, and providing automated reporting functions. The company’s managers also want an e-HR functionality that includes the Internet posting of job openings through the company’s website and external job-posting services, application and resume submission through the Web and through kiosks at various office locations, staff ability to access and use the system remotely through a Web browser, and online resume- and application-scanning capabilities. Part of the design phase is modeling the processes that will be used in the system for applicant tracking. For Larson Property Management, this modeling will allow the system analysts to design an efficient paperless hiring process.
Paper For Above instruction
The Larson Property Management Company case presents a scenario where the organization seeks to modernize its human resources (HR) functions by replacing its outdated legacy Human Resource Information System (HRIS) with a more efficient and comprehensive new system. The current system, implemented over a decade ago, was suitable for the company's size before rapid expansion but has since become inadequate due to limited storage capacity, manual processes, and outdated functionality. The core issues include outdated data management, limited automation, and inefficient applicant tracking, which impede the company's ability to efficiently manage its growing workforce and streamline recruitment processes.
To address these issues, the organization plans to implement a new, integrated HRIS featuring a sophisticated applicant-tracking system (ATS) and electronic Human Resource (e-HR) functionalities. This transition aims to create a paperless, automated, and easily accessible HR environment that supports recruitment, employee management, and remote access. The plan involves a structured approach following the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), specifically its planning and analysis phases, to ensure the new HRIS aligns with organizational needs.
Introduction and Plan
The current situation at Larson Property Management reveals significant limitations in its HR capabilities, primarily stemming from reliance on a legacy HRIS that no longer meets the company's expanding needs. The outdated system requires manual data entry, which is time-consuming and prone to errors, and it lacks scalability due to limited storage capacity. Additionally, the manual handling of applicant files increases the risk of misplaced records and delays in hiring processes. These issues have created bottlenecks in HR operations, affecting overall organizational efficiency and growth potential.
To move forward, the plan involves conducting a comprehensive needs analysis, assembling a dedicated change management team, and employing various methods such as interviews, questionnaires, observations, and focus groups to gather detailed requirements from end-users. The goal is to develop a tailored specifications report that reflects the actual needs of HR personnel, managers, and other stakeholders. The next steps include designing the new system architecture, focusing on automating application submission, resume processing, applicant tracking, and providing remote access to HR functions through web-based interfaces.
Needs Analysis
The transition to a new HRIS requires clearly identifying the organization’s system needs. Key needs include scalable data storage, automated applicant tracking, web-based HR functionalities, remote access, and integration with external job-posting services. These enhancements will streamline the hiring process, reduce manual effort, and improve data accuracy.
A project team of change agents will be established to facilitate this transition. The team comprises HR managers, IT specialists, recruited end-users from recruitment and HR departments, and external consultants specializing in HRIS implementation. HR managers will oversee process redesign; IT specialists will ensure technical feasibility; end-users will provide practical insights; and external consultants will assist in aligning system capabilities with industry best practices. Responsibilities include conducting needs assessments, facilitating user input, testing prototypes, and supporting change management initiatives.
Data Collection Methods and Essential Questions
To gather comprehensive system requirements, the team will employ a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. These will include interviews with HR staff and managers, distributed questionnaires to end-users, direct observations of current HR processes, and focus groups involving HR personnel and other stakeholders. This multi-method approach ensures a thorough understanding of operational needs and user expectations.
Five essential questions to be asked during data collection are:
- What are the biggest challenges you face with the current HRIS system?
- Which functions are most critical to your daily HR activities?
- How do you currently track applicants, and what improvements would you like to see?
- What features would you find most valuable in the new HRIS system?
- How should remote access be integrated to facilitate your work outside the office?
Conclusion
Adopting a modern HRIS like the one Larson Property Management envisions will significantly benefit the organization. Firstly, it will improve operational efficiency by automating manual processes such as applicant tracking and employee data management, reducing administrative overhead and minimizing errors. Secondly, it will support scalable growth by providing ample storage and advanced features that can accommodate the company’s expanding workforce. Lastly, the integrated web-based functionalities will enhance accessibility for managers and HR personnel, allowing for real-time updates and remote management, which is vital in today’s dynamic work environment. Overall, transitioning to a comprehensive HRIS will enable Larson Property Management to maintain its competitive edge in the property management industry by streamlining HR functions and supporting organizational growth.
References
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