Critical Assessment of IT and Internet in HRM Recruitment Processes

This essay critically assesses the effectiveness of internet and information technology in transforming human resource management (HRM) recruitment methods to target the external labour market. The introduction defines HRM and its staffing functions, highlighting how IT and the internet have created opportunities for attracting skilled and unemployed individuals. The main body explores the shift from traditional to electronic HRM (e-HRM), detailing how online platforms, social media, and applicant tracking systems are used. It discusses the benefits of internet recruitment, such as wider geographical reach and cost-effectiveness, and analyzes recruitment models like the online recruitment model and the Harvard Analytical Framework. The essay also highlights the importance of digital staffing in managing diverse workforces and the use of convergent HR approaches in international recruitment. Examples from companies like Tesco and Next Plc illustrate the practical application of these concepts. The essay concludes by emphasizing the transformative impact of IT on HRM, enabling businesses to integrate equality, diversity, and innovation in their recruitment processes.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENT
Thesis Statement: To critically assess effectiveness of internet and information technology
which has transformed recruitment methods to target external labour market............................1
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY............................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................7
REFERENCES........................................................................................................1

Thesis Statement: To critically assess effectiveness of internet and information technology
which has transformed recruitment methods to target external labour market
INTRODUCTION
Human resource management (HRM) is a deliberate approach which aim at coordinating
and cooperating employee’s efforts to attain business goals and objectives. The ultimate function
of HR manager is staffing where the individual is focused on recruitment and selecting potential
personnel via networking, interviewing, application, etc. The essay will outline how information
technology (IT) and internet promoted methods of recruiting workers from external labour
market.
MAIN BODY
HRM is a tactical approach which helps the firm in managing employee’s satisfaction
and attaining competitive advantage. Information technology and internet has created a huge
platform of opportunities where HR managers are able to attract large number of skilled and
unemployed individuals. The recruitment methods are classified into two categories that is
internal and external. Internal staffing is referred to fulfilling vacant position by promoting or
demoting existing employees within the firm. Apparently, external recruitment is hiring of
employees from suitable platforms like, campus recruitment, advertisement, casual callers,
employment agencies, labour contractors, etc.
IT is the process of retrieving, storing and sending information across the globe.
Technological advancement has boosted staffing plans of HR professionals by enabling distinct
needs, objectives and capabilities of hiring workers. However, with the help of Internet, the
organisations are able to fulfil staffing needs of management according to growing competition.
Increasing importance of IT and internet has boosted strategic goals of HRM across the globe
(Dhamija, 2012). Internet recruitment methods are known as Electronic HRM where the firm
holds own portals and Intranet. The process has intensified market competition where HR
managers of organisations are focused on recruiting staff from external labour market.
In modern era, internet and information technology has promoted easy data transfer and
communication which is supporting economic and societal growth. IT is essential for managing
human resource functions like recruitment training, performance, idea and innovation
management. In accordance with this, it can be said that IT is necessary part recruitment process
for HR as it provides new and easy way of managing application request. IT in HRM process
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helps in administration of self-services, virtual staffing and E learning. Under this, virtual
recruitment is based on online job declaration after certain process which comprise, seeking for
potential candidate as per vacant job profile, simulation interview and online psychological test
(Pande, 2011). As per the study, it can be stated that internet and IT eliminates hindrance and
obstacles which come across in pooling of candidate. It is an effective process of selecting and
hiring staff because it reduces cost and resource management of recruiters. Moreover, the system
allows HRM to track current recruitment trends of market which aid the firm in keeping its
recruitment process up to date. Nevertheless, internet recruitment emerges with great benefits in
comparison to traditional staffing.
For example, HR managers of Tesco which is one of the largest retailer of UK who
believes that intent recruitment helps the management in reaching wide geographical area.
According to HR professionals, it offers advantage of sorting and grading workforce which aim
at deriving staffing needs (Introduction to Online Recruitment, 2018). Further, retailer believes
that advertising online enables better chances of finding potential candidate for vacant position.
Thus, it can be said that online staffing in Tesco is done with the motive of targeting workers of
external labour market.
Information technology is a crucial part of human resource planning as it helps the
management in forecasting service and product demand. It enables opportunity to gain insights
of labour fluctuations and labour supply. Interviewing, sourcing and screening are the core
staffing practices where IT helps in collecting insights about profiles of candidates. However,
with the help of IT and internet, the HR managers in UK will be able to cross personal
boundaries of selecting and staffing. With the help of social media recruitment, the SME’s and
large firms are able to determine dynamic career goals, aspiration and employment needs of job
seekers in external labour market (Tyagi, 2012). Thus, it can be said that information technology
and internet has boosted staffing methods of business entities by providing vast platform to hire
diverse workforce. However, virtual recruitment process lacks face to face interaction of HR
manager with potential candidate due to which professionals are unable to determine individual
ability to handle stress, gesture, work ethics, etc.
As per Online labour index, it has been noted that digital advancement has boosted
standard of recruitment by mediating staffing process with online platforms. The index helps in
determining economic growth and utilisation of online labour across globe. It tracks down the
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project and task completed by firms with the help of different posts. Online staffing has become
easiest approach for HR managers to target millions of job seekers from external labour market.
Targeting applicants online helps the companies in managing diverse workforce and innovation
in business functions.
Recruiters make use of Microsoft Excel sheet to manage data of candidate which is used
in conjunction with email. Further, HR managers make use of Applicant tracking software to
minimize errors of spreadsheet. As per recruitment trend report of UK, it has been determined
that almost 48 % of staffing agencies are planning to invest in technological tools (Faith, 2018).
In accordance with report, it has been analysed that first digital staffing system was “The job
Board”. This was designed for advertising vacancies and attracting job seekers. With the help of
this HR professionals were able to dip into international talent pool via internet. It is considered
at cost effective method to attract large number of people (Parry and Olivas-Lujan, 2011).
Further, social media has prompted concept of information technology and
communication and therefore it is now considered as world of work. In accordance with
recruitment trend report, it is implied that 92 % of employers are based on social recruiting for
which the individuals target platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Social staffing
concept is termed as talent sourcing where the companies are able to target different job profiles
to find one perfect candidate. Hence, the discussion can be summarized by stating that in digital
recruitment Artificial intelligence is an essential tool which aid applicant in deriving progress of
their profile.
Concepts and theory of HRM
Online recruitment model offers strategic Electronic HRM system where management
make use of web based technologies for effective administration of plans and policies. The main
components of model are job seekers and employers. The four aspect of model are types, goals,
outcomes and strategy. In accordance with online recruitment model, staffing strategy is based
on management, profit and fluctuating growth (Khatri and et.al., 2015). The purpose of framing
tactics is to recruit dynamic employee who can helps enterprise in meeting goals and objectives.
These strategies are formulated according trends of external labour market. For instance,
National statistic of labour market of UK denotes that there are 1.42 million job seekers who are
willing to work but do not have job (Clegg, 2018). However, internet recruitment is digital
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advancement which can assist the employers is approaching to unemployed people of labour
market.
Further, online staffing model helps HR managers in setting E recruitment goals which
are based on applicant management, process of staffing, prompting job vacancy and employer
branding. However, in this focus of HR manager is on maintaining positive relationship with
online applicant and job seekers on E- portals (Kaše, King and Minbaeva, 2013). The objective
of online staffing approach is to build image and better reputation of organisation. In accordance
with online job vacancy in labour market of UK, it has been demonstrated that 15 million Job
advertisement were posted from year 2008 to 2016. At the time of digital recruitment, goal of
management is on bottom up market segmenting which reduces wage cost, occupation and
sector.
E recruitment in model is based on three factors that is operations, relational and
transformational where majority of organisations like, Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.
are making use of transformational types. It helps HR in managing talent, determining vacant
positions, analysing skills required for particular job and way to recruit potential candidate for
certain profile. Apart from this, online recruitment model derives effectiveness of digital staffing
by measuring employee’s performance, job satisfaction and productivity.
On the other hand, there is Harvard Analytical Framework for HRM which is focused on
elements like stakeholder’s interests, macro and micro environment of business, vision, polices
and consequences. The concept of HRM is based on all key factors which are in interest of
stakeholders and firm. In accordance with this approach, it can be said that the framework helps
HR professionals in managing and recruiting according to changes in situation (Kapse, Patil and
Patil, 2012). The situational factors of this model assess workforce, characteristics, business
strategy, labour market, task technology, etc. However, the main focus of digital staffing is
targeting external labour market via internet and information technology. Pursuing online labour
index recruitment helps business to manage diverse workforce which is beneficial for the
innovation management.
For example, Next Plc which is a multinational fashion retailer make use of Analytical
framework of HRM which is supported by online services like recruitment, planning, deriving
labour market trends, etc. The firm look for new talented candidates who can assist firm in
setting new fashion trends. The focus of HR professionals is on online staffing because it helps
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the firm in approaching external labour market. The recruitment process of firm is classified
intro three steps where the HR managers targets online applicant via social media and job
portals. However, the application is addressed and compared to job profile. Further, the suitable
applicants are called for either face to face or online interview. The assessment is done by
tracking applications and finally the individuals are selected and called for joining store teams.
In addition, HR outcomes according to Analytical framework are commitment,
competence, cost effectiveness and congruence which can be easily attained with the help of
information technology. IT offers sorting of potential applicants which is an essential part of
staffing (Holm, 2012). On the other hand, it can be argued that digital advancement offers wide
platform for determining changes in HRM polices and plans which are beneficial for managing
flow of information, reward system, work culture and employee’s satisfaction. Thus, it can be
said that digital recruitment process is effective in terms of Analytical framework because it is
focuses on long term consequences for managerial functions.
Similarly, there is convergent HR approach which is used by professionals at the time of
International HRM. The theory offers flexible approach of practicing recruitment plans
according to changing market trends. The model is supportive to digital advancement as it aims
at improving functions and plans of recruiter according to changing patterns of communication
and information technology. Thus, it can be said that convergent theory is a supportive tool for
internet staffing as it motivates management to functions as per dynamic market trends.
However, it can be argued that convergent is HRM approach which helps the employer in
targeting international labour market with the help of portals (Caers and Castelyns, 2011). Some
of the most used international job portals are, Indeed, Jooble, Career jet and LinkedIn. These are
the online platforms with the help of which firms are able to target external labour markets.
Thus, from the theoretical discussion and examples, it can be said that the management of
every organisation follows different HRM model but on the other hand, the HR managers are
focused on targeting online job application because it allows business to integrated equality and
diversity at workplace (Nenwani and Raj, 2013). Moreover, internet and information technology
have boosted innovation standards because of which digital staffing is considered as the best
transformation of targeting skilled unemployed individuals across foreign boundaries.
Concepts and methods of recruitment
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Recruitment concepts play a vital role in deriving need and role of information
technology and internet in targeting external labour market (Yusliza and Ramayah, 2012). Large
firms like, Burberry, Marks and Spencer, Aldi make use of heavy internal recruiting because its
promotes branding which is prime tool that helps the management in reaching job seekers who
have applied for work in large firms. Further, the tool is useful as it supports job advertising on
online platform where the firm are able to make use of applicant tracking software. This is the
advancement which assist the management in sorting and classifying job seekers according to
their skills and capabilities.
For instance, Marks and Spencer one of the large fashion retailer of UK, focus on
targeting external labour market with the use of information technology and internet. According
to HR professionals of retailer, it has been determined that online staffing is the best method
which helps the individual in reaching to maximum unemployed people across the globe.
Moreover, it allows opportunity to choose potential candidate (Campos, Arrazola and de Hevia,
2018). However, the best part of external labour market recruitment is the company can block
the re application of certain candidate for particular time span. Thus, from this example it can be
outline that digital recruitment is the best method for large enterprises as it assists management
tracking application on regular. In addition, it allows HR professionals in analysing server traffic
and high demand of external labour market.
Further, there is old school recruiting concept where HR manager of company aim at
attracting candidates via advertisements. It is a continuous process which remains unchanged and
therefore lacks control over job seekers (Zinser, 2018). However, complying old school recruiter
concept with information technology and internet advertisement is an effective approach, as it
can help management in promoting job profile on social media platforms which is the most
approachable way of attracting unemployed individual. In addition, there is fully outsourced
recruiting which is used by professionals of large organisation to attain better result at low cost
functions. The concept is based on mutual reliability of employer and candidate. Therefore, it
can be said that information technology has boosted the effectiveness of recruiting concept by
enabling easy mode of communicating and sharing data.
Apart from this, it can be said that digital staffing has emerged effective screening tool
which saves time of analysing potential of candidate. With the help of internet pre assessment of
applicants is done online which made tackling of resumes simpler. Digital screening tools are
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compelled by artificial intelligence with the help of which recruiters are able to determine job
applications with key word matches. Hence, it can be said that recruitment and information are
considered as inseparable concepts since emergence of digital era (Dhamija, 2012). HR
managers of different companies tracks online job boards to match up with market trends. Online
job advertising has become global strategy of staffing for recruiters. This has reduced pressure of
hiring and managing daily office operations which denotes effectiveness of internet recruiting
from external labour market.
CONCLUSION
The essay summarized effectiveness of internet and information technology in
recruitment methods. As per the discussion, it has been evaluated that digital advancement has
revolutionised methods of staffing. Further, it outlined necessity of IT and internet in staffing
from external labour market. Moreover, it identified various example which demonstrated the
benefits of online job portals and e recruitment. Thus, the essay concluded by evaluating role of
digital advancement in influencing process of HRM theories and concepts.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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biases of social network sites in recruitment and selection procedures. Social Science
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Campos, R., Arrazola, M. and de Hevia, J., 2018. Finding the right employee online:
determinants of internet recruitment in Spanish firms. Applied Economics. 50(1). pp.79-
93.
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relationship management. German Journal of Human Resource Management. 26(3).
pp.241-259.
Kapse, A.S., Patil, V.S. and Patil, N.V., 2012. E-recruitment. International Journal of
Engineering and Advanced Technology. 1(4). pp.82-86.
Kaše, R., King, Z. and Minbaeva, D., 2013. Using social network research in HRM: scratching
the surface of a fundamental basis of HRM. Human Resource Management. 52(4).
pp.473-483.
Khatri, C. and et.al., 2015. Social media and internet driven study recruitment: evaluating a new
model for promoting collaborator engagement and participation. PloS one. 10(3). p.
e0118899.
Nenwani, P. and Raj, M., 2013. E-HRM Prospective in Present Scenario. International Journal.
1(7). p.2013.
Pande, S., 2011. E-recruitment creates order out of chaos at SAT telecom: system cuts costs and
improves efficiency. Human Resource Management International Digest. 19(3). pp.21-
23.
Parry, E. and Olivas-Lujan, M.R., 2011. Chapter 9 Drivers of the Adoption of Online
Recruitment—An Analysis using Innovation Attributes from Diffusion of Innovation
Theory. In Electronic HRM in Theory and Practice. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
(pp. 159-174).
Tyagi, A.A.S.T.H.A., 2012. Effective talent acquisition through E-recruitment: A study.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Management Studies. 1(2). pp.148-156.
Yusliza, M.Y. and Ramayah, T., 2012. Determinants of attitude towards E-HRM: an empirical
study among HR professionals. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 57. pp.312-
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Online
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<https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandem
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https://www.wave-rs.co.uk/blog/use-technology-recruitment/>.
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<http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/recruitment/introduction_to_online_recruitment.htm>.
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Zinser, J., 2018. 4 Recruiting Models: Which is the Best for Your Company? [Online]. Available
through: https://www.business.com/articles/recruiting-models/>.
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