Growth in HR Information Management

Nearly a third of the more than 720 attendees who attended the International Association for Human Resources Information Managementís (IHRIM) HRMStrategies 2008 Conference and Technology Exposition were first-time attendees from as far away as Asia and Europe who sought to better leverage technology to drive workplace strategy.

In fact, sessions on talent management, Web 2.0, workforce metrics and analytics, and HR strategy had standing-room-only crowds, and conference registration increased over last year.

Companies today are challenged to attract and engage Boomers, Gen Xers and now Millennials, said Jacqueline Kuhn, chair of IHRIMís board of directors. HR professionals come to our conference to learn more about technological tools that can enhance performance across the enterprise and embed their corporate culture globally.

According to conference speakers Jason Averbook, CEO of Knowledge Infusion, and John Greer, senior vice president of Human Resources for Smart Financial Credit Union, companies must embrace Web 2.0 tools and social networking to effectively conduct business and retain employees, or risk being at a competitive disadvantage.

Business is no longer conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Greer said. Smart companies must balance security concerns with the benefit of transferring knowledge and driving innovation at all times.

With online tools affecting each step of the employee-employer experience, organizations have begun to use HR technology to create a buzz, facilitate online recruiting, improve an employeeís onboarding experience and even link mentors to develop talent.

To keep HR information management professionals apprised on technological trends and solutions, IHRIM announced it plans to unveil a new certification designed specifically for these specialists in 2009.

ìIHRIM members have been inquiring about a certification program for years and our board believed that an HRIM certification program would benefit our membership and the HR information management profession,î said Lynne Mealy, president and CEO. ìAttaining the designation of Certified Human Resources Information Management Professional (PHRI) will further enhance our membersí careers as the certification becomes an accepted credential in the industry.î

Since 1980, the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM), the worldís leading HRIM clearinghouse, has been uniting a dynamic group of practitioners, vendors, consultants, students, and faculty to share best practices and the latest technological trends. Through membership, educational programming, listservs, networking forums and IHRIMís annual conference, HRIM professionals can receive valuable knowledge that will enhance both their own careers and their companiesí success.