E-HR and employee self-service in a British public sector organisation: an exploratory analysis

The purpose of the paper is to present empirical research on the use of an Employee Self-Service (ESS) system in a British public sector work organization, and issues associated with its introduction. A case study approach, detailing interviews with managers and employees is used. Content analysis and selective coding are employed to analyze data. Results indicate that management and employee perceptions of using ESS differ, and challenges arise in ESS implementation, including: the relevant HR role; cultural/emotional adjustments needed from staff; and those associated with appropriate organizational development/change and project organization/management. The limitations of this study include interviews with a small number of staff, which limits the generalizatility of results. Practical implications and recommendations are provided, namely HR staff need to build a coherent approach regarding ESS implementation. The value of the paper is that it represents new empirical data on ESS in practice, and a critical appraisal of it from remote home workers. Moreover, it contributes to research via contrasting findings with the prescriptive/descriptive consultancy-led literature