The HR Profession's View of eHRM in Practice : Interview study with professionals in the field of Human Resources

Author: Heléne Reichhardt Title: The HR Profession's View of eHRM in Practice. Subject: A sociological study on the importance of digitalisation for the HR profession's professional activity. Purpose: The study examines the HR profession's perception of the importance of using eHRM in the profession. Method: The study is based on secondary data (literature, articles, reports, surveys) and eight semi-structured interviews with professionals in the field of Human Resources in Sweden. Theory: To analyse the empirical data three key concepts are used: Abbott’s (1988) Jurisdiction, ‘Division of Labor’ and ‘Expert System’. Findings/Result: Digital tools (eHRM) are used by HR professionals for most HR-related tasks, mainly administrative. The eHRM is used to work in a similar way in standardized HR processes. Self-service systems are used for assignment of tasks, which releases time for the HR function. With the help of digitalisation, HR wants to create space for an increased strategic role, thereby strengthening its professional status. The introduction of eHRM tools involves negotiation between occupational groups on division of labor and delegation, where HR professionals are given increased control. Managers’ resistance to eHRM can be understood as a sign of ongoing negotiations between managers and HR professionals about who will control and perform administrative HR tasks. Key word: Digitalisation, eHRM, Human Resources Management, Professio