Functions of the proposed Human Resource System

Human resource functions;	Description
Human Resource Provisioning	This includes human resource planning, recruitment, election, placement, transfers, promotions, and dismissals
Training and Development	This includes induction, training, management development, and career planning
Human Resource Utilisation	This includes performance appraisal, productivity, and motivation
Industrial Welfare	This includes safety, health, welfare services, housing recreation and advice
Organisational Development	This includes organisational structure, job design, and organisational personnel planning
Industrial Relations	This includes communication, negotiation, consultation, agreements, grievances, and disciplinary procedures
Remuneration	This includes job analysis, job evaluation, salary and wage structuring, fringe benefit scheme, and incentive systems
Administration	This includes personnel records, statistics about personnel, and information processing
Research	This includes the analysis of information, system development, investigations, surveys, and applied personnel research
Management	This includes the planning, organising, directing and controlling the personnel function, and coordination with other functions

Functions of the System

The system will be expected to function on five levels and meet the detailed requirements of human resource planning, management and development. These five levels are:

National Department
Provincial Departments
Districts
Facilities
Contracted service delivery agencies outside of government, viz. civil society structures such as non-governmental organizations

The four main outputs of the system will be to:

Provide detailed knowledge for human resource planning and health system governance as described in Section 36 of the National Health Act (Certificate of Need);
Promote human resource management in public health through support for processes and record keeping;
Contribute to purposeful and meaningful development of all health employees in addition to the automation of development plans and reports; and
Provide management as well as monitoring systems for service delivery agencies funded by the Department of Health with respect to volunteering.

Human Resource Planning

The system should assist in collecting information, which can be mined to support:

Projections for the production of health workers in both at a pre-professional as well as professional level.
The identification of trends in critical areas such as coverage and outputs from training and education institutions.
Providing workload indicators to project staffing needs.

Human Resource Management

The system should support functions such as:

Facilitate job evaluations
Manage Senior Manager Service (SMS) and Middle Management (MMS) positions. It should capture the personal details of these employees, hold their performance agreements and employment contracts as will as facilitate their evaluation.
Facilitate the use of Personal Development and Management Systems. This includes holding job descriptions, competency profiles, generic performance areas, performance indicators and personal development plans.
Hold each employee’s personal profile including a summary of his or her work history; appointments and promotions should also be captured. It should track the amount spent on his or her performance and appraisal bonuses.
Feature that helps identify career pathing opportunities for employees.
Report on recruitment outcomes (only for applicants who are placed).
Support the recording of labour relation actions. These records should be secure and in line with the Labour Relations Act. On expiring, the system should automatically archive a record in line with the Act. The cost of losses related to a labour relation action for example theft or abuse of property should also be captured.
Capture termination and exit interview information.
Allow for the recording of grievances, abscondments and demotions.
Record driver’s license expiry dates with notification features as well as driver behaviour reports.
Record profession registration status and verify that status against official council records, warning supervisors it employees are practising without registration.
Store work permit expiry dates and notify supervisors when they are near.
Contain a collapsible organogram reflecting the staff establishment and funding status thereof.
Maintain the details of a posts previous occupant and the reason for vacancy for 6 months.
Have a front-end for use by employees, allowing them to access their personal data but not change it.
Archive ex-employees details for a period of three years and have powerful search capabilities for partial information.
Have leave management capabilities particularly for identifying leave abuse trends.
Allow for probation period notices and re-instatement letters to be printed automatically on their anniversary.
Record employees with special skills.

Human Resource Development

The system should support functions such as:

Encapsulating all relevant information related to the Skills Development Act in addition to supporting workplace assessment and training.
Capturing training application and management data.
Holding a training service provider list
Facilitate computer-mediated learning using comprehensive design and administration tools

Volunteer Management

The system should:

Record basic information regarding the volunteer.
Keep records of their previous placements
Record training received and their personal development plan.
Link the volunteer to beneficiaries either as households or support to primary health care clinics.
Act as a payroll system to effect the payment of stipends