As we live in an interconnected and information-rich world, our control over private information is limited, especially for businesses and organizations. The role of technology in human resource (HR) management involves simplifying processes and developing innovative solutions to organizational challenges. With these in mind, electronic identification (eID) has become a vital tool for many businesses.
Electronic identification is the collection of attributes, data, and credentials used to verify and authenticate individuals or entities in online transactions and interactions. It introduces a secure and manageable approach to confirming credentials without physical presence. The eID system is commonly employed in finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and government services.
Common Electronic Identification Methods
Electronic identification involves a range of technologies that enable secure and efficient identification of individuals. These methods include:
- Biometric Identification: This uses unique physiological and behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial features, iris scans, or voice recognition, to compare them to a database of stored biometric information for identity verification.
- Smart Cards: These are credit card-sized devices with embedded integrated circuit chips (ICC). They can connect to a reader through direct physical contact or via a remote contactless radio frequency interface. Smart cards also feature an embedded microcontroller for storing large amounts of data for secure authentication and access control.
- Digital Signatures: These are encrypted stamps of authentication on digital data, such as email messages, macros, or electronic documents. The signature is supported by a digital certificate, which validates that the information originated from the signer without alteration.
- Mobile Authentication: This leverages the ubiquity of smartphones and mobile devices to facilitate secure identification and access control. This may involve multi-factor authentication, biometric recognition, or proximity-based access.
- Token-Based Authentication: This protocol allows users to verify their identity and receive their own encrypted security token. The tokens grant access to protected web pages and resources for a limited period without re-entering credentials, usernames, or passwords.
- Remote Identification Services: This process enables organizations to verify individuals remotely using digital data. It involves validating identity documents, facial recognition, or other biometric methods and cross-checking multiple data sources, such as government or commercial databases, to confirm identity.
- Blockchain-Based Identification: This stores information on a shared database where each device in the blockchain network maintains a copy of transaction records in a digital ledger. Blockchain offers improved privacy and control over personal information since it prevents unauthorized changes to records without changing subsequent blocks of information.
Benefits of Electronic ID in HR Management
The adoption of electronic identification in HR management can provide numerous benefits for your organization and employees, including:
- Enhanced Security: Electronic ID solutions boost security by verifying the identity of employees, visitors, and stakeholders, reducing the risk of unauthorized access, fraud, and data breaches.
- Activity Surveillance and Monitoring: This system helps organizations keep track of employee activities, attendance, timestamps for hours worked, and access, allowing HR professionals to manage employee productivity and compliance effectively.
- Business Asset Protection: This system protects valuable assets against theft or unauthorized use by controlling and restricting access to sensitive information, equipment, and business facilities.
- Multi-functional Single Card: This multi-functional card or device can serve as an employee ID, access control, loyalty system, time and attendance tracking, passes, membership cards, and even a payment method to streamline various HR-related processes.
- Simplified Visitor Identification: This system provides visitor ID cards to optimize the visitor management process. Security personnel can quickly and securely verify the identities of guests and contractors within the building premises to enhance overall security and safety.
- Improved Professional Reputation and Branding: Advanced e-ID technologies can enhance an organization's professional image, demonstrating its commitment to security, innovation, and employee well-being.
- Enhanced User Experience: User-friendly e-ID systems can enhance the employee experience, from onboarding to completing daily tasks. It allows employees to collect essential documents, such as contracts and forms, electronically and ensures they have access to the resources necessary to perform their duties.
- Accuracy and Reliability: e-IDs provide more accurate and reliable data, including usernames, passwords, geographical locations, and devices, to reduce the risk of errors and improve HR decision-making.
- Improved Customer Experience: This system provides customers with convenience and enhanced privacy in their online interactions. For instance, users may create online accounts to complete transactions without providing sensitive information over the telephone or email.
- Reduced Costs and Enhanced Efficiency: e-ID solutions automate HR-related processes to help organizations minimize paper usage and administrative costs, streamline operations, and improve overall productivity.
Discover how to streamline and manage your organizational operations and human resource functions here: Benefits of using HRMS in the Philippines’ public sector.
Final Thoughts
With the growing adoption of electronic identification, HR management systems are set to become more efficient and agile in the coming years. This system offers numerous advantages that bolster security, enhance employee and customer experiences, and drive organizational operations. By using the diverse e-ID methods, HR professionals can tap into new possibilities to streamline their workflows, protect their resources, and stay ahead in the digital environment.
HITEC International offers CheK HRMS, a reliable HR management system in the Philippines. This system is designed to provide businesses and organizations with fully integrated software to effectively oversee human resources and operations, including employee data management.
For inquiries about our products and services, please call us at (632) 8724-0191 or email info@hitec.com.ph.