Assessing the Effectiveness of Human Capital Management Information Systems (HCMIS) in Employee Record-Keeping: A Case Study of Public Institutions in Dodoma, Tanzania

Abstract

Efficient employee record-keeping is essential for effective human resource management, ensuring data accuracy, accessibility, and compliance with organisational policies. In Tanzania, public institutions have adopted Human Capital Management Information Systems (HCMIS) to streamline HR operations, yet concerns remain about its effectiveness, efficiency, and challenges in practice. Despite previous research on HR digitalisation, there is a lack of empirical evidence on how HCMIS enhances or hinders employee record-keeping in Tanzanian public institutions, creating a critical knowledge gap. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and challenges of HCMIS in TRA, TANESCO, Dodoma City Council, and DUWASA. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected from 126 respondents through structured questionnaires and 30 through interviews and analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that HCMIS moderately improves employee record management, particularly in personal information tracking and retrieval speed, but struggles with performance monitoring, training records, and integration with payroll systems. Frequent system downtime, resistance to change, and inadequate training were major challenges affecting adoption. The study confirms that system reliability significantly enhances record retrieval efficiency, while poor integration increases errors. These results have practical implications for policymakers and HR professionals, emphasising the need for enhanced system integration, infrastructure upgrades, continuous training, and improved technical support. Addressing these challenges will enable public institutions in Tanzania to fully optimise HCMIS for accurate, efficient, and secure employee record-keeping.