China's civil service adopts e‐HRM … up to a point : Most offices blend paper‐based and electronic systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how public‐sector organizations in the Chinese autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang are applying e‐HRM practices. Design – Concentrates on the operation of e‐recruitment, e‐training, e‐compensation, e‐benefits and e‐appraisal. Findings – Reports that blended conventional and electronic HRM practices exist and are likely to continue for a little while into the future. Practical implications – Reveals that, where e‐HRM is being used, its prime benefit is in reducing the amount of repetitive paperwork that HR specialists have to carry out. Social implications – Explains that there is still a tendency for people to work too hard in the Chinese civil service, partly because it is seen as the decent thing to do and partly for employees to earn a lot of money. But there are signs, too, that increasing numbers of employees are seeking a decent work‐life balance. Originality/value – Reveals how e‐HRM operates in the context of the Chinese public sector.