Michaels Stores Inc., a 720-store arts and crafts chain in the U.S. and Canada, has adopted the web to help human resources functions to serve 30,000 employees.

Michaels is adopting Oracle Corp.’s Human Resources Management System to automate and web-enable key human resources functions, and deliver self-service functionality to 30,000 employees.

Michaels expects to increase the productivity of its HR staff, improve data integrity and increase operational efficiencies with a web-based HR management system. Employees will be able to perform routine transactions such as updating personnel information and selecting benefits using a web browser. Michaels expects the system to relive HR staff of routine administrative chores and give them more time to recruit and interview potential employees.