Personnel Records Management
The Problems
Personnel records have a lot of distinguishing characteristics over other types of records. Firstly, in many companies and especially in the government, personnel records are the most prolific, most confidential, and longest held records. Personnel record retrieval, organization, and efficiency are often a problem. No one dares address it because it’s overwhelming, not that urgent or there is no one person responsible for the record management system – it’s just kind of there.
Understanding Major Problems
Active Archive Files
Financial records can be destroyed after 7-10 years. The same is true for many other types of records as well. But personnel records often remain active for a very long time, long after the employee has left the company or retired. And if you don’t have a tight, efficient system for destroying the inactive files the number of records grows and the system becomes clogged, which makes it harder to find the active files.
Exponential Paper Growth
HR departments create a file for every employee, whether they work one year or 20 years. It’s easy to see how quickly the file cabinets will fill up. Individual files grow, too. Paper is added to a personnel file over the duration of employment: promotion letters, appraisals, disciplinary correspondence, salary increments, vacation requests, etc. Sometimes copies of a file are made and then the problem becomes: Which file is the master file?
Confidential Private Information
And personnel files contain confidential information. These files should be managed under strict security. But storage rooms tend to be overcrowded, and inadequately secured. There’s no way to monitor who accesses which records when. Furthermore, if a record is taken from the cabinet there is often no way to tell who has it or to ensure it gets filed correctly.
- Wasted space – storing archived files and inactive files clogging up active files
- Wasted time – finding the right file, filing, making copies, faxing
- Unsecure – unprotected confidential information
Proactive Solutions
Simple low-tech solutions will improve the situation. Secure off-site storage, written procedures for indexing, file tracking, record retention, and handling master files. And technical solutions like ECM or electronic record management can simplify and streamline systems. An ECM solution can automate processing and retention, save dozens of hours per week in retrieval time, secure the information under encryption codes and monitor and track access.
Understanding What You Do
The first step to improve HR records is understanding how the files are used. Who needs access? How often is it retrieved? How many copies are needed? Putting someone in charge and answering these types of questions are one of the most proactive things an HR manager can do.
Check out our free ebook on Performing a Records Inventory to help get you started.
How about your HR department? Are you going to do nothing or take some positive action toward improvements?