The Do's & Don'ts of Keeping Employee Records Back
The privacy of personal information and data is now a high concern of many, especially in the workplace. For employers, it is a duty of care to securely manage the sensitive data of employees, along with accurately storing employee records.
With GDPR in place, data protection is now vital in business. Without following general data protection guidelines and following the disclosure of employees, regulations may be broken, leading to potential legal issues.
With this in mind, it’s important as an employer to understand the do’s and don’ts of keeping employee records. Here at Secure Storage Solutions, we offer highly secure document storage solutions, along with alternative admin services, including the scanning and shredding of documentation. See our guide on managing personal data and employee records below, along with our available services to support your business.
The importance of keeping accurate, transparent employee records
While running a business with employees, having a large influx of personal data and records is likely. Accessible to HR, the individual employee and direct managers, employee records can be anything from contact details and salary, to absentees and employment contracts.
Yet, in some cases, sensitive personal information may be stored, increasing concern for employees. To ensure that employees can place trust in the HR department, it is vital to ensure an accurate, transparent storage solution is used.
It is also important that a reliable policy is in place for data retention, setting a consistent decision on how long information will be required for. For some items within employee records, a short length of time for retention will be required, yet for other details, a greater period will be required for reference. It is important as a company to set a clear policy in place for keeping employees records fairly, accurately and safely.
For further guidance on keeping employee records, see our do’s and don’ts below…
The do’s of keeping employee records
- When keeping employee records, it’s important that all details are accurate and factual. This isn’t a space to file ongoing notes or developments in the workplace.
- Do make use of online storage systems to effectively keep employee records. However, ensure that data can only be accessed by the correct individuals, while promoting high security measures.
- It’s important to organise personal data within accurate files. This will reduce the risk of data being viewed or filled incorrectly/unfairly.
- Do train HR employees who have the responsibility of moving and keeping employee records. This will ensure that company policies on data retention are followed.
- Utilise employee records to keep data such as salary, promotions, contact details, training and development, employment position, employment contract.
- To instil trust within your employees, ensure that data is stored fairly and safely, with limited access.
- Do utilise employee records to note both positive and negative notes regarding employment. However, avoid any data from investigations or grievances.
- For convenience and security purposes, ensure that personal records are kept separate to alternative employment files.
By following our above do’s, you’ll have the confidence to maintain employee records correctly and fairly. The most important factor is to create a company retention period policy to meet your needs, while ensuring that this is continuously followed when keeping employee records.
The don’ts of keeping employee records
- When keeping employee records, avoid any random notes or comments, deviating from factual information.
- Do not allow just anyone within the company to have access to employee records.
- Do not surpass your company’s retention periods when keeping employee records. It’s important to differentiate what type of information is needed for future reference, following GDPR.
- It’s important to avoid keeping any data which is opinion related. This is important as information may be wrongly accessed, causing concern for the protection of personal data.
- Do not mix employment files. Any data relating to investigations, disciplinaries or workplace problems should be kept separate from employee records.
By avoiding the above don’ts, you’ll ensure that personal and sensitive data can be managed accurately, while reducing any form of discrimination or data breach. This will be valued by employees, along with increasing trustworthiness within the HR department.
Our services here at Secure Storage Solutions
Here at Secure Storage Solutions, we appreciate the requirement of keeping employee records safe, accurate and organised. With this in mind, we offer a high-quality, highly secure storage solution for a number of businesses across Wirral and Liverpool.
Here are the benefits of our storage solutions, helping you manage and revisit employee records, as and when needed:
- Our secure storage solutions ensure that your employees records can be stored following an organised structure, along with promoting high security. We ensure that data cannot be accessed by external parties.
- By utilising our storage facility, you’ll increase the safety of your personal data, along with receiving greater space in your office.
- We can create retention periods for all data, ensuring that the right data can be stored for future reference. Once retention periods have surpassed, we can offer our shredding service to ensure employee records have been destroyed.
- Our storage solutions can promote accurate storage, along with the ability to access employee records, as and when needed.
- We comply with GDPR policies. Therefore, we can also ensure that your business is adhering also.
- Within our storage solutions, we offer electronic systems, making archiving highly convenient and efficient.
If you’re looking for an effective way to store your employee records, consider our highly secure storage solutions. We can help you accurately manage your data records, along with adhering to set retention periods; all created around your business needs.
Be sure to follow our do’s and don’ts above on keeping employee records, helping to promote accuracy, security, fairness and trustworthiness. Ensure that data is viewed and managed by the right individuals. This can be achieved through our electronic systems, offering secure solutions.
Get in touch to discuss our full range of storage solutions, along with our scanning and shredding services.