Here at TriblockHR, we like to say that human resources is about the peoplework, not the paperwork. That being said, keeping employee records accurate, up-to-date, and secure is an essential part of HR’s role. Without organized, clean record-keeping, there’s no time to focus on the all important peoplework.

 

Maintaining employee records is more than a filing cabinet with color-coordinated folders. There is so much information to track and manage for each employee, and doing so only gets more complicated the more people you hire.

 

We go over all that and more in our guide here. So if you’re ready to master employee records in your organization, then read on.

 

Physical Records

If you’re a small organization with only a handful of employees, physical recordkeeping with paper forms and filing cabinets would work just fine. However, even with a small workforce, the paperwork can pile up quickly given how many records you need to keep for extended periods of time. Besides the physical space requirement of this type of recordkeeping, paper records are also less secure and easier to lose (or even accidentally destroy).

 

Spreadsheets

This is a step above physical records, spreadsheets and digital documents on your computer can be easier and faster to navigate than a pile of paper. This method may also offer another layer of security depending on how your computer is set up and who has access to the files. However, even spreadsheets have their limitations, and they may become more complicated than helpful, especially as your organization grows.

 

HRIS

Admittedly, we’re a biased toward using an HRIS for employee records (we happen to think our own software is pretty slick and very useful). But there’s a reason so many HR professionals are shifting to cloud-based employee databases. When you use a platform like TriblockHR for your employee records, you have access to everything you might need in a single, secure (and paperless) database. Staying organized is so easy, tracking down the right document is a matter of clicking a few buttons, and you can trust that your data is secure at all times.

 

Mastering your employee records

 

At first glance, the task of keeping employee records, with all of the rules and regulations around it, can seem quite daunting. And as your company grows, this task will only become more important and more complex.

 

The good news is you don’t have to manage it all by yourself. Get help from a great legal team and or HR contractor; choose an HR software platform with the right features and an impeccable support team. These resources and others can make employee recordkeeping simple and smooth, so you can get back to what you love to do: helping your people improve.

 

So often, the problem is in the system, not in the people, and if you put good people in bad systems, you get bad results. - Stephen Covey