Are you responsible for managing personnel files within your company? Before anything else, it is important to know which documents to include in employee files. Between legal obligations and information that should not be included, it is not always easy to navigate. Discover here everything you need to know about personnel files, what information they should contain, and how to adopt a good employee document management solution.
The personnel file, or employee file, is a collection of documents and information related to human resources and payroll, created for each company employee. It allows for the tracking of data related to an employee and their evolution within their work team throughout the collaboration. This file should not be confused with the Personnel Register, which is mandatory in every company.
Creating a file per employee is not an obligation but may nevertheless be regulated by a collective agreement (content, structure, etc.). This set of documents can be managed in different ways (paper or digital format) and must comply with certain legal obligations. In all cases, initiating, storing, and archiving HR documents are sensitive tasks.
Although it is not legally mandatory, creating a file for each employee within the HR department seems essential. This is especially true in large companies where the number of employees is high.
This file represents a real tool for personnel management. For an employee, all useful information and data are grouped in one place. It becomes very easy to find details about a staff member's career, pay, or training. The employee's evolution can be tracked simply: their hiring, integration into the company, remuneration, evaluations, etc. Once the file is created (upon arrival if possible), it truly saves time in terms of information retrieval and tracking. The employee file also ensures that the company is legally compliant by including all mandatory documents (such as the prior hiring declaration).
The personnel file is not governed by specific laws, so there are no legal obligations regarding its content. It is up to you, as a business manager or HR director, to verify that you are not subject to a collective agreement that regulates employee files. Outside of such an agreement, you will find here a list of information and documents that seem useful, even essential, to keep in each employee's file.
The personnel file can contain the following information:
For each employee, you can include in their file:
Although establishing a personnel file is not a legal obligation, it must still comply with certain legislation. Thus, some elements must not appear in an employee's file. This is particularly the case for all information that could be a source of discrimination:
It is also forbidden to collect and keep personal data such as:
The retention of this type of data by a company is considered profiling and subject to criminal penalties.
As seen previously, keeping personnel files is not mandatory. However, if they exist (which is highly recommended), these files must comply with certain legal obligations.
Firstly, the new employee must be informed of the creation of their personal file. They must be able to access it upon request and make changes. All information and data kept must be stored according to the regulations of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
All documents can be kept in paper or digital format. In both cases, the data must remain secure. If the paper format is used, the files must be stored in a secure, locked place with no free access. If employee documents are in digital format, then the storage server must be secured.
Personnel files, once created, must be managed carefully and efficiently. Good management ensures compliance with the law and continues to reap the benefits associated with the existence of these files. Thus, it is important to know how long to keep personnel documents to avoid discarding essential information too early. Similarly, employee files must be updated as soon as necessary. When there is a change in legislation or a new employee situation, the data in their file must be revised.
To handle these files serenely and efficiently, using management software remains the best solution. With this type of tool, updates are easier, document time-stamping is done automatically, etc. You save a lot of time and are sure to comply with current legislation at all times.
