After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of Personnel Records 2. Need of Personnel Records 3. Essentials.

Meaning of Personnel Records:

By ‘Records’ we mean the preservation of information in files and documents. They are prepared and computed from reports. They are meant for long-term use. Personnel records are the information about the manpower resources of the firm kept in a specified, uniform and orderly manner.

The information includes the following:

(1) Job description.

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(2) Recruitment and selection.

(3) Wage rates and salary scales.

(4) Performance appraisal of personnel.

(5) Training and development.

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(6) Transfers and promotions.

(7) Leave.

(8) Health and safety.

(9) Various employee services.

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(10) Discipline.

(11) Terminations.

(12) Strike and lockouts or other facts of industrial disputes.

(13) Personnel morale.

Need of Personnel Records:

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Personnel records are needed for:

(i) Enabling personnel manager to prepare training and development programmes;

(ii) Undertaking the review and revision to wage and salary scales;

(iii) Conducting personnel research in the field of industrial relations and other personnel matters;

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(iv) Conducting personnel audit;

(v) Keeping and maintaining up-to-date data on leave, transfers, promotions, terminations, industrial disputes, man-days lost, expenses incurred on personnel benefits and services, matters of discipline, etc.;

(vi) Supplying the information to the various government agencies on the rate of accidents, on abnormal rate of absenteeism or rate of labour turnover, on wage rates and salary scales, etc.;

(vii) Communicating to other departments of the firm, and

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(viii) Identifying promotion and succession planning.

Essentials of Good Personnel Records:

To be reliable and effective, personnel records should meet the following essentials:

1. Clear Objective:

It should be clearly and adequately stated as to the objective for which it is maintained.

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2. Consistency:

It should be consistent with the requirements for which it is maintained.

3. Easy Availability:

It should be easily available for reference as and when required.

4. Inexpensive or Minimum Cost:

Maintenance and upkeep of the record should not be costly.

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5. Security:

Record should be kept under lock and key. In no case there should be even a ghost of chance for pilferage or tampering with it.

6. Easy Accessibility:

It should be maintained in such a manner that information required for search is easily accessible.

7. Periodical Review:

It should be reviewed from time to time so that matter is kept up-to-date.

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8. Clear Classification:

It should be clearly classified so that it is easily identified and differentiated from other records.

9. Ready Reference:

Records on different items should be kept in separate files and lockers so that information on each item can be easily located.

10. Avoid Duplication:

Duplication of entries of information should not be made.

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11. Fixed Responsibility:

Responsibility of maintaining records should not be made fixed.

12. Clear Procedure:

Procedure to be followed for maintaining and dealing with records should be strictly maintained.