HR professionals often ask us what we expect to see in a Personnel file and our answer is always the same regardless of the business.
It’s all about making sure the file includes the necessary documents that support the function (job) and help grow the person in that function.
Specifically, documents that comprehensively and properly support the function (job) and ensure that the person in the function will be properly grown to their full potential.
A thorough Personnel File always contains the following 7 documents…
- Recruiting Document. (This is not a Job/Function Description). This is the one used to hire the person to the job.
- Job/Function Description. (This is not a Recruiting document). This is the one that tells them what’s expected in the job. (For more clarity about the difference between a Recruiting Document and a Job Description, as well as how to write a Job Description, please read our blog here.)
- 90 Day Orientation/Integration Guide for the function based on the Job/Function Description. This process is increasingly described in business as “onboarding”. It is a day-by-day, week-by-week outline/roadmap of what the employee will do during the first 90 days on the job.
- Skills Break-out document (both hard and soft skills) for the function including minimum levels of maturity needed for each skill. “Hard” skills are product, services and task/technical knowledge while “soft” skills include people, communication, management, customer service, selling etc.
- 360 Degree Assessment Tool and Performance Appraisal Form or document based on the function (job) and what is required. This view usually includes a Self view, an immediate Manager’s view, a Peer view and direct Employees view.
- Career-Pathing Guide based on the next function (Job within the organization) that the individual doing the current job can grow or mature into.
- Succession Planning Guide for the next person coming into the existing function.
In addition to this 7 point list, all the necessary “historical” documents relevant to the individual must be in their Personnel file from the time they take the job to the time they leave it. This includes any Benefits Plan documents both current and historical.
Once you have these documents – that comprehensively and properly support the function (job) and ensure that the person in the function will be properly grown to their full potential – the Personnel file is complete.