Data Protection Act 1998 and Data Essay

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RECORDING, ANALYSING AND USING HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION 40552/02

TASK 1
Q1: Why does this organisation need to keep employee records (identify at least two reasons)?

Correct Contact Details:
The company will need to ensure that they maintain relevant and up to date contact details for employees for several reasons i.e. so they can be contacted if there is a problem outside of their working hours or if a staff member is absent without contacting the employer. Contact details must also be maintained for a next of kin, in case circumstances arise where it is necessary to contact someone on behalf of your employee. These contact details need to be maintained to be effective, therefore it is important that they are checked regularly, perhaps during annual appraisals.

Legal Requirements:
This organisation has a legal requirement to be able to access and provide details on employees to other bodies such as HMRC and the HSE. Payroll details (what they have been paid, deductions made, leave and sickness absences) maintained as part of the employee’s record can be requested by HMRC for up to three years after the end of the financial year in which they relate.

Q2: What data relating to employees might this organisation want to collect and how will this support HR or L&D practices? (Give two examples of types of data)

The organisation might collate data relating to their employees attendance in order to improve workforce management, collect data for the payroll department and assist HR in providing information about when staff are absent or late for work, this will allow the HR staff to plan whether an employee is under performing and whether disciplinary action is required. Also, this information will enable HR staff to identify potential trends in staff absences and resolve any issues relating to this.

If the company chose to keep a record of an employee’s induction they would have information relating to each employee including contact details and qualifications. This process will ensure that the HR department have the correct details for an employee, and qualification records can help to identify training gaps and requirements. The induction process can also allow the HR team to deliver information to a new employee regarding the company policies, procedures and expectations, if this process involves the staff member signing to say they have understood this information and the implications of any breaches, this can safeguard both employee and employer in the event that a breach of conduct occurs.

Q3: What would you recommend as effective methods for this organisation to store data, and why?

I would recommend this company use a computerised HR information system. This organisation has a high level of recruitment activity due to temporary workers being employed to cover busy periods therefore an online computerised personnel information system would allow HR to quickly access and amend staff data and provide an easy and accurate way to analyse data and create statistics. CPIS would also allow multiple systems to be linked allowing managers from several stores to gain access to relevant staffing data, so paper based records would not be transported between stores. The disadvantages to this would be cost, both from initial hardware costs and because it takes time to install, upload data, train staff to use it, modify the system to meet the needs of the organisation and the cost of updating the system.
They could also use a system that used online storage of information this is beneficial when it comes to backing up data as periodically the system updates automatically to online storage so company data would be safe in the event of a problem with office hardware such as fire or flood. With an online system the company could allow some access to staff independently of office hardware, allowing staff to access documents such as employee handbooks and records of professional development. Again, as this company has
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