recording analysing and using hr informatio activity 1

To: HR Director
From:
Date: 11/10/2013
Subject: Collecting, Storing and Using HR Data.

Why HR collects data
According to Martin at al (2010, pg. 278) there are seven reasons HR collect data: To satisfy legal requirements, To provide the organisation with information to make decisions, To record contractual arrangements and agreements, To keep contact details of employees, To provide documentation in the event of a claim against the organisation, To provide information for consultation requirements and For due diligence in the event of a business transfer.
To satisfy legal requirements
The HR department may need to give information to other government departments. They may need to know how many staff are employed, their salary, what they have been paid over previous years and how many hours they have worked. The Council already work to legislations such as, The Working Time Regulations (1998) and the National Minimum Wage (1998).
To record contractual arrangements and agreements
This is a legal requirement and also supports good practice to provide written particulars of employment, these needs to be done within 8 weeks from commencement of employment.
Less employment problems are likely to happen when all parties are clear about what has been agreed.
HR needs to keep these records to fall back in case of disputes which can lead to Employment Tribunals.
Data the Council collect
The Council collect sickness records as they need to be aware of how many occasions an employee have been off. There may be an underlying issue which could be work related so they need to look into this and maybe refer the employee to Occupational Health.
The Council also keeps a record of staff turnover. This is important to HR as they need to know if a high volume of staff are leaving. There may be a particular problem within a department. HR would need to find out what these problems are. This can be done by carrying out exit interviews.
Two methods of storing records
The Council store manual and computerised records. There are advantages for both:
Manual:
Files are always available
Less expensive
Data loss is less of a risk
Details are more accurate

Computerised:
Takes up less space
Easier to locate information
Easier to update
More than one person can access

Essential items of UK legislation
The Council must comply with the Data Protection Principles when recording, storing and accessing HR data. There are 8 Data Protection Principles:
Personal data must be:
1. Processed fairly and lawfully
2. Processed only for purposes intended
3. Adequate, relevant and excessive with regard to the purposes intended
4. Accurate and up to date
5. Maintained no longer than necessary with regard to the intended purposes
6. Processed in a way that meets the rights of the individual
7. Protected by appropriate controls
8. Not sent to countries outside the EU without adequate data protection.
Explanations of two of these legislations are below:
Fairly and lawfully
This is done by making sure all employees give their consent to HR storing their details. The Council has a legal obligation to store information for Council Tax purposes.
Accurate and up to date
HR are responsible for ensuring any data stored is accurate. They can keep records up to date by asking employees to check and update their own records.

Bibliography

Martin, M., Whiting, F. and Jackson, T. (2010) Human Resource Practice, (5th ed.) London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Bibliography: Martin, M., Whiting, F. and Jackson, T. (2010) Human Resource Practice, (5th ed.) London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.