Managing Personnel Records - International Records Management ...

? Personnel records will be needed for longer than the expected life of the systems
that created them. Therefore, it is dangerous to rely solely on electronic
information unless there is a fully developed electronic records management
capacity.
? Managing personnel information electronically is not just a technology issue, it is
also a policy issue, a business issue and a training issue.
? Reliable information, not technology, is essential to accountability.
? Collaboration between all stakeholders is essential for the successful
implementation of an integrated system.
A computerised personnel information system makes it possible to capture, store and
update information about personnel in order to enable rapid retrieval, processing and
analysis of that information. Computerised systems usually capture an expanded
version of the data held on the personnel record card in a manual system. Thus, they
provide an updatable summary of the key particulars about an individual’s career.
This summary can be used in a range of different ways in support of human resource
management and planning, such as
? recruitment planning (for instance identifying skill shortages or people with
particular skills)
? succession planning
? planning and managing organisational development (for instance planning staffing
for future institutional requirements)
? developing appropriate training programmes
? controlling long-term absences
? monitoring equal opportunities
? analysing trends and developing projections (for instance forecasting the future
supply of labour)
? managing performance and appraisal systems.
Activity 17
Does your organisation automate its personnel management functions? If so, write a
description of exactly what processes are automated. Who manages the system?
How is it used? Can you think of three or four personnel-related activities that could
be improved by using the organisation’s computer system more effectively? If your
organisation does not have an automated personnel management system, write a brief
description of whether you think such an automated system could be installed and
what advantages and disadvantages it might bring.
MANAGING PERSONNEL RECORDS
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