PRINT.IT
21
OPINION
With the
right
technology
or process
automation
in place a
record can
be tagged
as it moves
through a
workflow
considering that HR records are
just the tip of the iceberg – other
sensitive documents such as
contracts or financial records can
also be affected.
Nevertheless, managing the
complexity of event-based retention
as more employees join the job-
hopping trend is certainly something
that HR departments need to master.
To help, here are four approaches
for businesses to consider – and if
these methods are too reliant on
employees, it is possible to work
with a central ‘event registry,’ which
can manage and monitor retention
schedules as events occur.
1
Regularly review what you are
holding onto
Keep track of events, such as
the termination of an employee’s
contract, and enter that event date
into a designated record system,
so that you can begin the retention
countdown as soon as the clock
starts and the employee leaves
the building. Review the employee
records your business has on
file on a regular basis and check
that you are safely destroying all
information you no longer have a
right to keep.
2
Get your terminology straight
Ensure that your company-wide
definitions of trigger events,
and exactly what information is
affected, are clear. One person’s
‘date of event,’ for example, might
be different to another’s. This
will help you and other members
of the business to be aware of
the information you hold and the
restrictions that should be placed
on that information.
3
Use workflows to make record
management easier
An event can be triggered by a
specific point in a workflow or a
business process, such as when
a contract is closed or a project
is completed. With the right
technology or automation in place
a record can be tagged as it moves
through a workflow and the record
can be removed from the work
stream when it is no longer active.
4
Convert to a fixed date rule
Review your records retention
schedule and put set ‘fixed date’
rules in place for the different
types of record held within the
business. Enforce these rules
across the whole company so that
all employees, not just the HR
department, have a clear guide to
exactly how long they should keep
hold of personal information.
Whatever method you chose,
gaining consensus within the
business and a commitment to
consistent practice is key to getting
event-based retention right. In the
face of increased staff turnover
and evolving data privacy rules, it’s
high time for HR departments to
ensure their processes for records
management keep up with their
legal obligations.
ironmountain.co.uk/
eventbasedrecords
[1]
/
will-this-year_s-college-grads-job-hop-more-than-
previous-grads
