Reasons for data collection;

* HR data serves as building blocks of information system, play an outstanding role in developing the organisation, future plans and strategy improvement, help in decision making etc. , * The data describes the demographics , qualification, size and distribution of the work forces, * HR data must meet the needs of stakeholders, senior management and line managers who want to know the whether the workforce is qualified, culturally competent and sufficient in numbers to serve the organisation, * Data is used for planning, managing, and evaluate employees, * Proper manpower budgeting, * To accommodate appropriate policies and procedures, Legal Obligations, * Improve and enhance organisation performances, * To establish a sustainable and measurable environment within the organisation, make recommendations and advise senior managements , * Stay competitive in the market, hire right people for the right jobs , * Proper performance management of employees.

Types of Data Collected;

* Personnel Data / Employee Info Sheet - Maintain personal information on employees helping HR with details such as Name , Address, education qualification, previous experiences, next of kin, details of disability and any other personal information that the organisation might require. * Demographics - Age, Retirement, Gender, Nationality, Years of service, Language Skills etc. helps the organisation to get a wider picture and assist with HR related decision making. * Time and Attendance Data - Again such records help in understanding employee work pattern and maintain discipline among employees. * Offer Letter – Confirms the Job offer and includes the details of terms and condition of employment. * Staff Record Details / performance details ; (maintain work related data of employees ) * Sickness and absence records – Maintaining such records help in understanding the working pattern of an employee. * Overtime and compensation, incentives etc * Appraisal , performance and management , record evaluation * Benefits administration * Payroll records ( payouts, gratuity, reports etc.) , Salary records , * Training records * Recruitment records – to understand if within or outside budgeted manpower, requisition needs, peak and off peak needs, records of agencies, pool of candidates, head hunters etc. * Referral records – Let us know the background on employees, their conduct to understand if fit to work in our organisation. * Staff count – budget numbers, implement retention strategies, employee engagement procedures etc. * Skilled and unskilled employee profiles – maintain records of skills sets of employees * Turnover analysis – helps HR in analyzing retention issues and managing them, cost involved, the impact on organisation etc., * Exit interview Forms - reasons of leaving the organisation in turn helping us to improve employment of current and future employees, especially when turnover is high.

Methods of storing data;

Methods of data storage | Advantages | Disadvantages | Manual personnel information systems | * Valid proof * Original and genuine documents | * Storage * Difficult to analyze * Searching for documents * Time consuming * Filing * Easy to manipulate * Loss of confidentiality * Paper usage is high * Expose to accidents ( fire ) | Computerized personnel information systems (HRIS) | * Easy to analyze * Storage capacity is high * Collection and transmission of data * Easily accessible * enormous physical space not required * maintain confidentiality * clarity of information * demographics and data presentation is easy * Time and cost effective * Sustainable information * Efficient and environment friendly – paper less environment * Saves time and user friendly * Employee self-service features * Monitor and control of data * Authorized controlled work flow * HR professionals can concentrate on other areas rather than being pure administrative * Proper T&A , benefits administration, talent management, recruitment system, proper budget and manpower tracking * Training modules * Payroll modules, automated payout and nil error calculations. * Easy retrieval, analysis, transmission, sharing of data within and outside the department. * Less chance for human errors * Data recovery is easy * Accurate Tracking | * Data and server crash * IT dependent * Technical training * High maintenance * |

Data Protection Act 1998
Data protection law controls how personal data is processed. Personal data is any data relating to a living individual held either electronically or in paper files. The general principle is that the consent of the person concerned is required for the processing of their personal data.
Sensitive personal data includes data relating to trade union membership, ethnic origin, health, political or religious beliefs, criminal convictions or the alleged commission of any offence.
Processing may include obtaining, recording, collecting, storing, altering or adapting data, retrieving data, consulting data, using data, disclosing data or blocking, erasing or destroying data.
The processing of non-sensitive personal data is justified without consent having been obtained if the Data Protection Principles are complied with and one of the non-sensitive personal data legitimate processing conditions is satisfied. These include: * Processing is necessary to carry out a contract with a customer, employee, etc. * Processing is necessary to engage in pre-contract activities with a customer, employee, etc. * Processing is carried out in order to comply with a legal obligation. * Processing is necessary to prevent injury or damage to an individual or property. * Processing is necessary for your legitimate business needs and there is no prejudice to the rights of the individual. (Referred online http://www.cipd.co.uk/global/europe/ireland/employment-law/factsheets/data-protection.aspx on 20th April 2012)

The eight principles of data protection are as below;

1 – Fairly and lawfully processed (fairness is advising applicants / employees that their details are being held on file and in the said format)
2 – Processed for limited purposes (legitimate need for gathering the data and only use the data for that purpose)
3 – Adequate, relevant and not excessive (ask only for relevant information)
4 – Accurate (information available is accurate and up to date)
5 – Not kept for longer than necessary (employment records should be retained for a clear reason and reason may get less with time)
6 – Processed in line with rights of data subjects (employees have right to privacy)
7 – Secure (locked filing system, maintain confidentiality)
8 – Not transferred to countries outside the EU without adequate protection (many countries do not have the same level of protection for data subjects and there is a danger that information going outside will not be secure)