HR Documentation: What Records Should HR Keep?

Good HR documentation helps companies keep employee information organised, support consistent HR decisions, and maintain important records throughout the employee lifecycle.

From recruitment and onboarding to performance reviews, leave, payroll, and offboarding, HR teams handle a large amount of employee information.

Without a clear documentation process, important records can become difficult to find, incomplete, or inconsistent.

This guide explains the main types of HR records companies should keep, how HR can organise them, and common documentation mistakes to avoid.

What Is HR Documentation?

HR documentation refers to records and information that HR teams create, collect, or maintain throughout an employee's relationship with the company.

These records can cover different stages of employment, including:

Recruitment
Hiring
Onboarding
Employment
Performance management
Leave and attendance
Compensation
Training
Employee relations
Offboarding

The exact records a company needs to keep depend on its location, industry, workforce, and applicable employment, tax, privacy, and other legal requirements.

Why Is HR Documentation Important?

Keeping accurate HR records can help HR teams manage employees more effectively.

Keeps Employee Information Organised

A structured documentation system makes it easier for HR to find important information when needed.

Instead of searching through emails, spreadsheets, and separate files, HR can keep relevant records in an organised employee file.

Supports HR Decisions

Documentation gives HR and managers a record of important events and decisions.

For example, performance records can provide useful context when reviewing an employee's progress or addressing ongoing performance concerns.

Helps Maintain Consistency

Consistent documentation can help HR apply company policies and processes more consistently across employees.

Supports Compliance

Some employee records may need to be maintained to meet employment, tax, payroll, privacy, or other legal requirements.

HR should understand the specific requirements that apply to the company and avoid assuming that the same retention rules apply to every type of record.

Provides an Organised Record of Employment

Employee documentation creates a record of important events throughout the employment lifecycle, from hiring to departure.

What HR Records Should Companies Keep?

The exact records depend on the organisation, but HR teams commonly maintain the following categories.

Recruitment Records

HR should keep relevant records from the hiring process.

These may include:

Job description
Job advertisement
Candidate application
Resume or CV
Interview notes
Interview scorecards
Assessment results
Reference check records
Background check records, where applicable
Recruitment correspondence
Job offer
Rejection or withdrawal records

Not every candidate record needs to be kept indefinitely. HR should follow the company's record-retention policy and applicable requirements.

Employee Personal Information

Employee files may contain information needed to manage employment.

Examples include:

Full name
Contact information
Emergency contact
Identification information
Employment start date
Job title
Department
Work location
Employment status
Relevant employment documentation

HR should only collect and retain information that is necessary for legitimate business or legal purposes.

Sensitive personal information should receive appropriate protection and access controls.

Employment Records

Important employment documents can include:

Employment contract
Offer letter
Job description
Contract amendments
Promotion records
Transfer records
Changes to employment terms
Work arrangement agreements
Relevant company policy acknowledgements

HR should make sure employees receive the documents they are entitled to receive and that the company's records remain up to date.

Payroll and Compensation Records

Payroll documentation can include:

Salary information
Allowances
Bonuses
Commission records
Salary adjustments
Payroll records
Statutory contribution records
Tax-related payroll information
Payslips or payroll statements

Payroll records often involve sensitive financial and personal information, so access should be limited to authorised employees.

Leave and Attendance Records

HR may need to maintain records relating to:

Annual leave
Sick leave
Other types of leave
Leave applications
Leave approvals
Attendance
Working hours
Overtime
Absence records

Accurate records can help HR answer employee questions and identify attendance or leave issues.

Performance Management Records

Performance documentation can help HR and managers track employee development and address performance concerns.

These records may include:

Performance reviews
Performance goals
Manager feedback
Employee feedback
Performance improvement plans
Progress reviews
Recognition records
Disciplinary-related performance documentation

Performance records should be factual, relevant, and based on specific observations or outcomes.

Avoid vague statements such as:

"The employee has a bad attitude."

A stronger record would describe the specific behaviour, situation, impact, and action taken.

Training and Development Records

HR may keep records of employee training and development activities, such as:

Training courses
Training dates
Attendance
Certifications
Skills assessments
Professional development programmes
Mandatory training completion

These records can help HR understand employee development and identify future training needs.

Employee Relations Records

Employee relations matters may require careful documentation.

Depending on the situation, records can include:

Employee complaints
Grievances
Investigation records
Meeting notes
Employee responses
Management responses
Disciplinary actions
Warnings
Corrective actions
Resolution records

These records should be handled carefully because they may contain sensitive information.

HR should document facts rather than assumptions or personal opinions.

Workplace Incident Records

Depending on the organisation and applicable requirements, HR may need records relating to workplace incidents.

These could include:

Incident reports
Accident records
Investigation findings
Witness information
Corrective actions
Follow-up records

The specific documentation required will depend on the type of incident and applicable workplace requirements.

Employee Offboarding Records

When an employee leaves, HR should update the employee's records.

Offboarding documentation may include:

Resignation letter
Termination documentation
Final working date
Exit interview
Final salary information
Leave balance
Company property return
Access termination
Handover records
Relevant employment documents

A clear offboarding record helps HR close the employee's employment file properly.

HR Documentation Checklist

A simple checklist can help HR make sure important records are covered.

HR Record	Should HR Keep It?
Job application	Yes
Resume/CV	Yes
Interview notes	Yes
Interview scorecard	Yes
Offer letter	Yes
Employment contract	Yes
Employee personal information	Yes
Payroll records	Yes
Leave records	Yes
Attendance records	Yes
Performance reviews	Yes
Training records	Yes
Disciplinary records, where applicable	Yes
Employee complaints, where applicable	Yes
Resignation or termination records	Yes
Exit interview	Yes

The exact retention period and whether a specific record must be kept will depend on applicable laws, regulations, and company policy.

How Long Should HR Keep Employee Records?

There is no single retention period that applies to every HR record everywhere.

Different records may have different legal or business requirements.

For example, payroll, tax, employment, health and safety, recruitment, and personal data records may be subject to different rules.

HR should consider:

Applicable employment laws
Tax requirements
Payroll requirements
Data protection and privacy rules
Industry regulations
Contractual obligations
Potential disputes or claims
Company record-retention policies

HR should create a retention schedule that identifies:

What record → Who owns it → How long it is kept → Where it is stored → When it should be securely deleted

If the applicable requirement is unclear, HR should seek advice from an appropriate legal or compliance professional.

How Should HR Store Employee Records?

HR records can be stored digitally, physically, or through a combination of both.

Digital Records

Digital HR files can make documents easier to organise and retrieve.

HR can use:

HR information systems
Secure document management systems
Access-controlled cloud storage
Company databases

Digital systems should use appropriate security controls.

Physical Records

If physical documents are required, HR should store them securely.

Consider:

Locked storage
Restricted access
Clear file naming
Document indexing
Secure disposal

Physical documents containing personal information should not be left in open or publicly accessible areas.

How HR Can Organise Employee Files

A consistent file structure makes HR documentation easier to manage.

For example:

Employee File

Personal Information
Recruitment
Employment
Payroll
Leave & Attendance
Performance
Training
Employee Relations
Offboarding

HR can also use a consistent naming system for digital documents.

For example:

EmployeeName_DocumentType_Date

A consistent structure can reduce duplicate files and make documents easier to retrieve.

Who Should Have Access to HR Records?

Not every employee should have access to every HR record.

HR should use role-based access based on the sensitivity and purpose of the information.

For example:

Record	Possible Access
Personal information	HR / authorised personnel
Payroll information	Payroll / authorised HR
Performance records	HR + relevant manager
Disciplinary records	HR + authorised management
Recruitment records	Recruitment team / relevant hiring team
General policy documents	Wider employee access

Access should be limited to people who genuinely need the information for their role.

HR Documentation Best Practices

Document Important Events Promptly

Create records soon after an important event rather than relying on memory later.

Be Factual

Document what happened rather than making assumptions about someone's intentions.

Instead of:

"The employee does not care about their work."

Use:

"The report was submitted two days after the agreed deadline."

The second statement records an observable event rather than an opinion.

Use Consistent Documentation

Use standard forms, templates, and processes where appropriate.

This can make HR records easier to compare and review.

Keep Records Relevant

Do not collect or retain information simply because it might be useful someday.

HR should consider whether the information is necessary for the purpose for which it is being collected or retained.

Protect Sensitive Information

Employee records can contain personal, financial, and other sensitive information.

Use appropriate:

Access controls
Password protection
Secure storage
Encryption where appropriate
Backup procedures
Secure disposal

Keep Records Up to Date

Outdated information can cause problems.

For example, HR should update records when an employee:

Changes address
Changes job title
Transfers departments
Receives a salary adjustment
Changes employment status
Leaves the company

Follow a Retention Schedule

HR should know when records should be reviewed, archived, or securely deleted.

Keeping every document forever can create unnecessary privacy, security, and storage risks.

HR Documentation During the Employee Lifecycle

HR documentation should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than something that only happens when an employee joins or leaves.

A typical employee lifecycle looks like:

Recruitment → Hiring → Onboarding → Employment → Performance → Development → Offboarding

Each stage can generate different HR records.

Employee Stage	Common Records
Recruitment	Application, CV, interview notes
Hiring	Offer letter, employment contract
Onboarding	Policy acknowledgements, onboarding documents
Employment	Payroll, leave, attendance
Performance	Reviews, goals, feedback
Development	Training, certifications
Employee Relations	Complaints, investigations, disciplinary records
Offboarding	Resignation, final records, exit interview

A consistent approach helps HR maintain a complete and organised record throughout the employee lifecycle.

FAQs

What is HR documentation?

HR documentation refers to records created or maintained by HR throughout the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employment, performance, payroll, leave, employee relations, and offboarding records.

What employee records should HR keep?

Common records include applications, interview notes, employment contracts, payroll information, leave records, attendance records, performance reviews, training records, employee relations documentation, and offboarding records.

How long should HR keep employee records?

There is no universal retention period. The appropriate period depends on the type of record, applicable laws, regulatory requirements, privacy rules, and company policy.

Should HR keep interview notes?

Relevant interview notes can be useful for documenting the recruitment process and supporting consistent hiring decisions. HR should follow its record-retention policy and applicable requirements when deciding how long to keep them.

Who should have access to employee records?

Access should generally be limited to authorised people who need the information for their work. HR should use appropriate access controls based on the sensitivity of each record.

Should HR keep employee records after they leave?

Some records may need to be retained after an employee leaves, depending on legal, regulatory, tax, privacy, contractual, or business requirements. HR should follow its applicable retention schedule.

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