Research Literature
The researchers reviewed different literature and related studies conducted by
different persons with different insights and thoughts that are significant to the present
study.
As stated by Garfin (2021) in his article entitled “Human Resource Management:
201 Files”, the employee 201 file usually housed records or data pertaining to the
employee's personal information, financial information, employment contract, duties, job
grade, performance, and employment history in preparation for future employment
requirements. This includes the three major phases of the employment life cycle: the
hiring process, the employment period, and the separation process. These 201 files can
be hard-copy documents stored in cabinets or folders or soft-copy documents. The latter
part of the process is typically handled by an in-house automated HRIS (Human Resource
Information System). It is the human resources administration's role and responsibility,
as an administrative function, to manage all documents pertaining to an employee's work
history within the organization. One of the key roles of 201 file management is to assist
in keeping track of employee records; to provide post-employment information and
employment certifications; and to support or document defenses, such as legal cases
filed by an employee at the Department of Labor and Employment. Maintaining accurate
data on any record changes and staff movement in/out of the organization aids in
understanding demographics and statistics of the manpower structure, resulting in an
accurate picture and value of the overall organization's human resources.
Navarro (2019) indicated in his study entitled “Human Resource Information
Management System” that Employee records are among the most vital pieces of
information for an organization. Resources within a company with an increasing number
of its personnel, record keeping has never been so simple. Problems such as organizing
records, tracking educational and professional information, and sharing information with
the management. The data processing and filing can be time and effort consuming for the
personnel in charge. It is already difficult to manage these individual records, not to
mention the summarizing and planning of employees' records based on specific criteria.
In the article of Enadoc, (2021) entitled “6 Reasons Why You Should Digitize Your
HR 201 Files” she discussed that when it comes to compliance, most HR departments
don't consider digitizing 201 files, but the reality is that employee files and other
associated documents are subject to audits, rules, restrictions, and certain retention
periods. Learning how to store and handle digital information rather than paper files
significantly reduces the compliance burden. Likewise, Enadoc mentioned about the six
reasons why the HR 201 File shall be digitized. First is for the scalability and efficiency,
using a competent document management system to digitize employees' 201 files can
have a big impact on company's scalability. Human Resources will be able to better
manage their time instead of wasting it in sorting employee files, the system will do it for
the company, allowing them to focus on other important activities. Second is geography
wherein they can access the 201 files anytime and anywhere given that there is an
internet connection. Third is security. Users can select multiple degrees of protection in
the system and may allow access but restrict tasks like editing or printing. The system will
take care of the essential security for digital files, limiting access to specific levels and
keeping note of recent activities that may be reviewed. It provides a critical digital backup
for corporate papers and records, allowing the organization to comply with applicable
privacy laws and industry standards even if physical copies of these documents are not
available. Fourth is the integration with other platforms. Automated integration of
employee 201 files ensures that your document management system has the same
information as your HR system. Such collaboration demonstrates the system's flexibility
and ability to adapt to many forms of prospective integration. Fifth, it gives the personnel
confidence. Digitizing papers is pointless if the process makes retrieving documents more
difficult. The purpose of the system is to reduce the time it takes to obtain data and
information. The system shall have a robust search function that can quickly locate the
papers you're looking for. It comes with a variety of search features that allow users to
choose the type of search they want to do or how they want to get their documents. This
also allow the system to handle the worrying by ensuring that employee files are complete
and up to date through effective workflow and monitoring procedures. Lastly, record
retention, where in the files and documents are kept overtime and disposed properly if
necessary.
Citations:
1. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/human-resource-management-201files-john-garfin#:~:text=An%20employee%20201%20file%2C%20usually%20contained%20records%2Fdata%20
pertaining,What%20does%20an%20HR%20201%20personnel%20file%20include%3F
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333992827_Human_Resource_Information_Manage
ment_System
3. https://www.enadoc.com/6-reasons-why-you-should-digitize-your-hr-201-files/