Why You Should Keep Files On Your Team

It may sound like you are duplicating the work of your Human Resources department – if you have one – but in fact, you are not.  Normally you would not want to give HR everything on an employee, some information may be of use only to you.  Of course any major policy or procedural violations would need to be documented especially if you are working in a union environment.

So why keep files on your team?

Several reasons.

Coaching

Perhaps one individual is constantly having trouble with one or a few aspects of the job.  What better way to identify this that by retaining this type of information in their own file and then coaching them.  They may make an error once or twice – but unless you’ve got a superb memory and can remember what your entire team does right (or wrong) you will not remember the small errors. 

By documenting this for yourself you can then review on whatever basis you choose and speak with the individual.

Review Time

Lets face it, as a manager you will remember ALL the negative and probably very little positive that your team or the individual has contributed.  You’re thinking right now “No, I don’t do that”.  Uhhh, yes – you do.

Every manager that I’ve worked under has always remembered what’s happened in the last few months and normally all the negative.  The new entrant into the workforce, who hasn’t been blinded (or perhaps is blinded) by all that goes on around them will happily keep going without realizing what’s happening.  Once they’ve been “burned” once – they will not forget.  Why do you think office politics exists?  To make oneself look good in front of their supervisor.

Honestly – do you really think that your team is being super nice to you because they like you?  You’re enforcing the rules, saying “NO” when perhaps they hoped you would say “YES”.  So anyway… Some of your direct reportees will not toot their own horn – so you need to do it for them.

In addition to being a manager, and supervisor you are also a leader and if your team does well – so do you, the department and the company.

By documenting what they’ve done right and wrong you are also showing your team that you do care about what happens in the department that you have  a vested interest. 

If you look at it from the point of view of your team, they will realize that you are watching — which limits the risk of negative behaviour.  You don’t want to be a cop (or mom/dad at work) but in some cases you will be.

How To Maintain Files

This isn’t rocket science.  It is easy.

Plain folder.  The employees name on it.  Done.

When you witness good/bad behavior – document it.

You sit down with someone for coaching, or one-on-one in your office the next step should be to document the conversation and e-mail the individual and put a copy in YOUR employee file.

Someone comes in late?  Document that.

Too long in the washroom… well, use your judgement.  In some industries, particularly very busy call centers EVERYTHING is documented and yes – they will even document how long you are away from your phone (so not necesarily how long your bio-break has been).

HR Employee Files

The files that HR keep are different from yours, they will be tracking information related to employment and legal issues.  For instance significant performance issues, salary and wage increases (or decreases), medical notes etc.,  The HR employee file may have some of the same information as you maintain but for the most part they will be different.

Now that said just because your file doesn’t contain the same information don’t keep it laying around or consider it not important.  If you’ve documented sufficient information related to performance, for example and use that to terminate someone KEEP THE INFORMATION!  If that employee decides to sue or file a grievance with the union or any other number of reasons that file might be the only information you have to back-up your actions.  IT IS IMPORTANT!

Do you have a different way you’re approaching this?  I would love to get more insight as I’m sure others would as well.  Feel free to comment on this post, or any other.