The world-wide mantra of Human Resources is DOCUMENT! While potentially time consuming, you should always remember: if an event is worth remembering, it should be written down. If it is not written down, it will be regarded as a non-event; as if it never happened. You do not want to find yourself in court, avidly stating that you spoke with an employee on numerous occasions, only to find yourself with no evidence to support your claim.
In upcoming posts we will review some of the key elements of a solid documentation practice. But to begin, we thought we should review some of the big DON’Ts of Employee Documentation.
Firstly, realize that there are common errors that do occur, often due to our busy schedule and our need to rush. Most mistakes are avoidable – documentation should never be rushed!
Common documentation errors include:
- Unsigned or undated documents
- Illegible handwriting
- Overdue or late
- Inaccurate information
- Biased or unsupported opinions
- Vague information
- Inconsistency
- Lies
These are common errors that can easily be eliminated.
Sign and date all statements that you write and make sure the individual signs as well if it is appropriate. If an employee refuses to sign, either have a witness come in and sign that they witnessed the refusal or ask the employee to sign a line that states “they refused to sign the document”.
If it can’t be read it will only frustrate the situation, so remember: penmanship counts.
Don’t delay writing up recent events, as soon after they occur as possible. Delaying will only cloud your memory and weaken the validity of the account. Along those same lines, documentation that was written up days or weeks later than the event carry much less credibility and don’t shed a favorable light on the company or you.
Avoid all opinions and attitudes. Along those same lines, be specific and don’t be vague. If an employee needs to improve performance, specifically state how and why; don’t just say “they need to get better.”
Finally, NEVER make personal notes on any documents. This includes resumes, applications, warnings, performance appraisals, you name it. Employee documents and files can be subpoenaed in court, and while you many think the employee will never see it, it is altogether possible that a judge will. And once written, don’t erase your comments – altering documents is against the law, including side-notes and handwritten comments.
These are just a few of the most common and easily avoidable documentation errors. Our next posts will look at Documentation Best Practices.