Confidentiality of 201 files is not absolute

ELBONOMICS: Do what’s right for the workers, and not what’s easy for management.

Two employees have requested access to their personnel folders. The HR department has rejected them citing the confidentiality and ownership of company records. Now, the concerned workers are up in arms against HR and are thinking of consulting the employees’ union. How do we resolve this issue? — Rigid Frigid.

The Internet offers an ocean of information on why so many people hate HR. It all started when Fast Company published its kilometric 2005 article that challenged “strategic HR leadership” described as “frightening and self-contradictory. If not plain laughable…

“Because let’s face it: After close to 20 years (now more than 30 years) of hopeful rhetoric about becoming ‘ strategic partners’ with a ‘seat at the table’ where the business decisions that matter are made, most human- resources professionals aren’t nearly there. They have no seat, and the table is locked inside a conference room to which they have no key.

“HR people are, for most practical purposes, neither strategic nor leaders.”

The latest article against HR is the one published by Forbes last July 27, 2016. Author Liz Ryan cites “Ten Reasons Everybody Hates HR” including the fact that “HR people often spout policy instead of actively getting involved to remove roadblocks their employees face.”

Really, there are many victories worse than a defeat. Now, that your HR department has rejected the two workers who are considering a militant action through an employees’ union, how do we propose to solve such a trivial issue? Of course, this piece is applicable also to non-unionized establishments. What if the overly principled workers resort to engaging a lawyer to bring a trivial pursuit into a major disaster for the company?

WHAT’S THE POINT, ANYWAY? IS IT WORTH IT?

You didn’t mention why the workers are asking for access to their 201 files. Depending on the reason, your HR department should be rational enough to immediately resolve the issue without necessarily hiding behind an absurd, sometimes misplaced strict confidentiality policy. At times, you hear people asking for a copy of their basic documents like transcript of records, birth certificate, police clearance, and other things.

They need it to replace their lost personal copies. If that’s the case, then the concerned workers need not be allowed to gain full access of their 201 folders. The HR department could simply copy the requested document and give it to the workers. It is as simple as that. Case closed.

Sometime ago, I remember when I was active in corporate HR, the often-requested reason for employee’s access to their 201 files is — many of them would like to review the result of their performance appraisal. My best approach was to advice the workers to personally discuss it with their boss. And the 201 file will be given to the concerned boss who is the best person to handle the situation.

The performance appraisal is a ticklish and sensitive issue to many people. For one, some parts of it may contain recommendations on promotion and succession planning, among other related issues. The concerned employee may not be allowed to access it as management would not want to give false expectations to people.

Also, there are many complex items in a 201 folder that you don’t want the workers to see. This includes notes of interviewers during the hiring process, results of IQ and psychological pre- employment exams, and background checks.

As long as the workers have valid and legitimate reasons to see what’s inside of their 201 folders, then HR should not automatically reject the employees’ request. The best technique is to allow people to review their personal folders in the presence of a key HR personnel, preferably a supervisor. This ensures the integrity of the workers’ files and avoids the loss of important documents for or against certain employees.

People management guru Dave Ulrich, who tells HR people to be employee champions, says: “You’re only effective if you add value… That means you’re not measured by what you do but by what you deliver.” It’s not about the confidentiality of records, but by the amount of goodwill you’d like to maintain with people.

Rejecting people based on the confidentiality rule brings you nothing but agitation.