Employee details form: all the info you need to collect (plus, free template)
Bringing a new employee onto the team is an exciting moment for everyone.
To bring a new team member into the fold is to invite the hope for a promising working relationship, in a way that supports both their goals and yours. They’ll want to start with their best foot forward and do the best job they can, and you’ll want to do anything in your power to ensure their future success, for the good of the company.
Of course, before you get to all of that, you first have to get their employee details and get them in your payroll system so you can start paying them money.
The process of collecting employee data manually is extremely cumbersome and fraught with the potential for human error. I oversee all the admin cogs and gears that turn together whenever I welcome a new team member into CharlieHR, and I can tell you that doing it on your own is no small task.
That’s why I put together this guide on your employee details form. You’ll learn why collecting employee details is important and why you should do it, and why automating employee detail collection is faster, easier, more accurate.
However, if you still want to do things manually, at least you can use our free employee details form template!
Why collect employee details?
Accurate collection of employee details is necessary to stay compliant with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) regulations.
That information is necessary for tax withholdings and payroll processing. Overlooking something important could get you tangled up in a web of legal trouble.
It's not just about staying above the law. Accurate information collection on your bank details employee form also helps your HR operations stay efficient.
Imagine what a headache it would be to have to scramble to find your team member’s bank details form for new employees every time their direct deposit is due.Better yet, save yourself that bother and busy work, and keep that data accessible to you when and where it matters, by storing it on an HR software like CharlieHR.
What information should you collect?
Let’s say you’re ready to onboard a new team member - well done you!
Before you can roll out the red carpet for them and welcome them to the team, there's some employee personal details you'll need to collect first.
Personal information
This includes the basics: first name and surname, gender, and preferred pronouns. This can also be an opportunity for you to create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels seen and respected for who they are.
Identification
Next up, we have personal identification details such as their nationality, passport number, and date of birth.
These are non-negotiable details for regulatory compliance to make sure you’re hiring people who can legally work in the United Kingdom.
Contact details
You’ll need a way to get a hold of the new team member in a pinch if the unexpected happens, such as a delayed payment issue or office closure.
Be sure to collect their phone number, personal email, and home address.
Financial information
As you onboard the new team members, you’ll want to make sure they get paid correctly and on schedule. No one works for free, after all.
Get their payment details such as their bank details, and a National Insurance ID number.
Employment forms
Any small business in the UK also needs a P45 or starter checklist.
Not sure what those are? Check out our guide on your employee starter checklist here.
Employment forms
If the team member gets sick or injured on the job, you’ll want to file a workplace accident report as well as a way to inform their family and loved ones.
To that end, be sure to collect their marital status and next of kin details. This is important for time-urgent emergencies and also sends the right message that you care about the employee's well-being.
Additional information
Here, you can collect any other information like dietary requirements. Small details like this may seem insignificant, but you may think otherwise the next time you hold a company event or daily office lunch.
Download our free employee details form and start using it straight away with your new hires.
How and when to collect employee details
Timing is everything when it comes to employee onboarding, and the sooner you can get new starters’ employee details, the better.
Here’s when and how to get the information you need.
Pre-employment
There are certain details that you absolutely must have before the new employee can even step through the front door of the office – these are your pre-employment checks.
That includes right-to-work information like passport numbers and national insurance numbers. Collecting these before the employee's start date ensures your HR processes keep your business legally compliant from day one.
First week
As the new employee is learning the lay of the land and getting their bearings, you can use their first week as an opportunity to collect any remaining details.
This is the appropriate time to collect things such as personal email addresses, emergency contact details, and dietary requirements. That helps their employee onboarding go much more smoothly.
Employee data collection methods
So, how do you get your hands on all this information within the employee’s first week anyhow?
Digital methods specialised employee database software streamline the employee data collection process and remove the margin for human error. The CharlieHR employee onboarding feature makes it easy to keep track of what’s been collected, and what information you’re still waiting on.
But if you think you're not ready for it yet, you can also use an employee database template to take care of it.
Pitfalls of manual data collection
Traditional, old-hand methods like keeping pen-and-paper employee records and filing systems come with a set of challenges that make them obsolete in the modern workplace.
Here are some of the areas where they fall short of manual data collection.
It's unprofessional and messy
Juggling paper forms and spreadsheets is an almost guaranteed way for sensitive employee data to get lost or fall through the cracks.
Different formats and gaps of missing data can lead to a very messy HR environment and make it prohibitively difficult to manage your team effectively.
Charlie’s employee database software can do a lot to assist you with managing employee data for your small business - particularly gathering it all in one place.
It's time-consuming
Filling out your employee personal details form by hand isn’t just tedious and haphazard, but it’s incredibly time-consuming.
Every minute you spend collecting employee’s insurance numbers and passport numbers is time wasted that you could have spent on more strategic, more important HR initiatives like conducting employee performance reviews.
It's prone to security risks
Emails and paper records have an unfortunate habit of disappearing into the ether and falling into the wrong hands. The lack of a secure storage method for employee details leaves you open to security leaks and having private employee data get seen and handled by people who don’t have authorized access.
Charlie is a better way to collect employee details
You may be thinking at this point: there must be an easier way for me to collect the new employee form details I need without mucking things up somehow.
You’re in luck. CharlieHR makes collecting all the new employee info you need as easy as having tea and biscuits.
Make data collection effortless
The days of doing data entry by hand are in the distant past.
With Charlie, the process of filling out a bank details form for a new employee is automated from start to finish. As soon as the new hire signs their name on the dotted line of their employee details form, they’re added to the system and Charlie takes care of the rest.
Immediately comply with legal requirements
CharlieHR's employee onboarding is designed to collect all the employee information you're required to by law in a way that makes it impossible for you to forget anything.
Finally, an efficient way to gather employee data
Time is money. The Charlie platform not only makes employee onboarding a cinch, but it also reduces the risk of error you would otherwise have if you managed it on your own.
With features like automated checklists and email reminders to fill out the proper paperwork, nothing will slip through the cracks again. You can also make sure you've got the ability to collect and analyse HR data analytics with Charlie.
How to get started with Charlie
Ready to switch over to a more efficient way to collect employee details? I got you covered. Here’s how you can start collecting your employee details form information with Charlie.
One-click setup
Adding new team members to Charlie is simple. Just input their name and email address, and you're sorted. For a quick visual guide for entering in a new employee, check out this 1-minute demo video.
Self-service onboarding
Once they’re added, the new hire will receive a welcome email and can log into Charlie themselves. There, they can fill in the rest of the details themselves, without you having to hound them or breathe down their neck.
It’s a self-service onboarding method that puts the ball in their court. That clears needless busywork off your desk and frees up your time for more important matters.
Automated checklists
What about keeping track of their onboarding process? CharlieHR comes with automated checklists and email reminders so you can monitor the new hire’s progress in filling out their employee details, and make sure you have everything you need before the deadline.
Make your employee data forms a breeze
Collecting the employee details of every new hire is a necessary but tiresome task. There's a lot that can go wrong if even a little detail is out of place, and that sends quite the wrong message to the new hire who is just getting their new footing.
Use the CharlieHR platform to automate your employee data collection, stay legally compliant, and optimise the entire process. It's not just about collecting the data you need to fill out your employee detail forms, but doing it in a way that's smart, secure, and streamlined.
