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PortugalEmployee Databases
How an employee database should be
Discover what an employee database structure is and how it should be. The most accurate information for your business.
Isabel García
HR Consultant
16 of April, 2025
Having an employee database in the human resources department is essential for managing various department functions. Among these are candidate management, employee evaluation, career plans, and others. This is where having the necessary and ideal tools becomes crucial.
In this regard, you can also count on the help of a human resources software; one that has a complete employee database. We can highlight the use of Sesame, which is a digital tool specialized for the HR department. It has various features that will allow you to optimize all your processes, including creating the employee database. Keep reading.
What is an employee database?
The database is a digital component used by many companies today. It is capable of archiving all documents and data from employees (internal or external to the company) on their employee record. You can store and consult personal data, certificates, contact information, salary, their competencies, among others.
It allows us to manage a large number of employees or collaborators in a simple way. Thanks to the advanced filter search system, you can find the data of the person you just need and thus save a lot of time.
It can support you in using a human resources software to set it up as the company’s primary human resources data source. Also, you can use it as a user of data from other platforms, or even with a multiple function, since it can adapt to a huge variety of business situations.
The use of such software has multiplied in recent years within the business environment thanks to all its benefits. Organizations manage to notice a very quick and optimized management that, in the short or medium term, brings significant time and cost savings.
How to create a Human Resources employee database?
As we mentioned earlier, having a database is essential for managing:
- Performance evaluation.
- Absences, vacations, layoffs, permissions.
- Career plans.
- Training.
- Knowledge of permissions on data treatment.
- Organization chart.
- Documentation related to each employee’s contracts.
Through a Human Resources software like Sesame, you can manage this whole process and create the database of your workers. This program has tools that will allow you to develop this database in an easy and fast way.
Classification for the employee database
When classifying the database for employees, think about why you are making it. This will allow you to know what data you need to take into account about each worker. In short, which ones will be key to centralize.
All this information should appear in the employee’s record. In any case, you should include at least one category about the job and one about the acceptance of data treatment. The right thing is also to have a history; this is management that some HR programs allow you to automate.
Dump all the information into the database
As we mentioned, it is good to have a system that allows us to dump data quickly, modify information, and so on. In this case, Sesame allows you to perform different functions within the same database. In this way, your workers will send you their data, and you will be able to note them without any problem.
Database confidentiality
It should be noted that there are applications or software that allow you to create a database, but they are not always secure. For example, Excel. A program like the one mentioned carries the risk of manual data entry and, on the other hand, makes access management difficult. Therefore, a secure database is fundamental.
Recommended maintenance
- Remove duplicates: Duplicity of information is one of the greatest evils of databases. You should constantly evaluate the existence of duplicity, remove those that have a lower value or combine them with the information you are most interested in. But you should do so with caution, if you’re not sure what you’re doing, it’s better not to delete anything.
- Unify your database: It’s normal to have multiple employee data scattered in various files. First of all, unify all the data you have at your disposal.
- Encapsulate uniformities: This is one of the biggest challenges you face when purging your database. For example, imagine that our subscription form has the province field open. It is logical to think that not everyone will write the term uniformly. Therefore, we should try to standardize that field in some way.
- Delete all the garbage information: Garbage data is the group of false information or information that does not provide you any benefit. For instance, when in the mandatory field a candidate writes anything that does not correspond to reality, like a poorly written address.
Need help?
I'm Isabel, HR consultant at Sesame HR. Book a meeting with my team to help you.