HR teams know that gathering accurate and complete data sets the tone for successful onboarding and people management. Companies with structured onboarding processes retain 58 percent of new joiners for at least three years. An important step toward making this happen is maintaining a thorough onboarding template collection that includes an employee information form template.

<< Download our free employee information form template. >>

A well-crafted employee information form reduces administrative burden while ensuring you capture all the essential information needed for payroll, benefits, and compliance.

This guide walks you through creating and optimizing your employee information form to streamline processes, facilitate accurate data collection and management, and provide positive onboarding experiences for your people. For a smooth and efficient setup, use our free template as a jumping off point.

When and why to use an employee information form

An employee information form collects important data about your team members, such as personal details, emergency contacts, job information, and legal documentation requirements. The centralized document helps you maintain accurate employee files, ensure compliance, and support a variety of HR processes.

You’ll use this information in several key scenarios that require collecting or updating essential data, including:

  • Onboarding: New joiners complete these forms as part of their first-day paperwork to establish their HR records and get started quickly
  • Record updates: Current team members use abbreviated versions of the form when they need to update personal information like address changes or emergency contacts
  • Emergency situations: Up-to-date contact information helps HR teams respond quickly during workplace incidents and connect with family members when needed
  • Compliance purposes: Proper documentation supports legal requirements across different jurisdictions and helps you stay audit-ready

Employee information forms are the backbone of effective team recordkeeping, but the safety of your team member data is just as important. As Keith Bigelow of Visier explains, “Employee data is critical to secure because it includes employees’ personally identifiable information and payroll information. For people analytics leaders, it is a top concern that employee data be secured in such a way that there is no leakage of the data either internally or externally.” 

Clear employee information forms and transparent safety measures help build trust with new joiners, streamline workflows, and simplify compliance with legal and tax regulations.

Downloadable employee information template

Streamline your onboarding process with this free employee information form template. Download it, then add and remove fields based on your company’s specific needs and requirements.

Employee information form
Full name
Mailing address
Phone number
Email address
Social Security number
Date of birth
Emergency contacts
Employment details:
Date of hire
Position title
Department
Reporting manager
Start date
Employment type
Tax information:
Tax status
Federal filing status
Federal withholding preferences
State filing status
State withholding preferences
Direct deposit information:
Bank routing #
Bank account #
Account type
Deposit amount
Benefits information
Accommodation needs

Employee information form sample

Here is an example of a completed employee information form:

Employee information form
Full name John Smith
Mailing address 123 Main Street, Apt. 2B
Hometown, NY 12345
Phone number 555-555-5555
Email address [email protected]
Social Security number 111-11-1111
Date of birth 01/07/1994
Emergency contacts Jane Smith (Wife)
555-555-5555

George Smith (Brother)
555-555-5555
Employment details:
Date of hire
Position title
Department
Reporting manager
Start date
Employment type		 Date of hire: 08/08/2025
Position title: Regional Manager
Department: Sales
Reporting manager: Bob Mitchell
Start date: 09/01/2025
Employment type: Full-Time
Tax information:
Tax status
Federal filing status
Federal withholding preferences
State filing status
State withholding preferences		 Tax status: W-2
Federal filing status: Married
Federal withholding preferences: Additional % withheld
State filing status: Same As Federal
State withholding preferences: additional % withheld
Direct deposit information:
Bank routing #
Bank account #
Account type
Deposit amount		 Bank routing #: 111111111
Bank account #: 111111111111
Account type: Checking
Deposit amount: Full Amount
Benefits information Health insurance
Accident protection
Retirement benefits
Accommodation needs Screen reader
Ergonomic chair

<< Download our free employee information form template. >>

How to create an employee information form

Building an effective employee information form template involves comprehensive data collection and user-friendly designs. Follow these steps to create a form that meets your company’s needs:

1. Determine necessary information

Start by identifying the personal and professional information you truly need to collect. Consider these key areas when determining what to include:

  • Legal compliance: Tax forms, employment eligibility verification, and equal opportunity data that protect both you and your people
  • Payroll processing: Banking information, tax withholding preferences, and direct deposit authorization to ensure accurate, timely payments
  • Emergency preparedness: Current contact information and emergency contacts so you can respond quickly when situations arise
  • Benefits administration: Healthcare selections, retirement plan participation, and beneficiary information to activate coverage without delays

Focus on information you’ll actively use rather than data that might be nice to have but serves no practical purpose.

2. Organize information logically

Group related information together and arrange sections in a logical flow that feels natural to complete. Start with basic personal information, move to employment details, then cover payroll, benefits, and accessibility details. This progression mirrors how people typically think about sharing information: from general to more specific. When sections flow naturally, people can complete the form more quickly and with fewer mistakes.

3. Include clear instructions

To help new joiners complete your employee information form accurately, use clear section headers and provide specific guidance for each field.

  • Explain abbreviations: Clarify what each abbreviation stands for, such as “MI = middle initial” or “SSN = Social Security number”
  • Include examples for fields that might be confusing: If a new joiner has only one name, for instance, show them how you prefer they fill out the first and last name fields
  • Provide sample formatting requirements: Avoid confusion and potential errors by showing examples of your data entry preferences, such as including “Format: 111-11-1111” next to the Social Security number field
  • Denote required fields: Indicate which fields are optional versus required by labelling them with an asterisk or other symbol

Clear instructions prevent back-and-forth clarification requests and ensure you get usable information the first time.

4. Ensure compliance

Research local labor laws, data protection regulations, and industry-specific requirements that affect your information collection practices. Verify that your form meets all legal obligations while respecting privacy rights.

Fortunately, HR tech with automated compliance features makes it easier to stay compliant and keep your team’s data secure. It tracks and manages compliance tasks actively, including:

Depending on the platform, you can also encrypt files, restrict access to certain people, and create digital audit trails to protect your people’s private information.

Don’t forget to share any necessary legal disclosures and data security and compliance statements that protect both your company and new joiners providing information. Here’s an example:

“We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This statement outlines our practices for handling your data, including collection, use, storage, and security measures.

We collect and retain necessary data for HR purposes, such as payroll and benefits administration. Access to this data is restricted to authorized personnel only. We use various security measures to protect your information, including roles and permissions and data encryption.

You have the right to access, correct, and delete your personal data. We comply with all relevant data protection laws and regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our HR team at [phone] or [email address].”

Make your disclosures and statements clear and easy to understand rather than hiding them in dense legal language. Tim Pasto, Director of HR Advisory at Gartner, explains: “The foundation of all of this is trust. Do your employees trust you with their data? One of the key issues is making sure you don’t undermine employee trust in the ethical use of their data. There needs to be open communication from HR around what employers are doing with people data.” 

5. Create digital and print versions

Develop both digital and print formats of your form to accommodate different preferences and situations. Digital versions can include validation rules and conditional logic that guide new joiners through completion, while print versions serve as backups or for situations where digital access isn’t available or if your people prefer print versions.

Once you’ve finalized the digital version, set permissions to control who can view and update specific employee information forms. For example, you may want to grant updating access to your HR team and view-only to your new joiner’s department. Or you might decide to implement a self-service option so your team can update their own employee information and free your HR team from time-consuming, manual tasks.

Streamline onboarding with this employee information form template

An effective employee information form template enhances the onboarding experience by reducing the administrative burden on both HR teams and new joiners. When integrated properly into your onboarding workflow, it eliminates repetitive data entry and ensures consistent information collection across your entire team.

Modern HR platforms help companies manage team information more efficiently through several key capabilities that address common HR challenges. These systems provide centralized data management, connect to payroll, benefits, and performance management seamlessly, and reduce your compliance burden while protecting your people’s information.

This integrated approach transforms employee information management into a streamlined process that supports strategic HR initiatives.

<< Download our free employee information form template. >>

Employee information form FAQs

What is an employee information form?

An employee information form collects essential personal and professional details about team members for HR records, payroll processing, and emergency situations. HR teams use these forms during onboarding and to support legal and tax requirements across relevant jurisdictions.

What paperwork do new employees need in addition to the employee information form?

Besides the employee information form, new joiners typically fill out tax forms, employment eligibility verification, direct deposit authorization, benefits enrollment, and company policy acknowledgments. Other required documents might include non-disclosure agreements and role-specific certifications depending on the position.

Recommended For Further Reading

How often should employee information be updated?

Up-to-date team information is key for accurate payroll processing, benefits administration, emergency response, and legal compliance. A general rule of thumb is to update team information annually, after major life events like marriage, children, or relocation, and whenever contact information changes. 

Using employee management software to automate the process ensures compliance with record-keeping requirements.

What employee information is on a W-2 form?

A W-2 form is the official record of your people’s annual earnings and deductions. It includes detailed financial information, specifically:

  • Gross wages, salary, and tips
  • Federal, state, and local income taxes withheld
  • Social Security and Medicare contributions
  • Dependent care benefits
  • Retirement plan contributions
  • Employer identification details including name, address, and EIN