User:Pendant/Personnel file

Personnel file

Some years ago there was a page on Wikipedia explaining at length the confusion between the terms 'personnel file' and 'personal file'. This page seems to have been deleted, which is unfortunate, as numerous organizations, bizarrely, use the wrong term when referring to files that contain information about their personnel.

Possible reasons why this confusion arises may include:
 * the words 'personal' and 'personnel' can both be either a noun or a verb
 * 'personnel' can be singular or plural
 * a file about members of an organisation (i.e. its personnel) will almost certainly include personal data

A succinct way of illustrating the difference is as follows:
 * a personnel file contains information about a member of an organisation
 * a personal file belongs to an individual