Core fields for every team member
Use these fields to create a practical starting directory: preferred name, job title, department or team, manager, approved work email, approved work phone or chat handle, work location or time zone, and a short role summary.
These fields answer the everyday questions a colleague has when they need to find the right person for a decision, project, or customer need.
Optional fields to use carefully
Add profile photos, pronouns, start dates, skills, languages, or brief introductions only when they support the culture and work of the team. Make optional profile fields genuinely optional, and clearly state who can see them.
Privacy checklist
Collect only what the directory needs
Do not put home addresses, personal phone numbers, compensation, government identifiers, or other sensitive personnel information in a shared directory.
Explain visibility
Tell employees which fields are visible to the company, managers, administrators, or only themselves.
Use role-based access
Limit sensitive employee information to people with a legitimate business need.
Make the directory part of normal operations
Update records during onboarding, manager changes, promotions, transfers, and departures. Assign a clear owner for accuracy and give employees a way to submit corrections.
BranchWise HR is being built to connect a useful employee directory with an interactive organizational chart for growing teams.