Employee Handbook 101: Why You Need One
Starting your first week in a new job can be daunting. Those who kick it off well, are usually vigilantly guided by their supervisor or mentor through what they’ll be doing for their first week or beyond. But with the current pace of work and fight for human capital, there is often little time for current employees to carefully lay out what is expected of new hires and what lay ahead during onboarding. The first weeks for those employees who are quickly introduced to their station or seated at a desk and told to “get to work” with little direction are bound in confusion, uncertainty, and wonder around a good many details about their place of work.
Companies that have employee handbooks find they fill the gaps in communication and function as a crucial introduction to their workplace. The contents of such a handbook (available in print, digital, or both) can connect your hires to your culture, mission, and core values. Readers can receive a clear understanding of their responsibilities and a compass for your policies and procedures. And by clearly stating your policies and procedures and compliance with federal and state laws, you can protect your business against employee lawsuits and claims, such as wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination. Employee handbooks can alleviate questions about work hours, safety, timekeeping, expense reporting. and more. Expectations about leadership and policies too should be eliminated with clear statements about them. And employee handbooks should help employees understand what they are getting into, the benefits that come with being part of your company, and where to turn if they need help.
In compilation of your employee handbook, use this insight for direction: Documentation removes uncertainty and confirms responsibility.
Compiling an employee handbook can be a daunting task. When tackled section by section, it can come together to deliver what you need to creative transparency and consistency throughout your company. Much of what you need can be found in your current human resource documents, online research, interviews or observations of current employees, or requests for decisions by management. While it may seem difficult to make a call on bereavement leave in the moment, it is much easier to do so before a request is made.
In compilation of your employee handbook, use this insight for direction: Documentation removes uncertainty and confirms responsibility. Ready to start your content creation? Here are suggestions for inclusion:
Table of Contents
Handbook Purpose and Welcome from the CEO (or Most Senior Leader)
Introduction and Overview of Basic Company Information
Employer-Employee Relationship
Conduct and Professionalism
Compensation and Benefits
Expense Reporting and Reimbursement
Attendance and Time Off
Professional Development and Career Progression
Culture Initiatives
Operations and Facility-Specific Information
Role/Division-Specific Training Modules
Company/Industry Glossary
General Legal Documents
Acknowledgement of Receipt
Employee handbooks can provide a roadmap for the future. Knowledge gained with its reading will familiarize new hires with your company culture and their role in pursuit of your company’s goals. If done well, they will emotionally commit each employee to their role, the company, and your customers—ultimately setting themselves and your company up for success.
Does the prospect of pulling an employee handbook together make you want to run for the hills? Not us! Contact The Bulb team today to take on the process of creating your employee handbook or other training manuals and tools.
