Employee Handbook Tips to Keep in Mind

Although the initial creation of an employee handbook can be a daunting task, having one (and keeping it updated) brings countless benefits. A strong employee handbook is key for setting guidelines between an organization and its employees.

The employee handbook is a guided pathway set forth by HR for employees, outlining processes and procedures, rules, norms, federal and state laws, workplace behaviors, and so on. When executed correctly the employee handbook can operate as a useful management tool that helps ensure fairness and consistency in a company’s employment practice which in turn can help an employer's exposure to unwanted litigation.

It sounds as simple as just having an employee handbook but it is far more than that. Employee handbooks can be tricky and sometimes a ticking time bomb that can confuse employees and strip away a companies legal defenses. Be sure to keep these tips in mind when creating and updating your company handbook.

Online Templates

If you type in “employee handbook template” into google you get 239 million results. The internet is full of sample policies and sample handbooks. Although it may be a great place to start, the use of online templates should not be what you finish with. Most often what you find online may not be up to date, may not conform to your specific state's employment laws, can include promises that you may never keep, and more importantly, they were not prepared with your specific company in mind.

When it comes to creating your handbook be sure to tailor it to your industry, company size, location, and corporate culture.

Forgetting About It

Things within the world of business are always changing and it is important to keep up. Not only are their company policies that are added/changed but every year there are new employment laws that are passed and some that are even thrown out.

Companies have a tendency of handing out the same old handbook every year to their employees. Make it easy on yourself and do not include things in your handbook that change frequently. When an update is made to your handbook make sure everyone knows which version is enforced. It is among the easiest and most cost-effective ways that can help your company stay out of legal trouble.

Understandable Legalese and Specifics

A handbook is not intended to be a complex legal document and it should definitely not read like one. When it comes to writing your employee handbook it is important to understand who you are speaking to, your audience is your employees. Make it understandable and easy to read for all of your employees. If your workforce is bilingual, so should your handbook.

Details and specifics can box your company into a corner. Avoid the urge to fill the handbook with specifics to each policy, a handbook is to simply establish guidelines that should be followed throughout the organization.

Disclaimer and Sign-off

This is an important step that should not be missed when it comes to the distribution of your employee handbook. You want to preserve the at-will status of employees that you can hire and fire for any legal reason. The disclaimer should state that the handbook should not be considered a legal “contract” or a guarantee of employment.

Be sure to document and collect (every time it is updated) the employee saw and read this with a sign-off page or digital signature at the end of the handbook.