An employee handbook is a document that outlines the terms of an offer and what their rights are within the company. They can also outline guidelines on how they should conduct themselves while working there. This includes instructions on dress code, use of social media, etc.. When you send over your employee handbook to a new worker, the last thing you want them to do is bury it under their desk without ever opening it. However, if you want your staff to read it and refer to it later, you must entice them to do so. The employee handbook is a crucial component of the onboarding process. Here’s how to make one that others will like reading.
What is the purpose of an employee handbook?
An employee handbook is a document that outlines the rules, procedures, and expectations of your company’s employees. It provides detailed information about your organization and should include all that potential employee needs to know. This does not contain information related to particular employment. Instead, it discusses the company’s principles, aims, and vision, and it often includes welcoming letters from the CEO or president. The handbook differs from company to company, so even within your sector, yours will seem different.
Employee Handbooks: The Fundamentals
The structure of all employee handbooks should be the same. However, it varies depending on the company’s size, kind, and what your staff needs to know. Whatever type of company you have, here’s what you should include in your handbook.
History and Mission of the Company
Talking about the firm’s history and goal may not be the most significant portion of the handbook, but it helps new workers know your organization. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but it should contain information such as:
- Statement of your overarching purpose
- Information about the company’s founder
- How did the business begin?
- Information about the executive leadership team
This part establishes the handbook’s tone and provides new workers with their first impression of its culture. You may discuss the company’s “why”—who you serve, your client base, your market position, and some of the company’s most vibrant and significant features. It greets the reader with warmth before moving on to the technical aspects of their job.
Policies on Paid Time Off
Your workers desire to strike a good work-life balance. Paid time off (PTO) is one of the most important criteria determining whether they can (or cannot) do so.
This section should contain information such as:
- How do your workers get paid time off?
- What is the procedure for requesting or scheduling PTO?
- Policies on vacations
- Policies on sick leave
- Medical leave for the family
- Any extra paid time off that your firm provides
It would be best to discuss which holidays your organization observes and which ones it does not observe. For example, many retail outlets are open on essential bank holidays. Still, most corporate offices are closed in addition, including how your staff will be compensated for working certain holidays in your plan.
Expectations of Employees
This section explains how you want your staff to conduct themselves at work. This might include your harassment policy, dress code, usage of business internet, and any regulations you have in place about smoking drinking, or using other drugs that interfere with a person’s ability to do their work. Create a list of break guidelines for your staff to follow. Include a 30-minute lunch break and two 15-minute breaks throughout the day and clocking in and out processes in this area.
You don’t need to go into great depth regarding employee disagreements, which will undoubtedly arise. However, it is preferable if you do not. Instead of discussing broad policies, speak about what to do in the case of a disagreement. To assist fix the situation, you might chat with the employee’s boss or report it to HR. You won’t cover every possible issue, so concentrate on what workers should know in general if a problem develops. You may also add any particular anti-harassment or anti-discrimination rules here to let workers know how they will be treated—show them that you care about their health, safety, and well-being. While all practices are included in a subsequent part of the handbook, they may be necessary to restate how an employee may report any problems.
Policies on Payment and Promotion
Do you pay your workers every week? Once every two weeks? Once a month, perhaps? Make it explicit when and how they will be delivered in any event. Unless the employee handbook is in the shape of a bonus, no one enjoys surprises regarding their salary. Discuss the number of pay periods you have, if workers may choose direct deposit over paper checks and other payment details. Include information about the anticipated working hours.
Ascertain that your staff is aware of how overtime, pay grades and increases function. They’ll know where they are on the scale and what kind of business growth they may expect. If you give performance incentives or prizes, make a note of it here. This is also the area to discuss particular rules on progress. It’s vital to stick to your progression policy if you have one. If you don’t, it might lead to poor employee morale, reduced retention rates, and other problems in your firm. Finally, be upfront with your Policies on Payment and Promotion. No one wants to be promised one thing and receive another, especially when compensation.
Benefits for Employees
You don’t need to go through particular benefit rules since they may change at any time. However, it would be best if you discussed benefit eligibility. Are they exclusively available to full-time employees? Put these standards in this area if you supply them for part-time workers.
Discuss your company’s insurance benefits, including the types and possibilities available. You don’t have to discuss suppliers, but you should inform your workers if you provide the following services:
- Health-care coverage
- Dental
- Vision
- Life insurance is a kind of insurance that protects
Make sure you go through employee enrollment periods with them to forget. Include key life events such as the birth of a child, a family death, marriage, and worker’s compensation in the event of a workplace accident. This information demonstrates to workers that you’ve considered their requirements and have resources accessible if they need them.
Law-required policies
By law, you may be required to supply more information on occasion. This depends on where you reside. Along with federal employment regulations, certain states in the United States have state-specific employment laws. You must pay attention to both of them to ensure that you follow them. Some of these regulations must be included in your company’s employee handbook. If you’re unsure about which rules to have, the HR department or an attorney may assist you in gathering the necessary information. More information is also available on the website of your labor department.
You may need the following policies:
- Medical leave for the family
- Nondiscrimination and equal opportunity
- Compensation for employees
- Leave from the military
- Benefits for people with disabilities
- Breastfeeding facilities are available.
Because laws differ by state, not all of them will apply to your company. But, on the other hand, you know who does guarantees that you don’t miss out on essential information.
Disclaimers
The disclaimers make it obvious how and why workers should utilize the handbook. From the outset, many workers are familiar with the guide, while others have never read or received one. Assume that the employee is inexperienced and provide disclaimers from the start. Make it clear to workers that this is not a contract and that no employment assurances are made. Make it clear that the handbook is the most comprehensive source of information about general workplace procedures and rules, as well as how workers should adhere to them. Make it clear in your employee handbook that rules are open to change. When anything changes, you should update your manual as needed. Unexpected obstacles will confront any business owner. Some of these topics are important enough to be included in the employee handbook. Have an employee acknowledgment page after the manual. Make it detachable by stating that the employee accepts receiving a copy of the guide and realizes that they are accountable for reading it and adhering to the rules. Allow them to sign the page and turn it into HR or the proper person, depending on your company’s procedures.
3 Ways to Make Your Employee Handbook Better
Writing an employee handbook may be intimidating, mainly when there is a lot of material to add. So here are some resources for creating and updating your employee handbook.
1. Zenefits
A free employee handbook template is available from Zenefits. However, sometimes the most challenging thing is deciding where to begin. Zenefits provides you with all of the tools you’ll need to get started. You may include any of the elements we discussed and others in its configurable template, according to your company’s requirements and standards. Zenefits assists you with the creation of each section of your handbook, including your mission statement and narrative. It’s simple to discuss perks and go further into what it means to be a member of your team. HR features are also included in the program. It facilitates staff onboarding and smooth integration within your organization. Zenefits provides three options: Essentials: $8 per month for each employee Expenditure: $14 per month per employee Zen costs $21 per month per employee. Core HR, time and scheduling, integrations, and mobile app capabilities are included in all packages. Other tools, including salary and performance management, People Hub, and employee engagement surveys, become available when you upgrade. Zenefits also offers add-ons, including payroll and consultancy services, to enhance the capabilities of any plan.
2. BambooHR
BambooHR features an employee database that allows new and returning employees to access any documents they require, including the handbook quickly. In addition to its commercial packages, BambooHR provides a wealth of free tools to assist you figure out what you need to include in your handbook and cross items off their checklist, including infographics. It means that you won’t have to worry about others having various versions of your manual after you’ve finished it. You can keep them all up to date in your system online. BambooHR’s price isn’t shown on their website since their packages are tailored to your business. Contact their sales team for more information and assistance in putting together your package.
3. Gusto
On their website, Gusto includes a tutorial to assist you in creating an employee handbook. They also feature a wealth of additional tools, including a blog and downloadable files to assist you in making your guide. Gusto also offers a service where you may order a guide if you don’t want to or don’t have time to create your own. There are two types of manuals available: Express and Professional. In both cases, you begin by answering questions about your business. In around 30 minutes, the Express Handbook option will develop an employee handbook for you. The Professional Handbook option allows you to work with a professional HR team to guarantee that your directory has all you need and covers your company’s bases. It also saves you time by allowing you to complete your manual in less than a week. Gusto is available in three different packages: Core: $39 per month plus $6 per person each month Complete: $39 per month plus $12 per person per month Concierge: $149 per month + $12 per person per month Gusto provides a broad range of HR services. HR and onboarding are increasingly important at the top stages. With Concierge, you’ll have additional expertise and resources at your disposal to assist you in making your company the best it can be. On the other hand, complete offers more extensive recruiting and onboarding services at a lesser cost.
Employee Handbooks: 3 Tips for Creating Them
Although most employee handbooks follow a similar pattern, there are methods to improve yours to make it more effective for your business. Here are a few ideas for making your employee handbook more exciting and distinctive.
1. Use storytelling to your advantage.
Your workers are individuals, and when you give them a narrative they can relate to, they become more involved. In addition, you want your firm to be a place that your workers can connect to and feel good about working for, much as when you’re telling a buddy a story. Therefore, you may offer specific instances showing different circumstances that workers may find themselves in, in addition to telling a tale about the company’s history. As a result, you’ll be able to teach them how to solve difficulties in the workplace and provide them with a stronger foundation than merely outlining regulations and procedures.
2. Maintain a conversational tone.
Because your employee handbook is an official document, it does not have to be rigid and professional in tone. You want your staff to be engaged, and conversational language makes regulations more understandable. The style of your organization is defined here through your words. Make your handbook reflect your company’s culture if you want to seem accessible. Also, don’t forget to discuss your company’s culture and how you and the rest of the leadership team are working to make it a reality across the board.
3. Make Your Design Appealing.
It’s not just about the words you use in an employee handbook. It’s also about how it seems. People are more inclined to read anything with graphics and visual design, ideally from your own firm rather than stock photos. Find a graphic designer first. There are a plethora of firms and freelance designers to pick from. It’s also possible that there’s an inside person with graphic design skills. Inform the designer about your company’s image. Color schemes, layouts, visuals, photos, and infographic concepts are all examples of this. Work with the designer throughout the process to ensure that the finished product reflects your company’s brand and is something you’re happy to hand out to each employee. The final output should reflect your company’s culture and provide a welcome respite from the walls of text seen in contracts and other employment paperwork.
What Should I Do Next?
While employee handbooks provide your staff with the fundamentals of corporate behavior, you’ll need to go further. That’s why, after you’ve recruited the ideal individuals, you’ll need to know how to manage your team. Project management software keeps your team connected and on track. For all projects, It enables you to bring your carefully assembled team together so that you may complete tasks quickly and continue to innovate. Once you’ve employed individuals, you’ll also need to handle all your HR requirements. For example, payroll, benefits, and time off may all be tracked using HR software, assisting with scheduling and time monitoring. Plus, knowing that your software can help with recruitment and onboarding will save you time and effort when you need to employ someone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the seven distinct employee handbook categories?
A: The seven specific employee handbook categories are as follows:
- Job Description
- Performance Management Plan
- Goals and Objectives
- Employee Development Plan (EDP) or Career Ladder Plan (CLP)
- Standards of Conduct & Ethics Policy
- Anti-Harassment, Diversity, and Inclusion Policies
- Company Communications
How do you create a simple employee handbook?
A: Typically, employee handbooks have a few pages of information about the company culture and values and policies for things like time off work.