3 Ways to Kickstart Creating an Employee Handbook
Bottom Line: Outlining clear employee policies through a handbook absolutely helps prevent sticky HR situations!
Handbooks are a great way to bundle key policies, outline what employees can expect from your company, and what your company expects from them… even if you only have 1 or 2 employees.
A well-prepared handbook will also answer many of the routine questions that would otherwise end up on the desk of the business owner or HR Admin. When employees receive a handbook and are advised to look there first for answers when they have questions, it can save you time as the business owner.
I’ll walk you three things that can help you kickstart getting an employee handbook in place, no matter your company size:
Understand what a handbook is/is not
Keep it Simple
Plan for Updates
Understand what a handbook is/is not
A handbook is like a guidebook for your employees, guiding them on what behaviors the company expects from them. It also shares important information about their benefits. It is a way to share information with new employees and also a way to ensure you set important standards.
A handbook should not include every policy and operating procedure in your business. You can have standard operating procedures in a separate procedures or operations manual.
Keep it Simple
While there is some important legal “jargon” you are wise to include in your handbook, remember to keep your employee handbook simple! (If you read my book, Conquer Sticky Situations, you know that here at Expedition HR, we are obsessed with keeping things simple!) After all, the point is to have people read and understand your handbook, right?! The goal is to have your employees use your handbook as a resource to look up information about expectations of them as an employee and their benefits. If you want your handbook to serve that purpose, it needs to be clear and simply written.
Plan for Updates
How often should you update your handbook? It is best practice to update your handbook at a minimum once annually. Many businesses choose to bundle any federal or state updates pertinent to their business and make one handbook update each January. Issue spot notifications to employees during the year if there are noteworthy changes to employment laws applicable to your business/your employees.
One way to have the support and resources you need is to become an Expedition HR Subscriber or participate in the next Jumpstart HR Training Program. You can also consider having us speak at your next company event or schedule one of our Leadership Trainings. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
