The corporate world is notoriously competitive and you likely want to gain every possible advantage where you can. At the core of any successful company is its employees. You need hard working employees who understand and accept the core ethos of the business. While this can be explained to them verbally, it is much more beneficial to have the general ethos, as well as the rules of your company, written down in an accessible document. This is where an employee handbook comes into play.
What should an employee handbook include?
Start with an overview
The more information employees have about the business, the better equipped they will be to carry out their designated tasks. It can be helpful to start with an easily digestible introduction in your employee handbook. For example, you may opt to have an opening statement that includes the size of the business, number of branches and the general nature of the company.
Getting into more detail
After a brief introduction, your employee handbook can start going into more detail. For example, you may want to start outlining some of the values of the company as well as types of conduct that are encouraged and those that will not be tolerated. As an inclusive company, for instance, you may wish to document your policies on anti-discrimination.
Why bother with an employee handbook?
It can be helpful to have some key points about your company written down. By giving clear guidance to employees on expectations and disciplinary procedures, you can show that you are adhering to employment law and that your business aspires to certain values.
Drafting an employee handbook on your own can be tricky. Thus, it may be helpful to seek legal guidance to help ensure that everything remains above board.