Employee Handbook

Having established policies written in an employee handbook willeliminate confusion as to what you expect from your employees. Asthe owner of small company, you may wish to set policies yourselfand take full responsibility for drafting enforcing, reviewing andupdating all information in the employee handbook. If, however, yourun or manage a large business, this duty usually falls upon theshoulders of the human resources department/employee relationsmanager.

Either way, make sure that all policies, procedures, practices,rules and regulations are decided upon in advance, and presentideas in a simple and direct manner by choosing short words thatdefine the company’s position.

During the orientation process, each employee should receive acopy of the handbook, and any updated versions should be presentedto existing employees to keep a constant flow of communicationgoing. Sufficient feedback from employees will also help managementunderstand exactly what kind of information would be useful toinclude to help an employee be effective on the job.

Items usually included in a handbook are:

• Absences
• Accidents
• Benefits
• Cleanliness
• Coffee breaks
• Complaints
• Confidentiality of work
• Decorum
• Discrimination
• Dismissals
• Emergencies
• Fire
• Intoxication
• Military service
• Misconduct
• Office supplies usage
• Ordering of supplies
• Organizational chart
• Orientation
• Overtime
• Parking for employees
• Paydays
• Pay periods
• Pension plans
• Personal mail
• Personal phone calls
• Personal visitors
• Probationary periods
• Professional ethics
• Promotions
• Re-employment rights
• Resignations
• Retirement
• Salary calculations
• Salary deductions
• Schedule of work
• Sick leave
• Smoking policies
• Tardiness
• Temporary employment
• Time cards
• Work evaluation
• Work habits
• Work periods
• Working hours
• Worker’s compensation

Make sure when the handbook is being drafted that all practicesare consistent with the company’s growth plans reflect currentcompany philosophies and objectives. Also, two disclaimers shouldbe included in the introduction to the handbook:

1. The handbook is not an employment contract between theemployee and the organization.

2. Employees may be dismissed at the discretion of thecompany.

Including these disclaimers in your handbook will help you toavoid future litigation from terminated employees. When thehandbook is finished, it should be reviewed by legal counsel tomake sure that it’s consistent with current federal, state andlocal employment regulations.

The employee handbook is important to your organization’s growthand structure because it communicates to the employees just whatthe employer expects and what the company will provide in terms ofa productive working environment. More importantly, it forces theemployer to be consistent in the enforcement of company policyinstead of allowing it to shift from person to person or situationto situation. Employees like to feel that they will receive equaltreatment, regardless of the situation or position. This feeling ofequality promotes a team atmosphere that’s important toproductivity.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of an employee handbook is itsability to focus the attention of employees on the performance oftheir jobs. It relieves the worries that accompany an employees’slack of understanding concerning policies and benefits.