Employee Handbooks

However, it’s important to highlight certain legal and compliance policies, such as diversity, to make sure your employees are fully informed of their rights and have access to all necessary information. It can also protect you against lawsuits if you have your policies in writing. If you have a company employee handbook, workers can check policies themselves without having to ask their managers or HR any time they have a question or are unsure about what the procedure is. This is why it’s important to store this handbook within your HR software, as all employees can access an up-to-date version at all times. Zenefits lets you store your employee manual within your document repository, and gives you access to sample employee handbooks. If you have an employee handbook, you need to make sure everyone knows about it, and clearly communicate any changes.

Tailor the handbook to the specific needs of your business, including company policies, philosophy, and the culture that make your company unique with an employee handbook that is customizable. Disclaimers — the employee manual contains policies and guidelines but isn’t a guarantee or contract of continuous employment. Also mention that the policies in the employee handbook can change at the employer’s discretion. Generally, the policies below should reside in an employee handbook that the employee acknowledges in writing.

Its tone of voice, while sometimes combative, makes it a much more interesting read than your average employee handbook. We’ve talked about what you should include, but now it’s time to look at what this means in practice. Below we’ve provided our pick of the best employee handbook examples, so you can create a manual that your workers will read and take notice of. This is the kind of information you need to include in an employee handbook, along with details on company culture. As an employee handbook is entirely optional, there are no specific requirements.

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Workers normally receive these handbooks when they first start at a company, so they can familiarize themselves with how a company is run and what they can expect from the business. Employee handbooks differ from company to company, but they normally contain information about the business and details relating to company policies, such as values, operating procedures, and company culture. They set out standards for how employees should behave and what is expected of them in terms of performance, as well as how the business operates. The importance of a handbook only increases as your business grows and you have to put more policies into place and communicate these policies to your employees. That’s why you should get started on your employee handbook today. If you need inspiration, you can check out our pick of the best employee handbooks below. If you’re a small business, you might not think you need an employee handbook, but as soon as you hire a member of staff, you need policies in place to properly manage your workforce.

An employee handbook should include your business’s policies, your expectations of your employees, and what your employees can expect from your business. It should lay out your legal obligations as an employer and your employees’ rights.

You’ve been tasked with writing your business’s employee handbook. Maybe your business has grown to the point where it makes sense to get your policies in writing. It could be that you want to streamline onboarding for new hires. Or maybe your company encountered a challenging situation between coworkers, or even experienced an employment lawsuit, and you want to help protect yourself from future incidents. In his complaint, plaintiff asserts five separate causes of action which he contends were triggered by his termination from employment by defendant. This template includes a skeleton of common employee handbook topics for large enterprise businesses in the U.S. that need to cover major policies and procedures and communicate across distributed teams operating in multiple locations. Customize the template to reflect federal, state, and local laws, and update your employee handbook frequently to keep up with enterprise-level changes in growth and strategy.

Employee Handbook Template 2019

Your employee handbook is specific to your business, so it should include information such as the history of your business, its mission statement, and even goals. The purpose of an employee handbook is to provide a reference for employees on topics, such as company goals, core values, essential practices, workplace benefits, corporate policies, and procedures.

It’s important for all your employees to have an understanding of your business’s policies and rules. Creating an employee handbook shows employees that there are consistent policies for all employees — the same rules and guidelines apply to everyone, and all employees are treated equally.

Legal And Compliance Policies

One of the best ways to ensure that this relationship is properly established from the very beginning is the use of an employee handbook. While it is definitely not the most interesting document to read, it is a document that is necessary to establish a uniform, well-defined personnel policy.

It is a convenient method to clearly communicate employer standards, legal obligations of the employer, legal rights of the employee and many times can reduce the risk of employee lawsuits. This document includes the most interesting and inventive copy we’ve seen in an employee handbook, while also managing to convey important information at the same time, such as values and performance management. People HR also includes a checklist of items to complete in your first month, serving as an onboarding document as well as an employee handbook.

Some aspects of employment law change frequently, like paid time off, parental leave, and employee classifications. An HR outsourcing company or a PEO can help you implement and maintain a compliant handbook. These companies offer employee handbook templates and development as part of their services. No matter what size your business, an employee handbook is essential. Employee handbooks define company policies and list procedures for addressing employee questions and issues. Defining your policies and procedures up front will help your business run more smoothly and prevent conflicts down the line.

Companies use employee handbooks to define clear expectations regarding basic employment policy and expected behavior for all employees. Organizations also use them to set the tone for company culture. In addition, a well-crafted employee handbook — regularly updated to keep pace with change — provides your existing team a foundation for continued growth and contribution. As the benefits package is often one of the main reasons that people choose to work for a company, it’s important to include this information in your employee handbook. This section should detail the kinds of benefits you offer, plus your overall benefits strategy and why you have chosen to offer these benefits.

Creating an employee handbook is a great way to make sure that your staff are aware and up to date with your company policies. It’s also an interesting document as it includes stuff you won’t see in any employee manual template, such as the importance of having fun. It’s a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to creating an employee handbook. The handbook includes important policy information, such as health and safety, vacation, sick days, and outside employment, and outlines its communication policy .

• Companies use employee handbooks to define clear expectations regarding basic employment policy and expected behavior for all employees.
• As the benefits package is often one of the main reasons that people choose to work for a company, it’s important to include this information in your employee handbook.
• Organizations also use them to set the tone for company culture.
• Your employee handbook is specific to your business, so it should include information such as the history of your business, its mission statement, and even goals.
• The purpose of an employee handbook is to provide a reference for employees on topics, such as company goals, core values, essential practices, workplace benefits, corporate policies, and procedures.

Then get into the nitty-gritty of who is eligible for which benefits, how they can subscribe and access details , and your plan’s policy number. For example, a company of five people might have informal policies, such as you can work from home three days a week. But then a new manager starts who doesn’t like their team working from home. If there is no formal, written policy, but it has been a common procedure before then, it can be difficult to find a way forward. However, if the company has an employee handbook that includes a work-from-home policy, then everyone is on the same page.

As soon as you hire your first worker, you should create an employee handbook. Creating an employee manual helps you build a solid HR and legal foundation which you can rely on as your business grows. Only Brown employees and students who are renting vehicles for Brown University business purposes are covered under the University’s insurance plan. Spouses, friends, and other non-employee listed drivers are covered only under insurance provided by the rental company or under the driver’s personal insurance. All drivers must be listed on the rental agreement in order to drive the rental. The cost of covering non-employee drivers is a non-reimbursable expense. A policy manual is intended for to be used by managers as a reference tool.

However, lawsuits based on language contained in employee handbooks and other written employment policies and procedures are common. The contractual language used in many employee handbooks creates potential problems for unsuspecting employers. Employers should regularly review their handbooks and policy and procedure manuals to determine whether they contain language that may form the basis for a wrongful discharge lawsuit or other employment claim. Typically, the signature page of your employee handbook signifies that the employee has received and reviewed the document, but does not alone create any contractual or employment relationship. That said, it is fairly common for employee handbooks to be either directly or indirectly incorporated into or made part of an employee’s employment agreement. One of the essential features of a successful business is a trusting and professional relationship between employer and employees.