What is an employee handbook?
As an organisation develops and grows, it’s vital for the business to have a handbook for employees. This important document details policies, procedures, and rules for members of staff. These rules need to be maintained to ensure a workplace enforces a healthy working culture, in turn creating a better working environment for employees.
At its core, an employee handbook is a collection of
important information pertaining to the organisation it represents. The main goal of an employee handbook is to make sure new and existing colleagues know and follow company values.
It also helps new employees understand the workplace they’re entering. During the on boarding process, an employee handbook explains the basics like who the business is, how things are done, and what is expected of staff members. It’s best to give new employees an employee handbook on their first day, or if possible, before their employment begins. This is recommended, as is sending a letter to help support new employees during the induction process.
Businesses need to ensure all staff members understand what
the company’s employee handbook says. Comprehending this knowledge is necessary for organisations to continue running in a smooth and successful fashion.
Fundamentally, an employee handbook should be a one-stop
destination for employees; serving as a reference for any queries they might have. If the information is correct and up to date, it also saves the time of employers due to team members being able to find answers to their questions without asking for help.
Why are employee handbooks important?
All organisations, no matter their size, must adhere to the rules set by employee law. Some policies are required by law to make sure employees are kept safe, such as how to conduct a disciplinary procedure, as well as information on health and safety.
An employee handbook is how employment law is regulated in the workplace. Every business must explain its approach to issues, ranging from bullying and harassment to how employees conduct themselves online, such as what they post on their social media pages. This is why it’s essential for employers to keep the employee handbook up to date, as this allows them to deal with any change in circumstances.
Such an example would be the coronavirus pandemic, when many
employees began to work from home to help combat the spread of the virus. Until then, remote working wasn’t a norm for many people. However, due to an unforeseen situation on a global scale, organisations had to adapt to keep functioning. Hybrid working is more common, and as a result, employee handbooks have to reflect this. Policies focused on hybrid working should detail what is and isn’t expected of employees, such as what they should wear on work calls to avoid any potentially embarrassing moments from developing. They should be firm and clear, with no room for any sort of confusion.
Company policies and procedures
The policies found in an employee handbook should be tailored to fit the needs of the business. As such, it’s vital to take in considerations like industry, sector, and size of the organisation. Professional guidance and regulation from governing bodies are other components to factor in. At its core, an employee handbook should be proud in its promotion of company values, as well as any strategies in play.
Employees seek a sense of purpose. They’re more likely to feel committed to their workplace when they believe their employer upholds integrity – conducting business in accordance with respected morals and ethics. This in turn leads to a plethora of benefits, such as increased productivity, vibrant company culture, and heightened performance in employees. When all of these are combined, it ensures businesses are reaching their maximum performance.
Employee handbook: what needs to be included
As stated earlier, every company is different. An employee handbook needs to reflect, as well as support, what a business stands for. Maintaining a positive reputation is how current employees are kept, but also how future employees are recruited.
Here’s our checklist of what to include in an employee handbook:
- Welcome statement: introduce new employees helps provide them with information on management and structure, such as when the business was founded, the nature of how it’s operated, the number of staff currently in employment, the locations of the organisation, and details of the chain of command.
- Company values and strategy: every business has a vision of what needs to be done. Core values emphasise what’s expected of employees. Making sure policies are detailed ensures workplaces are healthy and positive; allowing members of staff to thrive.
- Policies: this should be the main section of an employee handbook. Every business has different requirements, but there are some common policies to implement…
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures: by law, employees must be given details of these procedures in writing. As such, a written policy is best practice. Rather than pack everything into one guide, separate policies dealing with different issues (bullying and harassment, illicit substances like drug and alcohol, and any other type of gross misconduct).
- Health and safety: employers are obligated to look after the physical and mental wellbeing of their employees. In case of an injury at work, a guide on health and safety procedures must be readily available. If a business employs more than five members of staff, they must have a policy in place.
- Sickness: make sure employees know what to do when they’re going to be absent. Include factors like sick pay, how much they’re entitled to, and how to inform their line manager when they’re going to be off sick.
- Family policy: this encompasses maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption, emergency for leave for dependents, and bereavement leave. These situations need to be tackled in a respectful manner, as to better nurture an employee’s work-life balance.
- IT: data security, and understanding its impact, must be understood by employees of all levels. Let members of staff know what they can and can’t use the internet for whilst using workplace equipment. This includes social media, in relation to what colleagues post on their personal platforms. Data protection is another factor, as organisations comply with privacy rules and laws set by UK GDPR. Staff have the right to know what personal data their employer collects, how it’s used, stored, and kept secure.
- Mental health: if a colleague is experiencing mental health issues, there should be guidance on the kind of support available to them.
- Whistleblowing: an employee might encounter wrongdoings, and they should feel empowered to report concerns; allowing for an internal investigation. An anti-bribery should also be included, ensuring staff can avoid corruption.
- Expenses: employees sometimes have to travel for work, paying for accommodation, as well food and drink during their trip. Clear guidance is needed on what they can claim back.
- Forms and guidelines: to keep track of processes, an employee handbook should contain either a form, more informal guidelines, and/or checklists. It’s such easier to have these on hand for specific situations, such as a member of staff informing their line manager of their pregnancy. Many pieces of HR software already have forms on file, which can be adapted to for different scenarios.
- Employment benefits: including details on what employment benefits are available is crucial, ensuring colleagues understand any perks and advantages offered by their company. If you’re looking to reward your team, such offering incentives, highstreetvouchers.com is home to a range of gift and voucher choices.
Once an employee handbook is created, it needs to be made
readily available for members of staff to access if and when needed. To
minimise the cost of printing employee handbooks, it would be more convenientto have it in a digital format; hosted online. The contents list should be clear, allowing employees to find the policy they’re looking for. At its core, an employee handbook serves as the cornerstone of any workplace hoping to thrive.
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