The importance of employee handbooks

Employee handbooks are an important and fundamental part of good HR policy. They provide a strong foundation for clearly communicating your company policies, and help protect your company against a number of potential legal challenges. At HR Executive Consulting Group, we can help you craft an employee handbook that covers all the necessary topics, while also matching your company’s specific needs and goals.

Every employer, regardless of size, should have an employee handbook. Positive employee relations are central to the success of even the smallest companies, and a good employee handbook sets clear guidelines for the employer/employee relationship. For example, your employee handbook should set clear standards for employee behavior, while also providing assurances regarding how you will treat your employees. This fosters an atmosphere of trust and communication, which leads to a more productive and positive workplace. Your employee handbook can also cover topics such as vacation and family time – these topics may seem basic, but clearly outlining your policies provides your employees with the understanding and assurance that your policies are fair and in their best interest.

The handbook also becomes a legal document, outlining a range of policies and procedures that are important to discuss with your employees. Your employee handbook should include your “employment at-will” stance, your ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) policy, EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) policy, and your harassment policy, just to name a few. When you provide your employees with handbooks, they sign an acknowledgment of receipt, which confirms that you have made them aware of the policies you are legally obligated to include.

The New Year is a great time to review and revise your employee handbook. It’s important to make sure that the language is up to date with the most recent employment law changes, and it also provides you with an opportunity to clarify and strengthen policies designed to improve the workplace. This way, you can begin a fresh new year with a handbook that sets the course for the year ahead.

Are you ready to create or revise your employee handbook? If so, contact us at 818-845-5584, or via email at Info@ExecutiveHRConsulting.com.